At first I thought it was going to be a nice Southern fiction, chick lit type book. With interesting characters and little slice of Southern life. But it soon became apparent that it was more than that. The writing was very good, one of those where you need a notebook nearby to jot down your favorite parts.

The main character is Mary, who comes back to the town where she grew up, Toliquiloh. It is filled with quirky, but believable characters. One of those characters is Edna, the one armed diner owner.

Mary's first encounter with Edna:
"What'll it be?"
"Burger, fries, and a cold beer."
She let out a breath that she never took in and said, "I don't like frying on Tuesdays," and placed her one hand on a round of hip. I was thinking of, maybe, tuna, but then reconsidered.
"But it's Friday." I said. Then both of us concentrated on the days of the week until Edna replied, "So it is," and moved off to the kitchen. When you only have one arm, it doesn't swing when you walk.

If the book had been filled with nothing but that, it would have been good, but it went further and included a murder mystery. A very good murder mystery that kept me guessing the whole time.

Excellent writing, excellent characters, humor, mystery. What more could you ask for. ( )