The Sweetest Thing

Novelist Musser (The Swan House) returns with this story of Mary Dobbs Dillard and Perri Singleton, teenage girls in Atlanta during the 1930s who form a close friendship as they deal with tragedy, heartbreak, and the Depression. Musser's historical research and love for her setting show through on every page, and her competent writing provides readers with a tightly plotted story, though the pacing of the second half is more satisfying than the first. Her characters, however, shine less than their setting; at their worst they are predictable and slightly flat, and even at best they can be overly precious and melodramatic, especially Mary Dobbs, whose Christian faith is emphasized so strongly that it borders on self-righteousness and makes her later crisis of faith seem contrived. Musser also pushes her theme of God's mercy and providence rather heavy-handedly, but despite these flaws, the novel boasts an engaging mystery subplot and satisfying conclusion, and thus should please fans of her previous work. (June)