Fire in the Henhouse

In Grote%E2%80%99s debut, widowed New Yorker Maggie%E2%80%94with her teen son in tow%E2%80%94relocates to her hometown of Dooleysburg, Pa., a move that triggers memories of abuse and mental illness. Amid encounters with frequently winsome characters (an Irish nanny, a comparative anthropology professor, a local deli owner, and the police chief), Maggie discovers the extent to which she has excluded people from her life, while an act of public violence causes simpler problems to shrink in importance. Fans of large casts replete with eccentric and memorable locals will appreciate Grote%E2%80%99s novel with its overlapping subplots, the strongest of which emphasize the importance of forgiveness and embracing the flaws of others. Clever banter and a flair for over-the-top scenarios compensate for occasionally melodramatic confrontations and rapid emotional denouements. A novel brewing with tension, lightened by warm humor.