American Pie: A Novel
Freddie, Eleanor and Jo-Nell McBroom may be the most satisfyingly trio of off-center Southern sisters since Crimes of the Heart, and West (Crazy Ladies) delivers a bawdy and poignant novel to match. When marine biologist Freddie McBroom fled Tallulah, Tenn. (after an unfortunate incident involving a stolen heart and gallbladder that got her booted from med school), she swore she'd never return. But now her rowdy sister Jo-Nell, after drinking just a bit too much tequila at the Starlight Lounge, has been hit by the midnight train. Reluctantly, Freddie decides to return home, leaving her husband, Sam, and his blonde, bikini-wearing assistant at their research site in Baja California. Ridiculous disasters have stalked the family for a while now. Grandmother Minerva Pray buried two young children before her husband was killed by lightning. The McBroom girls' mother was found hanging from the Venetian blinds?by eldest sister Eleanor, who subsequently became a semi-agoraphobic and now spends much of her time updating a scrapbook of grisly accidents and murders. Jo-Nell's first husband died in an unfortunate watermelon accident. A bittersweet reunion allows all three sisters to have a second look and a second chance at life: Freddie has a fling with her former fiance; Jo-Nell contemplates leaving both Tallulah and her reputation behind; and Eleanor confronts her deepest fears. If these gals are a bit too resilient, if no tragedy or mishap sticks too long to their Teflon-coated spirits, that doesn't diminish the charm as West travels effortlessly between the deep-fried South and the arugula-strewn Pacific coast, giving full voice to the McBrooms as they try to sweep their troubles away. $35,000 ad/promo; author tour; U.K., translation, first serial and dramatic rights: Ellen Levine Agency.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.