The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt

Bobotis’s thoughtful and quintessentially Southern debut opens with the 1929 obituary for 14-year-old Quincy Kratt, who was shot to death. The chief suspect is Charlie Watson, an employee of the Kratt Mercantile Company, whose whereabouts are unknown. In 1989, Quincy’s older sister, Judith, is living in the crumbling Kratt family manse in Bound, S.C. Judith has recently received a postcard from her youngest sibling, Rosemarie, who disappeared at 13, shortly after Quincy’s murder, saying that she’s coming home at last. Rosemarie originally left because she believed Judith killed Quincy and let Charlie take the fall. Judith decides that this is the perfect time for her to take a complete inventory of everything the house has accumulated over the decades. As the list of heirlooms grows, so does Judith’s understanding of her family’s tragic past and her own role in it. Sometimes even the most well-intentioned actions have unexpected consequences, and long-held secrets fester. The complicated truth behind Quincy’s murder will catch readers by surprise. The well-told tale unfolds like a magnolia, slowly revealing a languid beauty. Mystery fans will also be satisfied. [em]Agent: Kerry D’Agostino, Curtis Brown. (July) [/em]