Rae Wall
Author
Available Now
Published October 15, 2026
The Woman Behind the Kudzu
A Southern Gothic novel of small-town legends, buried truths, and the woman behind them.
The story behind the book
The Woman Behind the Kudzu is a Southern Gothic novel inspired by a real woman I grew up hearing stories about in rural South Alabama. She was the kind of woman people whispered about, warned their children to stay away from, and turned into something frightening without ever really knowing her.I grew up fascinated by the stories surrounding her, but as I got older, I began wondering about the woman behind those stories. What had she lived through? How much of what people believed was actually true? And how easily can an entire community turn someone into a villain?That curiosity became the foundation of my novel. It’s an atmospheric, character-driven story about grief, superstition, small-town secrets, and the difference between who someone really is and who the world decides they are.
What readers are saying
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“I really liked the atmosphere. I could picture the old house and the small town so clearly.”
— Sabrina Lee | Verified Amazon Purchase
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“Very intriguing!!! Wonderful story!!!”
— M | Verified Amazon Purchase
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Candy Cigarettes and Cuss Words
One daughter. One dead father. A lifetime of stories that don’t quite add up.
About Rae
I’m Rae Wall, an Alabama writer with a love for good stories, complicated people, and the kind of secrets small towns never really forget. I write about the South the way I know it—messy, beautiful, a little strange, and always worth talking about.