Come Sundown

Eve Maitland inherited her late husband's estate and his two children. After growing up in abject poverty and barely eking out a living in the movies, Eve is relieved that she finally does not sweat every penny spent. Her late spouse ran Parrish, Louisiana as his personal fiefdom and now Eve is trying to repair some of the social injustices he caused. She also has to deal with her two step-children. Brea is walking on the wrong side of the law and Justin is involved with a hearing impaired, mute teenage, who is being abused by her own step-brother. Eve never expected to also become involved with the town new police chief, Ben Rader, a homey who left town years ago and only recently returned. The death of his best friend's brother brought him home to a place with many bad memories concerning his father. In addition to the racial problems that still arise at times, Ben has to uncover the identity of the kingpin who is selling illegal drugs throughout the town. In spite of all they must confront, Eve and Ben find a love that neither wants but cannot resist. COME SUNDOWN is a dynamic microcosm of a small rural southern town. Although the novel is billed as women's fiction, Helen R. Myers' work is really mainstream, tackling social issues that concern everyone. Fans of Barbara Delinsky and Anne Tyler will certainly want to read this haunting book. Harriet Klausner