Mara Purl's fourth novel
peels the onion of her picturesque town of Milford-Haven"
even further than in her previous books, and in the process
creates a savory stew: part romance, part remorse, with a
dollop of suspense and sprinklings of spicy intimacy.
Once she breaks down the basic ingredients of the socialized
behavior in her saucy little town, she shows readers the raw
material of the soul: who feels guilty about what, and why.
In fact, more than one intriguing dinner scene entice us to the
table as trysts are forged over the enticing aromas of the
kitchen. Sally O'Mally's cozy restaurant is closed one night
to everyone but her new-old love Tony Fiorentino; on the terrace
at Joseph Calvin's estate a sumptuous meal is laid out for
Joseph's guest Samantha Hugo; until it's interrupted by Zelda, and
Cynthia serves up some tender morsels to Zackery - where else but
in bed....
Purl first whetted our appetites with hit radio series
Milford-Haven, U.S.A. which had four and a half million listeners
on the BBC. She now serves up an enticing web site at
www.milfordhaven.com, hosted by the Family Internet which brings
1.5 million hits a week. And if you like broadcasting museum
shops, all the major ones carry the Milford-Haven audio tapes.
But now the novels have an audience of their own, building
momentum as Purl kicks off the new book in the newly
refurbished Carnegie Library in Colorado Springs, by hosting the
first author's tea - where the scones, clotted cream and raspberry
jam are real. Two major book events are coming up for Purl
this winter. The first is a signing and talk at the Palm
Springs Writers Guild Sunday, February 18th. Next Mara
will be a featured speaker at the Virginia Festival of the Book,
in Charlottesville, Virginia, March 22.
One of the most
intriguing aspects of the novels turns out to be the journal
entries, which so far have ended each book. The fast paced
language of the main text gives way to deeply reflective
soul-searching, replete with metaphor and observation.
Indeed the title of each novel becomes the theme for each diary
segment - a kind of expansively explored poetic icon which
illuminates the preceding text, and foreshadows the next novel in
the series.
If you're searching for
what to read next, and want a combination of escapism and
thought-provoking prose, your answer is Cause and Conscience.
To read more about Cause and Conscience:
http://www.havenbooks.net/fiction-mhnovels-candc.shtml
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