If It Ain't Broke...

This homespun and humorous rendering of small town life is Boyd's third volume (after Boy, Howdy! ) of the Cedar Gap Archives, taken from his column for the Abilene Tex. Reporter News . Fictional Cedar Gap (pop. 256) is located in dusty, remote west Texas, and this novel is Boyd's close yet caring look at the town's highly individual citizens and their daily concerns. Some of the action revolves around the regulars at the town's hub, the Palace Cafe, where folks like Ornell Whapple, Wilson Kruddmeier and Yancy McWhirter alternately analyze the wiles of the local basketball team, the Gila Monsters, and ponder how to secretly refurbish the home of a fellow down on his luck. There are tales of diligent high schoolers, crotchety old bachelors, and uppity big city folks who need to be taught a lesson. Boyd's voice is distinctive--folksy, perceptive--and he presents neighborly people in a community devoid of crime, drugs and obscenity. Many of the anecdotes about these decent, kindly folk verge on the maudlin and, like a slab of rich Texas pecan pie, the chronicles are best taken in small bites. (Feb.)