Pre-Owned Velma Still Cooks in Leeway: A Novel (Paperback) 0805421289 9780805421286

Welcome to Leeway, a close-knit, small town that could be anywhere. But there's trouble simmering under its peaceful surface. Shellye has turned up pregnant, but accuses Len of date rape. Doris walks and smokes, sunk in depression; Cousin Howard is dying; Albert is more and more silent. Grady seems to be the knight in shining armor who will solve Shellye's problems. But why does Shellye seem so unhappy? And where did the bruises on her arm come from?

Meanwhile, Velma, the part-time janitor at Jerusalem Baptist Church and owner of the town diner, listens, journals her thoughts, and cooks her way through her problems. Her first-person narrative is told without illusions, without glossing over the grit and the grime of her customers' faults and foibles. She sees the people in Leeway through the lens of love and observes, "Love is 10 times as complicated as hate. And forgiveness will tear you limb from limb." It's forgiveness that gives the book its sure-to-shock, knock-your-socks-off, surprising twist at the end.

Strong themes, including domestic violence, compassion, and the healing power of prayer, make this a compelling novel you won't be able to put down--and that you'll want to share with a friend. Delicious recipes from Velma's Place are the dessert at the end of each chapter and strike a light note in the midst of heavy themes. --Cindy Crosby