Life always has unexpected surprises in Second Creek, Mississippi, the setting of Robert Dalby's Piggly Wiggly novels. If it isn't the weather, it's fireflies. Gaylie Girl Dunbar compares it to Santa Fe, "Special places determined to do things their own way and not lose their identity." It takes a tragedy to bring the town together to "Not lose their identity" in Dalby's latest, A Piggly Wiggly Christmas.Now that Mr. Choppy Dunbar is mayor, Gaylie Girl has plans to put her own mark on Second Creek. She and her friends, the Nitwits, a wealthy group of women, organize Caroling in the Square, bringing church choirs together to sing around the square on Christmas Eve, hoping to make it an annual event that will attract visitors and the media. It takes a great deal of work to gain cooperation from the various choir directors, but the Nitwits are up to the task.
But, is the town up to the job of recovering when an electrical fire destroys half the old buildings on the square the week before Christmas? This might be a larger task than the Nitwits can handle on their own. It might take some new blood, some "cream of courage" soup, and a little Second Creek magic to bring the Christmas spirit back to Second Creek.
Once again, Dalby's story of small town life includes a few everyday miracles, a great deal of hard work, and life's problems. One of the Nitwit's is suffering from Alzheimer's, and it's getting progressively worse, with moments of lucidity. The mayor's secretary gives birth prematurely. And, of course, there's the fire. As usual, in Second Creek, the Nitwits and the community rally to help each other. Although this book dragged in places, particularly those dealing with trying to get the choir directors and Lady Roth to cooperate, it's still a treat to return to Second Creek, Mississippi. Robert Dalby's books reflect the pettiness, and the best, of small town life. And, it's small town love that is reflected in A Piggly Wiggly Christmas.
Robert Dalby's website is www.mswritersandmusicians.com/writers/robert-dalby.html
A Piggly Wiggly Christmas by Robert Dalby. Penguin Group (USA), ©2010. ISBN 9780399156779 (hardcover), 272p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure - The author and the publisher sent me copies, hoping I would review it.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure - The author and the publisher sent me copies, hoping I would review it.
