Set during the summer of 1947, Matthews's (John Riley's Daughter) stirring novel at once captures the period nuances of life in post-WWII South Carolina and limns a timeless portrait of family sorrows and secrets. Fourteen-year-old narrator Afton's brother, Francis, perished two years ago at age 18 on a battlefield in Europe. When her mother's silent, mysterious brother, whom Afton never knew existed, comes to visit, Afton suspects that her mother is harboring secrets from the past. Mama will say only that Bailey has been through "an ordeal" and needs time "to get on his feet," and asks Afton not to mention Bailey's arrival in her letters to her father, at sea with the merchant marines. Matthews deftly and subtly draws a parallel between Francis and Bailey: Afton notices that her mother's face lights up when she talks to Bailey, the same as it did when she spoke to Francis, and her mother even offers Bailey her brother's room. The heroine dreams at night about her brother "cold and hungry in his grave," and wonders if it is wartime experiences that haunt the man as he paces incessantly in Francis's room. The girl blames herself when Bailey is falsely suspected of murder, after which Mama discloses the cause of his unhappiness. In a poignant, pivotal moment, Afton's unfailingly candid, credible voice articulates both her guilt and the sense of loss that she and her mother share ("And then it hits me so hard I feel as though my heart might burst. Mama loves Bailey the way I love Francis. She probably thought he was dead. Then she looked up one day, and there he was again"). A hopeful ending caps this gracefully crafted fiction, starring a memorable heroine and a strong supporting cast. Ages 11-14. (Oct.)
