Terri Edgar

Please read this beautiful book. Based on a historical tragic event that took place in the town where I grew up, this book captures the spirit of small town Missouri life during two decades 50 years apart. The six characters that voice this narrative reveal how that singular event has shaped their own stories and perspectives. I grew to love many of the characters. But if I didn't love them, I could at least feel empathy for them as I learn their motivations and struggles. The town itself is an influential character who colors the choices with her values and accepted norms. We discover that people are often not what or who they seem to be. Choices made in a moment of grief and tragedy, can have lasting effects on the lives of many. The ending caught me off guard as it beautifully sent the town forward using the motif of death as its vehicle.