A Page & Pairing Reading Guide
Set beneath the mountains of Chattanooga in 1928, Ruby Falls by Gin Phillips blends historical intrigue with claustrophobic suspense. Inspired by the real discovery of Ruby Falls, the novel drops readers into total darkness where one body and five suspects turn a publicity stunt into something deadly. As the Great Depression tightens its grip, a psychic’s daring descent into the caverns becomes a spectacle no one will forget.
In this Page & Pairing reading guide, we explore the layered themes of ambition, survival, and the overlooked women who shaped history from the shadows. You’ll find a nostalgic Southern menu inspired by the novel, including Aunt Ruth’s Macaroni and Cheese, a classic Gin Rickey, and traditional Southern sweet tea. Whether you're hosting book club or reading solo, this guide will help you savor every twist, every bite, and every secret hidden in the dark.
Ruby Falls
by Gin Phillips
One body. Five suspects. Total darkness.
In 1928, a Chattanooga man disappears down a hole in the ground and discovers a 150-foot waterfall in the middle of a mountain that he names after his wife: Ruby Falls. Within months, visitors can buy tickets to see the falls for themselves. Ada Smith has been sneaking into the caves at night, entranced by the natural wonders around her and the freedom granted by this new underground world.
But it's tough timing for a natural wonder. As the country flounders in the Great Depression, a shrewd public relations ploy seems like the only way to save Ruby Falls. A famous mind reader and mystic agrees to launch himself into the Ruby Falls caverns where he will attempt to locate a hidden hatpin using only his psychic abilities. He'll be joined by five others: his manager, his wife, a guide, a Chattanooga businessman, and a reporter from the Chicago Times. But they're not alone in the caverns.
One of them will be dead before the end of the day.
Aunt Ruth’s Macaroni and Cheese
From the Author, Gin Phillips:
This is my own family recipe, and it makes a cameo in Ruby Falls when Ada shares a meal of cold macaroni in the caverns. I remember my grandmother explaining that in the 1930s, her mother would make macaroni and cheese, and they’d cool it completely and cut it into squares for church picnics. This particular version (served hot) is one my grandmother claimed made her the first woman in Montgomery, Al., to make macaroni and cheese in the oven without cooking the noodles first. I’ve made it at a few hundred times myself, and every time it’s creamy and rich—a perfect winter side dish or full meal.
Side note: My grandmother labeled this as “Aunt Ruth’s” in her recipe box. I’d never heard of an Aunt Ruth, and neither had she. Ruby Falls is in part a tribute to all the women who spent their lives taking care of everyone around them and never got remembered by a history book or a billboard, so I like the idea of Aunt Ruth, whoever she was, living on every time someone pulls this out of the oven.
Ingredients:
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- 3 Tb butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 qt whole milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Melt the better and pour into a 9x9 or 9 x 13 casserole dish. Stir in salt, pepper, and macaroni.
- Add shredded cheese, mix well, and pat down densely.
- Gently pour the quart of milk on top. It works best if the noodles and cheese are disturbed as little as possible.
- Set dish in oven and bake uncovered for an hour.
- The top should be brown and bubbly when you take it out. Let cool for 5-10 minutes so the remaining liquid will soak in. You can also fancy it up by adding slices of brie or sausage to the top in the final 15-20 minutes of cooking.
Gin Rickey
Ruby Falls is set during Prohibition, and this is a classic Prohibition-era drink both because gin was quick to produce and because, if it was low-quality gin, the other ingredients masked the taste. Now that you won’t get arrested for it, this one is still an easy, refreshing cocktail.
Ingredients:
- · 2 oz gin
- · juice from half a lime
- · Club soda
- · lime circles for garnish
Instructions:
- · Fill a highball class with ice cubes, then add the gin and lime.
- · Fill with club soda. Stir.
- · Garnish with lime.
Southern Iced Tea
From The Author:
I’m going to be honest—although this was on the table at every meal when I was growing up in the 1980s in Alabama, I never make it now. I never see it at get-togethers. There is just so much sugar. But if you’ve wondered about traditional Southern tea, this is the stuff, and it would have been the standard drink you’d offer a guest in Chattanooga back in the day.
Ingredients:
- 4 family-sized tea bags (Lipton is a standard)
- 1 cup sugar
- Water
Instructions:
- Heat 3-4 inches of water in a small pot. As soon as it starts boiling, add the tea bags, and let boil for a few seconds before removing from heat. Stir, then cover and let sit for at least half an hour.
- Remove tea bags, squeezing out all extra tea into the pot. Return pot to the burner and heat until nearly simmering. Add sugar and stir until fully dissolved, trying not to boil.
- Pour tea into a gallon-sized pitcher and fill with cold water. Refrigerate then serve with ice.
MORE Books by Gin Phillips
Gin Phillips has written six novels, and her work has been sold in 29 countries.
Gin’s debut novel, The Well and the Mine, won the 2009 Barnes & Noble Discover Award. The Los Angeles Times called it “an astonishing debut” and noted that “a whisper runs through the novel — the ghosts of places and people and luscious peach pies, making it a combination of dream and nightmare, nightmare and dream.”
1. Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips
2. Family Law by Gin Phillips
3. Come in and Cover Me by Gin Phillips
4. The Well and the Mine by Gin Phillips