After the Shadows (Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing #1) Amanda Cabot. 2023. 352 pages. [Source: Library] [historical fiction, Texas fiction, historical romance, mystery and suspense]
First sentence: Everything looked the same. The live oaks in the park still shadowed this block of Main Street, providing a welcome respite from the early afternoon sun.
Premise/plot: Emily Leland, widow, is returning home to Sweetwater, Texas. It is not a joyous homecoming. Her mother has died without the two reconciling. Her father is hours away from his own death. (If the publisher description spoils it so why shouldn't I?) Her sister despises her--mostly. Emily's now-dead husband was super-controlling and abusive. Nobody knew. Well, not anybody in Sweetwater. She soon finds herself with an opportunity. It's not one she expected--to open up her house, almost like a boarding house. But there is a definite need. After several fires in town leave the new school teacher (a widower) with a young son AND an older widow woman [longstanding family friend] homeless, she opens up her home and makes a new start. Her sister [who will be the star of book two] leaves soon after. A third guest--a week day guest--a young girl with "special needs" is incoming.
Meanwhile while all these new beginnings are beginning to flourish, relationships being formed, much comfort and encouragement all around....Emily begins to investigate her father's death....and soon there's a WHOLE PILE of bodies stacking up to investigate.
My thoughts: After the Shadows is a slower-paced book. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it personally. Perhaps slower-paced isn't the right word. Right words can be hard to come by. I mean that there are so many sub-genres going on at the same time, that the story plot sometimes seems confused and hesitating. It has a cozy feel in the historical romance camp or genre. It happily could have lived there and pleased everyone. I also love the focus on friendships--strong friendships--between women. I loved the advocacy. One of the characters--one of the students--has Down's syndrome. (Not that it was called that in this book.) Emily is 1000% supportive and loving and kind. In a community where everyone is stand-offish and judgmental, Emily is a breath of fresh air to this little girl. The mystery comes and goes. There's always new dead bodies. So it's never far from your mind that something is FISHY about this community, but if the mystery element is what you're there for....then you'll be waiting forever and ever and ever. It isn't until the end of the novel when the book seems to remember that it is a mystery as well.
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