January 1987, Small Plains, Kansas. On the night of the decade’s worst blizzard, a boy discovers the naked corpse of a beautiful girl. No-one can identify her, so the people of the town bury her with a gravestone marked with the date and ‘Peace Be Unto You’. Seventeen years later, the mysterious dead girl – the ‘Virgin of Small Plains’ – has inspired a local myth. In the two decades since her death, strange miracles have visited those who faithfully tend her grave; some believe her spirit can cure deadly illnesses, while others credit her with the town’s economic prosperity. Word of the legend spreads and Small Plains becomes a haven for an onslaught of spiritual seekers and the terminally ill, all hoping the Virgin will answer their prayers. When the mysterious Mitch Newquist reappears and a vengeful tornado devastates Small Plains, the truth begins to emerge.. What really happened seventeen years ago? Why did Mitch suddenly disappear the same night the Virgin’s body was found – abandoning his first love, Abby Reynolds? And why are some of the town’s leading citizens so determined that the truth remain buried?
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Reviews
"a great novel - a very tense thriller that leaves you guessing until the very end.'
Tantalizing . . . Pickard writes with insight and compassion.
Mesmerizing... cleverly planted surprises and the convincing portrait of smalltown life make this a memorable read.
..a writer of substantial literary power and gravitas... Pickard's latest is a darn good read, and anyone smart enough to pick it up can't help but admire it.
An absorbing tale of love and deceit... very readable.
Suspenseful. . .Pickard keeps the surprises coming and the tension high all the way to the end.
an outstanding tale of suspense that goes back two decades, involves a wonderfully real love story thwarted and probes the corrosive effects of secrets.