I am so delighted to have discovered Sandra Dallas.  Her books are just fantastic.  The Persian Pickle Club is a group of quilters who have been meeting for years to quilt, gossip and support each other through thick and thin.  Queenie Bean loves the Pickles, but when Rita moves to town, Queenie is thrilled at the prospect of having a younger Pickle join their the club.  But Rita isn’t as interested in quilting as she is in solving a murder mystery that the rest of the club would just as soon see go unsolved.

When Bethany’s parents suddenly drop her off at her aunt’s house and leave, Bethany must uncover their secret if she want to reunite her family.  Definitely not one of Haddix’s best.

Your typical Robin Cook novel with evil corporate villains, sleuthing doctors and unsuspecting patients.  Told in Cook’s subdued, understated tone that downplays the seriousness of the subject matter.  For example, upon discovering that her friend has been kidnapped, Laurie’s reaction is to say, “This is a major disaster.”  You think?  Cook’s books help pass the time in a waiting room, but are usually a last resort for me.

Attorney Rachael Flynn must find out the truth behind a murder that her brother says he committed.  I enjoyed this Christian mystery for several reasons:

• Christian fiction that doesn’t “preach” at you is hard to come by.  Meissner doesn’t preach.
• Christian romance without nauseatingly handsome and perfect men is hard to come by.  Meissner’s men are nice and normal.
• Christian fiction usually has the same tired cast of characters.  Meissner’s characters are more unique.

And an aside, the main character had a 2 month old baby, which is the age of my daughter.  So I enjoyed the mother-baby sub story, although Meissner should have spent a little more time with a real 2 month old before writing the book.  Rachael’s fictional baby sleeps til 7 every morning, sleeps all night long, takes 3 hour afternoon naps, and can be bathed, nursed and sleeping in 40 minutes.  I’d love to meet that baby!

Haruf is an excellent writer. His books weave a group of small town characters together in such unexpected ways. I picked this book up at the library recently, knowing that I had read it before and enjoyed it, but not remembering exactly what it was about or how it ended. So as not to ruin the story (either for you or for myself if I pick it up again in 5 years), I won’t say much except to strongly recommend that you read it.

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