Long shows promise of becoming one of the CBA's better novelists in this well-crafted follow-up to his debut novel, Ezekiel's Shadow. Entwined with the history of the landmark Quinlin's estate is the story of Eve Lawson, a 27-year-old history graduate assistant who seeks to save it from destruction. As a little girl growing up in a trailer park just outside the shadow of the buildings, the sight of the estate's tower inspired Eve to reach for something more that was "somewhere else." The estate's construction provided employment for the townspeople during the Depression; now, Eve writes in her first-person journal narrative, "The building saved this town once, and although that was long before my time, it seems only right that somebody return the favor." Eve sifts through stories from town residents that she hopes will help her in her quest and tracks down information about the legendary gold for which her father, an estate maintenance worker, sacrificed almost everything. In delving into the past, she comes to grips with her own longings and lays to rest some old ghosts. Ultimately, she discovers the "somewhere" she has always longed for in a way that is not so surprising for inspirational readers, but still avoids a formulaic wrapup. Although the combined device of flashbacks and journaling is initially jarring, when it's paired with Long's excellent voice and strong writing the result is a novel that's among the best of CBA fiction. (Aug.)
