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The Girls in the Stilt House: A Novel Paperback – April 6, 2021

by Kelly Mustian (Author)

14,509 ratings

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THE USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

"Remarkable debut.... [a] nearly flawless tale of loss, perseverance and redemption."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

Set in 1920s Mississippi, this debut Southern novel weaves a beautiful and harrowing story of two teenage girls cast in an unlikely partnership through murder—perfect for readers of Where the Crawdads Sing and If the Creek Don't Rise.

Ada promised herself she would never go back to the Trace, to her hard life on the swamp and her harsh father. But now, after running away to Baton Rouge and briefly knowing a different kind of life, she finds herself with nowhere to go but back home. And she knows there will be a price to pay with her father.

Matilda, daughter of a sharecropper, is from the other side of the Trace. Doing what she can to protect her family from the whims and demands of some particularly callous locals is an ongoing struggle. She forms a plan to go north, to pack up the secrets she's holding about her life in the South and hang them on the line for all to see in Ohio.

As the two girls are drawn deeper into a dangerous world of bootleggers and moral corruption, they must come to terms with the complexities of their tenuous bond and a hidden past that links them in ways that could cost them their lives.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Remarkable debut…. [a] nearly flawless tale of loss, perseverance and redemption." ― Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"In a world too cruel to make a place for them, Matilda and Ada become an army of two, fighting a war for their own refuge. This is a gripping novel about friendship, danger, isolation, and the vivid, dripping, moving landscape of a Mississippi swamp. If you loved Where the Crawdads Sing, you’ll love The Girls in the Stilt House." ― Nina de Gramont, author of The Last September

"In prose that is stunning and assured, Kelly Mustian forges a powerful story of two young women, thrust together after unspeakable loss and devastation, and their courageous struggle to emerge from their darkest hours." ― Jessica Keener, author of Strangers in Budapest, an Indie Next pick and Entertainment Weekly "best new book"

"An astonishingly assured debut, The Girls in the Stilt House draws you in, holds you spellbound, and will move you to tears. With emotional impact and gut-wrenching power, this unforgettable novel is the best book I’ve read in a very long time, and I’m sure I won’t be the only one who thinks so. A triumph!" ― Elizabeth Letts, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Finding Dorothy

"The Girls in the Stilt House is a brilliantly researched, atmospheric page-turner. But best of all, it’s populated with characters you really care about. I devoured it in a single weekend, yet the novel’s haunting spell remained with me long after." ― Kate Moore, New York Times bestselling author of The Radium Girls and the upcoming The Woman They Could Not Silence

"Classic Southern reading." ― Library Journal

"The two young women at the heart of this rich debut come of age under the hardest of circumstances, and Kelly Mustian has given us their world entire. We ache for their sorrows, we cheer for their victories, and we recognize both ourselves and our nation in their troubles and their hopes." ― Jon Clinch, author of Marley and Finn

"Kelly Mustian’s THE GIRLS IN THE STILT HOUSE is a triumph, a heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting debut that’s as rich and lush as the Natchez Trace where the story takes place. Mustian’s lyrical prose combined with her deep insight into the resiliency of the human spirit make this novel shine. You know a book is good when you wish you’d written it!" ― Karen Dionne, international bestselling author of The Marsh King’s Daughter

About the Author

Kelly Mustian is the USA Today bestselling author of The Girls in the Stilt House and The River Knows Your Name. She is the recipient of the Mississippi Library Association's 2023 Author Award for Fiction, and The Girls in the Stilt House was shortlisted for the 2022 Crook's Corner Book Prize for best debut novel set in the American South. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals and commercial magazines. Originally from Mississippi, she currently lives in North Carolina.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 6, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1728217717
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1728217710
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.96 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #22,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #43 in Southern Fiction
- #688 in Women's Domestic Life Fiction
- #1,242 in Historical Fiction (Books)

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Kelly Mustian

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Kelly Mustian is the USA Today bestselling author of The Girls in the Stilt House and The River Knows Your Name. She is the recipient of the Mississippi Library Association's 2023 Author Award for Fiction, and The Girls in the Stilt House was shortlisted for the 2022 Crook's Corner Book Prize for best debut novel set in the American South. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals and commercial magazines. Originally from Mississippi, she currently lives in North Carolina.

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Customers say

Customers praise the novel's storytelling, particularly its twists and turns, and appreciate how the prose paints vivid pictures. Moreover, the book features well-developed characters from different worlds and explores themes of friendship and survival in challenging circumstances. Customers find the story heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, with one review noting how it captures attention from the start. However, the ending receives mixed reactions, with some finding it perfect while others find it far-fetched.

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Story quality Thought provoking Writing quality Character development Heartbreaking story Friendship Strength Ending

306 customers mention "Story quality"299 positive7 negative

Customers describe this novel as a masterpiece of storytelling, enjoying its twists and turns.

"Loved this book! Couldn't put it down!!" Read more

"It was a good book. I'm not a reader that focuses on all the little details I THINK should have been in there...." Read more

"...Loved it. Great ending! I enjoyed the 2 different view points to bring the stories together" Read more

"What a great read! I loved the characters and could really picture the story. This is a tale that makes you feel something...." Read more

100 customers mention "Thought provoking"86 positive14 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and engaging, noting it catches attention from the start and keeps readers intrigued throughout.

"...the very beginning the author captures your attention and keeps you turning the pages as she draws you into her character development and story line...." Read more

"...The characters well developed. The setting accurate for the historical time period...." Read more

"Kelly Mustian's debut novel is a moving early 1920s snapshot of the Jim Crow era of US history...." Read more

"...I usually am not prone to scary books, but this one held my attention to the last page! Great job by Kelly Mustian!!..." Read more

98 customers mention "Writing quality"95 positive3 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting that the prose paints a vivid picture and the novel is beautifully crafted, with one customer highlighting the realistic dialogue.

"From the very beginning the author captures your attention and keeps you turning the pages as she draws you into her character development and story..." Read more

"...Unlike its unworthy predecessor, the Mississippi story deals with the real world and real issues, not all of which have been solved to this day...." Read more

"This is a nice soft covered book. Easy to read. Good font size and great topic. I would highly recommend this book." Read more

"Kelly Mustian's beautifully crafted novel set in the deep woods and swamps of the Mississippi Trace during early Prohibition had me at the edge of..." Read more

81 customers mention "Character development"78 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, particularly noting how the author skillfully creates two characters from different worlds.

"What a great read! I loved the characters and could really picture the story. This is a tale that makes you feel something...." Read more

"...Mustian knows how to write and continualy does so with confidence developing each character and intertwining their lives into a believable story of..." Read more

"Oh my goodness! I loved this book!!! The characters well developed. The setting accurate for the historical time period...." Read more

"...Hope is barely present but it reaches out and grabs you. The characters were vividly real and broken...." Read more

53 customers mention "Heartbreaking story"53 positive0 negative

Customers find the story heart wrenching and touching, with one review highlighting the raw contrast between hardship and hope, while another describes it as an uplifting tale of two young women.

"...mystique is the background for this heartbreaking, yet uplifting story of two young women who just want a choice at a life...." Read more

"...The trials the characters experienced were believable and heart wrenching!..." Read more

"...book is not only a tribute to the strength of women but also a poignant exploration of what it takes to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world." Read more

"...Interesting and upsetting at the same time. Reading the book brought tears to my eyes...." Read more

31 customers mention "Friendship"31 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the friendship portrayed in the book, particularly the unlikely bond between the two girls, with one customer noting the unique relationship between them.

"A rich story about friendship between girls from similar but different places. Loved it. Great ending!..." Read more

"...I loved seeing how the characters supported each other and developed trust. I recommend this book without hesitation!" Read more

"...time the characters evolved fairly quickly into unique and sympathetic individuals with fascinating stories and much to care about...." Read more

"...The family may not have much, but they are rich in family love. Ada is a young white woman living in the same vicinity...." Read more

29 customers mention "Strength"27 positive2 negative

Customers praise the book's portrayal of women's strength in challenging circumstances and their will to survive.

"...the author's words, she gives life to Ada, Matilda and future generations of strong women...." Read more

"...This book is not only a tribute to the strength of women but also a poignant exploration of what it takes to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world." Read more

"...The characters were vividly real and broken. This was hard to put down and it will haunt me for a while...." Read more

"...by tragedy and need, both women showed resource and strength in challenging circumstances. Interesting and upsetting at the same time...." Read more

34 customers mention "Ending"14 positive20 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the ending of the book, with some finding it perfect while others find it far-fetched.

"...However, it was then missing a couple pages in chapter 39 so I missed some of the story. Poor quality control during production." Read more

"...Loved it. Great ending! I enjoyed the 2 different view points to bring the stories together" Read more

"Enjoyed the book. The ending needed a little more work. The events and character building madlke this a must read." Read more

"...Ending was good, leaving a great place for other spin-off novels." Read more

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sally kennedy
So historically accurate!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Loved this book! Couldn't put it down!!

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patty
Good Read
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
It was a good book. I'm not a reader that focuses on all the little details I THINK should have been in there. I read it as it is written and see it in my mind as I read. I felt it was good. Not great, but good enough to finish. My only complained is that at chapter 34, the pages suddenly were upside down and backwards. I had to go forward maybe 30 pages, flip the book over and read it that way until I got back to chapter 39, then I could continue with the book the right way when reading beyond. However, it was then missing a couple pages in chapter 39 so I missed some of the story. Poor quality control during production.

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Casey blinn
lovely
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
A rich story about friendship between girls from similar but different places. Loved it. Great ending! I enjoyed the 2 different view points to bring the stories together

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sobryan
Historic fiction
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2021
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Close your eyes. Travel back to when the Natchez Trace was the main avenue of travel. When foot traffic greatly outnumbered the mule- or horse-drawn carts. When the well-worn road was a dividing line for wealth, color, education – and opportunity of all kinds.
That’s the Natchez Trace featured in Kelly Mustain’s debut novel, The Girls in the Stilt House, timestamped in the 1920s during the no-holds-barred Prohibition. The Trace is both protector and provocateur as two teenage girls struggle to escape the pull of the swamp and its secrets.
Ada had sworn she’d never return the swamp shack occupied by her drunk and abusive bootleg father. After all, she’d run away with the love of her life. Now’s she’s back. Afraid of her dad, his drunken tirades. Afraid to be mother with no mother. Back in the swamps, screams go unheard.
One person hears them, though. Matilda, the daughter of a black sharecropper, comes from the other side of the Trace. Her family is scraping by, trying to square up with the plantation owner and then buy their own plot of land. The problem is that the “crop” of choice is illegal peach whiskey, so danger hangs over all their heads.
Ada and Matilda become the most unlikely of friends. An unintended murder now bonds them even tighter. And when Ada’s baby is born, the deal is sealed. They must survive, keep their secrets and find freedom.
Eyes are everywhere. Alligators, killers, snakes, thieves, bigots. They are all watching, waiting for their chance to hurt, overcome, even kill. There are scenes you’d rather avoid, but as readers, you know they’re coming. The South in the 1920s wasn’t a fairy-tale story. It was a hard life with few ways to avoid the pitted paths that lie ahead.
Some of the two protagonists’ actions weren’t pretty or respectful. They were grim, deadly – and necessary. When it comes to options, there are very few for cheating-thieving landowners and stinking-drunk fathers. What should be done, has to be done, weighs as heavy on the girls as the stifling humidity of a Mississippi summer day.
Throughout Mustain’s novel are the weavings of racial inequalities, corruption and abuse of women who are valued less than a good mule. Social status, color and corruption build an emotional rollercoaster piece by piece until finally the reader is caught in the front seat and unable to get out.
Mustain grew up in Natchez, Mississippi, surrounded by the stories and mysteries of the Natchez Trace. It’s no wonder that its mystique is the background for this heartbreaking, yet uplifting story of two young women who just want a choice at a life. Not a life dominated by men or skin tone, but rather one earned by determination and relentlessness.
Through the author's words, she gives life to Ada, Matilda and future generations of strong women. And as readers, we want to read more words from Mustain, a true Southern storyteller.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my opinion.

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41 people found this helpful

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MIA
Great story
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
What a great read! I loved the characters and could really picture the story. This is a tale that makes you feel something. I look forward to more work by this author.

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One person found this helpful

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Blue Eyes
2 girls, one white, one black, one 16, one 17, living in a stilt house in the swamp
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Ada ran off to Baton Rouge with Jesse and cam back within a year Aline and pregnant. Matilda showed up at the stilt house just when Ada needed help the most. Not friends - Matilda wouldn’t allow that - but each girl held onto secrets for the other. Each had hardships and each managed to overcome.

A very good book.

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Amazon Customer
Good read
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2024
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Was a good read, however the end left me feeling that there should have been more to the story.

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Kindle Customer
Extremely we!l written and gripping book
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
From the very beginning the author captures your attention and keeps you turning the pages as she draws you into her character development and story line. Kelly Mustian knows how to write and continualy does so with confidence developing each character and intertwining their lives into a believable story of event that could have happened during the 1920s in the south.

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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5 star read. One of my faves this year!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2022
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

In my top two books this year. A 5 star must read !!!!

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Amazon Customer
hard to put down, suspense to the end
Reviewed in Canada on December 15, 2021
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Great entertaining read

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Sandi McCreight
Loved this book
Reviewed in Canada on May 2, 2022
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
A really amazing story of old times, incredibly hard times, abuse, strength, and resilience. Poverty at its worst. Crazy good.

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Linda
Fall into the story.
Reviewed in Canada on September 3, 2021
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
This story was relatable. It drew me in just as "Where the Crawdads Sing" did. I loved the characters and the way the story unfolded slowly making me want to know more.

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Sunshine in Mexico
Good book
Reviewed in Canada on March 27, 2022
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
A story of two young girls who definitely lived in the hardest of times. Reminds us all of how hard life was in the 20’s for many people in the southern U.S.
But their strength and determination made the book a winner in the long run.

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5.0 out of 5 stars 5 star read. One of my faves this year!

5.0 out of 5 stars hard to put down, suspense to the end

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book

4.0 out of 5 stars Fall into the story.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book

5 star read. One of my faves this year!

hard to put down, suspense to the end

Loved this book

Fall into the story.

Good book