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I thought it would be impossible for Billie Letts to better her two previous books, WHERE THE HEART IS and THE HONK AND HOLLER OPENING SOON. I was wrong. This author is a master at characterization and storytelling. In the early 1970s, an Oklahoma town sported headlines about a young woman murdered and her baby abducted. Nearly 30 years later, this same story receives attention again. Meanwhile, successful veterinarian Dr Mark Albright flies from California to Oklahoma. He learns about some unresolved issues from his past and hopes to find answers in Oklahoma. He finds more than he ever dreamed possible. In this small Oklahoma town, Mark meets several townspeople. The characters in this story are full-bodied and often quirky. I vividly picture each one of them. The four that I will mention are characters that especially struck a nerve with me. Teeve, a gutsy lady, runs the pool hall. She isn't always popular with some of her clientele because she stopped booking bets after her husband walked out on her. She serves lunches (specializes in peanut butter pie) and her establishment is faithfully frequented by four gentlemen named the Domino Boys. Ivy is Teeve's pregnant daughter. She has tried to search for meaning in her life in many different locations, but now has returned home. She has a consistent sense of humor, a good heart and grows in likeability with this reader. The sheriff, O Boy Daniels, was a deputy when this past murder occurred. He would like to keep life more simplistic than it becomes with Mark's arrival. Daniels has a mean streak in him and had been previously jailed for beating a prisoner. Back when the murder happened, he boasted that he would take care of everything swiftly. The fourth character is Kyle Leander. He works at a radio station that is operated by his step-father. He consistently has drug problems. Kyle knew the murdered woman and liked her, and he has never totally recovered from all of his past. The mystery of what happened nearly 30 years ago is the bulk of this story. Peeling away the hidden secrets was fascinating. We never have the opportunity to meet the murdered woman, but you will feel her composite as an artist, basketball player and a vibrant young person. Interspersed in the story are snippets of her diary, a diary that is always signed Spider Woman. Shoot the moon means that the player is going for all the tricks in a card game. Sometimes when this happens in real life, it is risky. This story does shoot the moon, even though not everyone wants the truth to be known. Highly recommended!
Reviewed by Rita Ratacheck, July 2004
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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