Tough book to review in that I have to be really careful not to give anything away. If you’ve read Susan Wiggs before you are aware that she doesn’t mince words. If she says it, it’s going to be important and useful. Never more apparent than in her latest page-turner WAYWARD GIRLS. The church had an interesting philosophy about dealing with what they defined as troubled girls. The list of attributes was pretty lengthy and somewhat vague so trying to pinpoint who fell into this category was plenty broad. Blurred lines. Plenty of openings falsely determining a girl’s behavioral problem, if indeed there even was one.

So how to manage these girls became quite a challenge and in WAYWARD GIRLS we are tuned into a time, about the 1950s and several decades surrounding the 1950s put us at a home for girls who fit this broad challenge. The church with the help of their nuns and support staff supervised these homes. Literally taking young girls out of school and putting them in institutions that had barbed wire around the perimeter. Visions of prison anyone.

In WAYARD GIRLS Susan Wiggs concentrates on a group of girls sent to this home for several reasons. None of it would seem to have any basis for actually curing anything. There is truly no outward appearance of clinical behavioral issues with any of this specific group. Most turned in or enrolled in the homes program by family members. Sadly, these were to protect them from some outside safety concerns. Or worries about being embarrassed by lack of faith or following the strict dictates of the church over what is proper.

The total lack of contact with these girls for months or years left them at the mercy of the nuns and clerics who ruled the roost. And that is central to the environment of punishment that was abundant in the home.

In the very first chapter, Susan Wiggs introduces a woman who is having difficulty getting a passport. Seems you need a certain type of birth certificate, and she didn’t have it. Her attempts to attain a birth certificate that would be valid are met with disappointment. She knew she was adopted and had two wonderful, adopted parents. They too could not provide anything other than what they had received during the adoption process. Basically, we left her with no way to get the passport she wanted so that she could travel with her husband. Frustrating for sure. But Susan Wiggs is setting us up for something amazing. Just be patient and wait for it. Totally worth the wait.

I’ve read just about everything Susan Wiggs has created, joyously I must say. Well in WAYWARD GIRLS she outdid herself. If you are looking for a great beach read this is it. It’s coming out in July, just in time for taking a day off to read a masterfully created novel. Oh and bring some tissues. You will doubtlessly need them. Destined to be the read of this year.