Calumet Editions

Dorie Lavalle

A Minnesota Story of Moonshine and Murder

Born on January 1, 1900, Dorie is trapped in poverty—childless, lovelessly married to Louie LaValle, and tied to a failing farm. Prohibition pushes her to make and sell moonshine, and she soon earns more than she imagined. With free-wheeling Victor building a hidden woodland still, danger escalates when he returns wounded from an ambush. Now Dorie must protect her future—and Victor—from neighbors, a zealous sheriff, and the Chicago mob.

In luminous prose and with a powerful sense of drama, Mary Desjarlais brings us a new kind of hero…

—Janis Agee, author of The River Wife

Description

Born on the first day of 1900, Dorie finds herself at odds with the world and out of options. Married to Louie LaValle, a local man with an inherited farm but not the talent or stamina to run it, Dorie is anchored in poverty, childless and tied to someone she doesn’t love.

Prohibition and desperation inspire her to make and sell moonshine to the men in town. Soon she makes more money than she ever dreamed possible. To expand production, she enlists free-wheeling Victor, who builds a secret distillery in the woods. When Victor appears at her door with a gunshot wound, describing an ambush at the still, it’s up to Dorie to protect her future — and Victor — against angry neighbors, a zealous sheriff and the Chicago mob.

Product Details

PublishedFebruary 3, 2023
ImprintCalumet Editions
LanguageEnglish
Print length334
ISBN-139781959770671
Dimensions6 x 0.84 x 9 inches

Dorie Lavalle is the story of three remarkable women who make moonshine, deliver babies, and dispatch bad buys in the dead of the wintry north. This is a compulsively readable historical fiction with equal parts dark mystery and brazen romance weaved in.

—Ann Bauer, author of The Wild Ride Up the Cupboard

This novel announces Mary Desjarlais as a bright star rising on the literary landscape. It will move, disturb, and haunt you in the best way with its poetic intensity, its originality, and its tough, no holds barred characters.

—Janis Agee, author of The River Wife

Genealogical fiction is a new trend and Mary did a great job. Taking a person in her family history and making up a story surrounding them was genius but the writing and word usage was like having your cake and eating it too. A great first-time performance and book clubs will love it.

—Mickey Mikeworth, verified review on Amazon

Author Mary DesJarlais skillfully weaves in a beautiful, complicated, woman caught in ugly circumstances. DesJarlais pushes the reader to decide—is Dorie a victim with the intelligence to survive or is she better suited for the Mafia? Clearly, she was the ‘brains’ of the operation. It was a compelling read to see how many knives could she juggle. Highly recommended, kudos to Mary DesJarlais!

—Linda O, verified review on Amazon

The superb character development in this novel is truly magical. I felt as though I was right there for every moment of passion, suspense and adversity. Enjoy this step back in time!

—Janelle L Fischler, verified review on Amazon

Great characters, descriptive scenes, a page turning plot, and a perfect ending. I’ve recommended this book to a number of people and I’m looking forward to her next book. Easily 5 stars!

—Gordon Schmitz, verified review on Amazon