The Empress of Cooke County
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Brittany Pressley
About this listen
“Get ready to laugh! Elizabeth Bass Parman is a true Southern storyteller. I couldn’t have loved it more.” —Fannie Flagg, New York Times bestselling author
Posey Jarvis knows she’s the rightful empress of Cooke County . . . She just needs to make everyone else realize it too.
Thirty-eight-year-old Posey Jarvis is the self-appointed “empress” of rural Spark in Cooke County, Tennessee. She spends her days following every word about her idol and look-alike Jackie Kennedy, avoiding her stalwart husband Vern, and struggling to control her newly defiant daughter Callie Jane—all while sneaking nips of gin. When Posey unexpectedly inherits a derelict mansion from her quirky old aunt Milbrey, she finagles her way into hosting her high school’s twentieth reunion there. She cares nothing about seeing her classmates, but she cares deeply about seeing the love of her life, a man who dumped her nineteen years ago. Possums are nesting in the parlor and the stench of cat urine permeates the sunroom, but she must be ready for the big day, even if she has to do the work herself.
Eighteen-year-old Callie Jane finds herself accidentally engaged and is panicking about her fast-approaching wedding. She’s also had enough of her domineering mother. Even though she loves her father, the idea of working at his emporium for the rest of her life just makes her . . . so sad. She longs to escape from her mother, her job, her upcoming wedding, and the creepy Peeping Tom terrorizing the town. She dreams of leaving everything she’s ever known in her rearview mirror and starting over in California. But when her life has been mapped out for her from birth, how can she break free?
Set in a gossipy small town during the turbulent 1960s and full of Southern charm and unforgettable characters, The Empress of Cooke County is a novel about found family, what it means to be loved, and how being true to yourself can have life-altering consequences.
- Southern women’s fiction
- Stand-alone novel
- Book length: approximately 82,000 words
- Includes discussion questions for book clubs
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The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
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The actual book The Art of War, not a commentary
- By Nemo71 on 12-31-19
By: Sun Tzu
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Dead Med
- By: Freida McFadden
- Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso, Scott Merriman
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
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When Heather McKinley dreamed of becoming a doctor, she imagined curing sick kids and sporting pink stethoscopes. She never anticipated the sleepless nights, grueling exams, and endless labs. And she certainly never knew that her medical school earned the nickname Dead Med thanks to the tragic history of students overdosing on illegal drugs. But Heather would never consider doing anything like that. That is, until her longtime boyfriend dumps her, she finds herself failing anatomy, and her world starts to crumble.
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Hmm
- By Morgan Meaux on 08-22-24
By: Freida McFadden
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What listeners say about The Empress of Cooke County
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Britain Singleton
- 10-15-24
Southern small town charm
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Easy listen with some good laughs. The storyline was great, and narration was perfect.
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- brian
- 09-07-24
A strong debut, and not the last I'll read by her.
Brittany Pressley does it again as narrator. The author is also excellent in writing style and cast of characters. I much prefer the daughter to the mother. Having been born in Memphis, this novel is a special one to me.
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- cher solis
- 01-09-25
Surprise ending
Great characters that couldn’t stop listening to it. She had the southern theme perfect! The narrator was also excellent and could provide great voices.
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- donna freeman
- 09-08-24
Captivating and Hilarious
" The Empress of Cooke County" is chock full of unforgettable characters and surprising plot-twists. The dialogue is sharp and spot-on. Elizabeth Bass Parman is a fresh new voice on the scene. I love this fast-paced novel ...a great choice for a book club or beach read. The narration is perfection. Looking forward to more from this author for her next page-turner.
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- KS Parker
- 09-17-24
Good, clean and easy read.
The book cover is what attracted me to this book and my home state Tennessee. I wanted an easy listen and began listening to the book and found that I enjoyed it. It’s a good book when you just want something to fill the time that doesn’t require a lot of focus.
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- WMS
- 09-24-24
Excellent Must read/listen
The author captures the essence of a small southern town with perfect blend of drama, comedy, and mystery. Characters and plot move the story well.
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- Michael Zurcher
- 09-25-24
What a fun read! I couldn’t put it down!
The storyline is fantastic. The characters are so realistic and relatable! I couldn’t stop listening to this book. The author really hit it out of the park and the narrator did an amazing job. This book has everything. 10/10
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- AKA1
- 12-30-24
Stereotypes of southerners
The pettiness of the mother’s character. I’m sure that many people in the south will cringe at this character.
The narrator did a great job of making the mother’s character awful.
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