The Moonshine Women

The Moonshine Women brings a fascinating story of three sisters from the Ozark Mountains and the region’s rich folk tradition of moonshine whiskey.

Rebecca, the oldest sister, loves the farm life, surrounded by animals and nature. Elsie, the middle sister, craves beauty and a family atmosphere far from rural hardship. Shine, the youngest, is full of verve and the most inclined to carry on their father’s legacy.

The story begins in 1929 Missouri, with seventeen-year-old Shine introducing the moonshine tradition. Even before Prohibition, their father made his own moonshine, as many respected farmers did. None of them would waste money on store-bought alcohol. The formulas for moonshine were handed down from generation to generation like cake recipes. When crops became nearly worthless and couldn’t feed the family, they turned them into something that could. And with human nature, what was forbidden quickly became lucrative—especially when Grandma Lidy Strong added her own secretive ingredients.

There are other captivating characters woven into the story. John Flanagan is a federal agent enforcing Prohibition through the Volstead Act. His harsh childhood shaped his strict allegiance to the law. He’s proud of what he’s achieved and determined to track down those he believes waste their money on alcohol.

After the death of their mother, the girls’ father drowns himself in grief and liquor. He never saw the moonshine business as wrong—it was legal before, after all. But after his death, the sisters devise creative ways to transport contraband across state lines. Shine has an additional motive: she wants to find the person responsible for their father’s death.

After settling in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Shine eventually encounters the notorious gangster she’s heard so much about—Al Capone himself. He’s come to Hot Springs, tired of Chicago’s alcohol scene, and brings with him his own beliefs about what women should and shouldn’t do. Working at the bar of the Southern Club, Shine faces Capone’s smirks and chauvinism, each encounter stoking the fire of her vengeance.

This character-driven story explores themes of sisterhood and reinvention. The characters are compelling, the threads of the plot come together seamlessly, and the prose is both beautiful and entertaining. The descriptions of the Ozarks and its traditions are vivid and immersive. The Moonshine Women delivers a memorable story full of heart, grit, and cultural richness.