The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a 2019 historical fiction novel by Kim Michele Richardson set during the Great Depression. The story follows Cussy Mary "Bluet" Carter, one of the Packhorse Librarians who traveled through remote Kentucky to deliver books and literacy programs as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration (WPA). Cussy is also a member of a rare family carrying a genetic condition that gives her blue skin — a trait feared by many in the isolated mountain communities she serves, leading to prejudice, discrimination, and violence directed at her. The novel blends historical detail about Appalachian life with themes of race, disability, and resilience.