The first of three kindred novels set in the American Midwest of the 1920s explores the life of Julie Jones, 21, whose life is turned upside down when Evan Johnson, the mysterious son of the town drunkard, returns home and starts courting her. When Evan's father is found murdered and a series of brutal rapes rocks the town, Julie stands alone in support of this man.
Read More
The first of three kindred novels set in the American Midwest of the 1920s explores the life of Julie Jones, 21, whose life is turned upside down when Evan Johnson, the mysterious son of the town drunkard, returns home and starts courting her. When Evan's father is found murdered and a series of brutal rapes rocks the town, Julie stands alone in support of this man.
Read Less
Add this copy of The Edge of Town to cart. $1.22, good condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Grand Central Pub.
Add this copy of The Edge of Town to cart. $1.43, good condition, Sold by Once Upon A Time Books rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tontitown, AR, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Grand Central Pub.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good in good dust jacket. This is a used book in good condition and may show some signs of use or wear. This is a used book in good condition and may show some signs of use or wear.
Add this copy of The Edge of Town to cart. $1.43, fair condition, Sold by Once Upon A Time Books rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tontitown, AR, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Grand Central Pub.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear. It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear. It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket.
Add this copy of The Edge of Town (Missouri, Book 1) to cart. $1.77, fair condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Grand Central Publishing.
Add this copy of The Edge of Town to cart. $1.95, good condition, Sold by Books-FYI rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from cadiz, KY, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Warner Books (NY).
Add this copy of The Edge of Town to cart. $1.99, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Grand Central Publishing.
Add this copy of The Edge of Town to cart. $1.99, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Warner Books (NY).
Add this copy of The Edge of Town to cart. $1.99, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Grand Central Publishing.
Add this copy of The Edge of Town to cart. $1.99, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Warner Books (NY).
Add this copy of The Edge of Town (Missouri, Book 1) to cart. $2.00, good condition, Sold by Blue Vase Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Interlochen, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Grand Central Publishing.
Reading this book was an accident; I didn?t know it was part of the series: the Jazz Age. It was a book-on-tape that looked like a standalone novel. Generally, I?m not interested in life between the wars. However, I was hooked by the plot before I recognized the time frame.
As she does so well, Dorothy Garlock takes us on a leisurely trip through a small town (Fertile, Missouri) with a group of distinctive characters. Garlock describes small time life with such accuracy!
I would refer to this as a ?cozy? book; not a great deal action occurs, but the plot is furthered by the characters themselves. After her mother dies, Julie Jones (at 15) stops attending school to take care of her 5 younger siblings. As the story opens, she is now 21.
The interaction between the siblings is delightful ? funny, scathing, caring. Julie comes to the attention of the returning war veteran Evan Johnson, who is the only child of the mean drunk of Fertile. Evan?s father spends much of his time frightening folks (especially girls) with his lewd remarks and threats.
As Evan?s interest in Julie becomes more pronounced, Julie can?t believe that a world-traveler like Evan could be interested in her. To add a fly in the ointment, Birdie Stuart (an attractive young widow with a small child) sets her cap for Evan. When Evan resists Birdie?s charm, she searches for another victim ? Julie?s widowed father.
This part of the story takes up much of the book; the children are not opposed to their father remarrying but they do NOT want Birdie. The strain between the 6 siblings vs. their father is hard to watch. The reader, like the kids, realizes there is something not quite right about Birdie. When Mr. Jones invites Birdie to come for an extended visit, tension in the family builds.
Finally, there?s a rapist in town; he?s been preying on the town?s young women for years. Those are the three main issues that run through the book. However, there are plenty of sub-plots ? bootleg liquor and Sunday afternoon baseball games are two. I didn?t figure out the rapist before the town learned his ID; the author didn?t give clues.
Despite the plot described, this book moves at a very leisurely pace. Julie and Evan are pleasant and well-developed, but their situation isn't dramatic. I just happened to be in the right mood for a book of this type; others might find it too static for their tastes. 4 stars
