A Patchwork Past

Gould’s second installment to her Plain Patterns series (after Piecing It All Together) is a moving tale about the plight of refugees and the value of caring for others. Jane, an elderly spinster, runs a quilt shop in the Amish community of Nappanee, Ind., in addition to writing for the local newspaper. She becomes intrigued with the life of her ancestor, Mary, who aided Irish immigrants during the Chicago Fire of 1871, and recovers Mary’s old journal among her grandmother’s possessions. She recounts Mary’s adventures to Sophie Deiner, a young woman newly back in town to recover from a lupus flare up. As Sophie learns about Mary, she reflects on the similarities between their lives—Sophie has also taken an interest in the welfare of refugees after befriending the Lopez family, immigrants from El Salvador she meets through work at a co-op. When the Lopezes’ oldest son is wrongfully detained and threatened with deportation for a crime he didn’t commit, Sophie searches out evidence to clear his name. The matter is complicated by Sophie’s past relationship with Levi, a farm manager who supports deportation and has a tendency toward violence. Readers will root for Sophie, who finds forgiveness for others and overcomes family strife from previous installments. Gould’s excellent drama will appeal to fans of Cindy Woodsmall. (Mar.)