Sweet Vidalia

An East Texas widow discovers her late husband was leading a double life in the appealing latest from Sandlin (Family Business). It’s 1964 and Eliza Kratke, 57, is doubly crushed, first by the sudden death of her husband of 30 years, Robert, from what appears to be a heart attack, and then after the funeral home’s secretary tells her another Mrs. Kratke has been making a fuss, claiming she was married to Robert. To make matters worse, Eliza discovers her finances are in shambles; Robert left her nothing but debt. Devastated, she retreats to her bed and stays there for weeks. When a collection agency tries to repossess the car, she manages to hold them off and sell it. She tries to sell the house, too, but finds a lien has been placed against it by the other Mrs. Kratke, so she rents it out for the time being, moves into a cheap hotel, and enrolls in a business course. The classroom is chock-full of colorful characters, including an artist who makes counterfeit money and a gay man who offers to help Eliza land a secretary job. Though the detours into these characters’ stories makes the novel feel a bit scattered, Sandlin manages to evoke Eliza’s can-do spirit as she perseveres through one challenge after another. This will move readers. Agent: Jennifer Thompson, Nordlyset Literary. (Dec.)