Set in 1960 Milwaukee, GOOD GRACES is the sequel to Lesley
Kagen's National Bestselling novel, Whistling in the
Dark.
In GOOD GRACES, Sally continues to mourn her
father who died in a car crash. But her father lives on in
the promise she made to him to keep her sister, Troo, safe.
But Troo is not one who is easily tamed. If there is any
mischief around, Troo wants to be front and center.
Sally worries if she can keep her promise to her father. A
year ago Troo was attacked by Al Molinari. As a punishment
for his attack, he was sent off to reform school. Sally's worst
fears materialize when she learns that Al escaped. Sally
begins to hear noises at night and imagines that Al has
come back for her sister. But Troo is no shrinking violet.
Ever since Al was sent to reform school, Troo has been
sending him mocking letters making light of his misfortune.
But Sally and Troo have more to worry about than Al's
escape. Their mother, Helen, wants to marry Detective Dave
Rasmussen, Sally's real father. Sally will always consider
the man who died in accident her father, but she finds a
kindred spirit in Dave. Troo, however, oozes hostility and
would love to send Dave packing. Unfortunately for Troo,
Helen has petitioned the Pope for an annulment to her
marriage to convicted felon, Hall Gustafson.
When Troo isn't busy trying to make Dave as unwelcome as
possible, she is spending more and more time with the new
Catholic priest at Mother of Good Hope Church, Father
Mickey. The amount of time Troo spends with Father Mickey
worries Sally, who thinks that Father Mickey is up to no
good. She promised her dad to keep her sister safe, but
that isn't easy with Al on the loose and someone breaking
into houses. Sally's determination to protect her sister,
however, leads her become Milwaukee's youngest amateur
sleuth. While the police have few clues about who is
breaking into houses and stealing valuables, Sally has her
own ideas about who the culprit is, and she has a plan to
expose them.
GOOD GRACES emotionally evokes the innocence of childhood
in every page. Troo and Sally's bond and their supposed
telepathic link is adorable. Unfortunately, the novel
lacked a strong enough plot to keep the readers engaged.
The author sprinkles a few teasers throughout the book
gearing the readers up for plenty of suspense about Al and
Father Mickey, but very little happens until the end of the
book. Although Lesley Kagen tied the novel together nicely
at the end, most of the novel felt like filler before the
well-written ending. Troo and Sally still manage to make
GOOD GRACES a charming read for anyone who enjoys novel
about the bond between sisters.
Lesley Kagen returns with the sequel to her national bestselling debut, Whistling in the Dark. Whistling in the Dark captivated readers with the story of ten-year-old Sally O'Malley and her sister, Troo, during Milwaukee's summer of 1959. The novel became a New York Times bestseller and was named a Midwest Honor Award winner. In Good Graces, it's one year later, and a heat wave has everyone in the close-knit Milwaukee neighborhood on edge. None more so than Sally O'Malley, who remains deeply traumatized by the sudden death of her daddy and her near escape from a murderer and molester the previous summer. Although outwardly she and her sister, Troo, are more secure, Sally's confidence in her own judgment and much of her faith have been whittled away. When a series of disquieting events unfold in the neighborhood-a string of home burglaries, the escape from reform school of a nemesis, and the mysterious disappearance of an orphan, crimes that may involve the increasingly rebellious Troo-Sally is called upon to rise above her inner demons. She made a deathbed promise to her daddy to keep Troo safe, a promise she can't break, even if her life depends on it. But when events reach a crisis point, will Sally have the courage and discernment to make the right choices? Or will her false assumptions lead her and those she loves into danger once again? Lesley Kagen's gift for imbuing her child narrators with compelling authenticity shines as never before in Good Graces, a novel told with sensitivity, wit, and warmth.
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