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SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME
by Jill Churchill
William Morrow & Co., November 2001
240 pages
$24.95
ISBN: 0060199415


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

This is the third in the Grace and Favor series, the stories of a brother and sister, Lily and Robert Brewster, whose once wealthy father lost everything in the Great Depression and were saved, more or less, by the legacy of a great uncle. He left his home and fortune to them, but only after they lived in the small village of Voorburg for ten years and proved they could earn a living. Meanwhile they could live in the home and sustenance would be provided.

It is now the lowest moments of the Great Depression, July, 1932, and Franklin Rooseveltís description (from his inaugural in 1933) that one-third of the nation was ill-housed, ill-clothed, and ill-fed, is quite accurate. Lily and Robert feel guilty because they have allowed the people of the village to believe they are in actual possession of Uncle Horatioís wealth. They also are beginning to feel uncomfortable because of denunciations and distrust of the wealthy at this time of crisis.

Into this terrible context appear two murders. One body is found when the old ice house is torn down so that villagers can make use of the sturdy wood. The other occurs in the woods outside of town when the body of Donald Anderson, husband of one of the Voorburg Ladiesí League members, is discovered.

In addition, the editor and main reporter for the Voorburg newspaper, owned by Uncle Horatio's estate, travels to Washington, D.C., to interview Voorburg participants in the Bonus March. Jack Summer arrives just in time to participate in the wild and unrestrained retreat after General Douglas MacArthur uses the United States Army to evict the Bonus Marchers. It is a terrible experience and a haunting one for Jack.

The history is well done and carefully described. Because I am familiar with this period of time, I can tell some of the secondary resources that were used to ensure accuracy. The reader will get an excellent picture of attitudes, fear, and ordeals during this time of fear and poverty.

The plot is less intriguing. In fact in spite of desultory investigation by both the Chief of Police and Robert, little progress is made until the proverbial light bulbs go off and Lily and Robert realize the crucial facts that will allow them to solve both deaths. One has to wonder why it took them so long. The story seems simplistic as do the characters. While this is a series that certainly would be labeled "cozy" or traditional, this particular book seems more fluffy than most. While the history is interesting, the plot and characters leave much to be desired.

Reviewed by Sally A. Fellows, April 2002

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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