In the Hour of Crows by Dana Elmendorf

A little Southern Gothic, a little supernatural, and a little Appalachian superstition, In the Hour of Crows  is also a mystery.

Abandoned by her mother, and living with an unpleasant grandmother who is known as a "Granny Witch," Weatherly Wilder has an unusual childhood.  Her family has a history as herbalists with strange gifts, and Weatherly's gift is as a death talker like her grandfather.  Her cousin and best friend is a scryer.  Are these gifts or curses? It depends.

Death talkers can often, but not always, talk to the dying and bring them back.  There is a price to be paid for this-- the death talker inhales the death, creating Sin Eater Oil.  Weatherly's been doing this since she was a child at the encouragement of her grandmother.  Her grandmother is a cruel and controlling woman, but she needs Weatherly. Without Weatherly's skill and the death oil, the old woman becomes meaningless.

When a car hits Adair's bicycle killing her, Weatherly refuses to accept it as an accident. Adair "saw" something that bothered her, and Weatherly is convinced Adair's death was deliberate; she doesn't intend to let the wealthy Sloan Rutledge get away with it.

Family secrets are slow to be revealed, but Weatherly has every intention of discovering why Adair was targeted and to hell with the consequences.

I enjoyed the book, but felt that there were many loose ends that were not resolved involving Weatherly's mother, Rook, Gabby Newsome, the fact that everyone overlooks evidence of Adair's death, and the reason for the grandmother being in Stone Rutledge's office.  A sense of incompleteness that bothers me. 

Thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity.