The Sassy Belles

There’s nothing former Days of Our Lives actress Albright’s Southern gals—and their moms, grandmothers and frenemies—won’t do to right wrongs, shed bad habits, and bag Mr. Right in this rambunctious chick-lit debut. Razor-sharp perfectionist Blake; her red-haired, hot-blooded BFF Vivi; often-married mom Kitty; spitfire grandmother Meridee; former step-sister and nemesis Dallas; and first-love and Tuscaloosa, Ala., cop Sonny unravel the possible murder of Blake’s brother-in-law Lewis, playboy and announcer for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. His headline-grabbing disappearance puts Vivi in the hot seat since she was the last to see him—in room 106 of the Fountain Mist motel—and frays the thinning strands holding together the marriage of Blake and her ambitious lawyer-hubby Harry. More importantly, the mystery defines the complex bonds between Blake and Vivi, and reveals how each is “saved by a belle.” Albright good-naturedly displays her inner redneck while steering this giddy Dixie romp with ease—leaving lots of room at the happy ending for another adventure starring these steel magnolias, who “take care of each other... stand our ground... and do it with high heels, big hair and lots of lipstick.” Agent: Elizabeth Pomada, Larsen Pomada Literary Agents. (June)