New York: Dutton, 1998. dj. Hardcover first edition - An Appalachian mystery, with its roots in a murder and execution over 100 years ago - in 1833, Frankie Silver was the first woman sentenced to be hanged in North Carolina. One of the most complex and rewarding of the author's 'ballad' mysteries. Includes an author's note and bibliography. 386 pp. ISBN: 0-525-939695.