Looking Back : A Novel
In her novelLooking Back,New York Timesbestselling  author Belva Plain poses the question, Can friendships forged during the idyllic  years of college stand the test of time--and betrayal? Recent college graduates  and former roommates, classy Cecile, brainy Norma, and ambitious Amanda find  their lives intimately entwined when Amanda marries Norma's older brother,  Larry, to escape the unrelenting poverty of her family and the total lack of  opportunities in the small southern town where she grew up. But their lives will  never be the same once Amanda begins a passionate affair with her father-in-law,  the cold and commanding L.B. No one escapes unscathed after Amanda confesses  all, including the identity of her son's father, at a party, and Norma attempts  to boost her heartbroken brother's career at the expense of Cecile's architect  husband. This is Belva Plain at her twisted best, providing a bird's-eye view of  the sometimes murky lives of ordinary people. If you're looking for a happy  ending tied up in a pretty bow, rather than the drama that average lives  occasionally take on,Looking Backand Belva Plain in general may not be  for you. Loyal fans, however, will thrill to wallow once again in a world only  Plain could create.--Alison Trinkle