AMARYLLIS IN BLUEBERRY by Christina Meldrum is a contemporary historical fiction set in 1970's Michigan and Africa. Written in a series of flashbacks from the past to the present and in the voices of each of the members of the Slepy family, it intertwines past history with present.

This is the story of Dick Slepy's obsession, of his wife Seena, and his three eldest daughters, Mary Grace, Mary Catherine, and Mary Tessa. Dick suspects his wife of having an affair, especially after the birth of their fourth daughter, Amaryllis, a child born suddenly while her mother was picking blueberries (thus the title of the book) and bears no resemblance to anyone else in the family. In an effort to prevent himself from murdering the man he suspects as being the father of Amaryllis, Dick packs up the family and heads off to become a medical missionary in West Africa, only to find that his past and present history has followed him into the wilderness where tragedy and heartache awaits the entire family.

This is a complicated story of family intrigue. Meldrum spins a compelling story that has aspects of adultery, forgiveness, redemption, murder, faith, acceptance, sacrifice, and love. Incorporating the various voices of the daughters, the mother and the father, Meldrum gives each character a chance to share their point of view in regards to the difficult situations the family encounters as she guides the tale towards the surprising ending. Although at times, I personally felt like I needed a scorecard to keep track of everyone, especially all the Marys, and the story is decidedly dark and rather haunting, AMARYLLIS IN BLUEBERRY was an interesting look into the traditions and cultures of an unfamiliar society.