Lesley Kagen returns with the sequel to her New York Timesbestselling debut, Whistling in the Dark
Lesley’s debut novel, Whistling in the Dark, captivated readers with the story of Sally O’Malley and her sister Troo during Milwaukee’s summer of 1959. A New York Times bestseller and Midwest Honor Award winner, the novel remains a popular selection with book clubs.
In Kagen’s newest, Good Graces, it’s one year later, and a heat wave has everyone in the close-knit Milwaukee neighborhood on edge. None more so than eleven-year-old Sally O’Malley. Deeply traumatized by her daddy’s sudden death, and a near escape from a murderer and molester the previous summer, Sally’s confidence, sense of security and much of her faith have been whittled away. But as a series of disquieting disturbances unfold—a string of home burglaries, the escape from reform school of a nemesis, and the mysterious disappearance of an orphan—Sally is called upon to rise above her inner demons when she becomes certain that her wild younger sister, Troo, is in danger. Sally made a promise to her daddy to keep her sister safe. A promise she can’t break, even if her life depends on it. But when events reach a crisis point, will Sally have the courage to make the right choices? Or will she be overwhelmed by a dilemma that no child should have to deal with?
The author’s gift of imbuing her narrators with compelling authenticity shines as never before in Good Graces, an evocative novel told with the sensitivity, wit, and warmth we’ve come to expect from Lesley Kagen. – FROM THE AUTHOR SITE
- Pub. Date: September 2011
- Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
- Format: Hardcover , 352pp
- ISBN-13: 9780525952381
- ISBN: 0525952381
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Lesley Kagen is the author of the New York Times bestseller Whistling in the Dark, Land of a Hundred Wonders, andTomorrow River. She lives near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
You can also friend Lesley on Facebook!
FROM THE REVIEWER…Kagen’s novel “Good Graces” gives the reader a front row seat to the life of a young girl and a deathbed promise made to her late father. Sally takes on the responsibility, making sure of the safety of her big sister, who seems to have no conscience. Regardless of the trauma suffered at the hands of a molester and a murder Sally kept her father’s dying wish. Her sister, Troo, short for “Trooper” when she was much younger, seems to deal with her own troubles at the expense of others, yet Sally felt the weight of the world was hers to bear. This alone forces Sally to do something so unthinkable, yet who does she depend on to help her when she needs rescuing? And could she be sure of the one person she loves so much…
At first I wasn’t so sure I could understand what I was reading. Could I be sitting on the shoulder of a young girl with such a responsibility that would test the heart of most adults? Sadly I was and the proverbial aha moment kept me reading.
MEET THE REVIEWER…Kay Burnett is a wife and mother living in Columbus, Georgia. Her greatest challenge is raising her six year old son with her husband and best friend, Mike. Being older parents can be a real eye-opener but she finds that living in the moment makes it much easier.
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