A family tragedy, a 25 year old murder, and a detective determined to make things right... Laura Wilkes has everything a woman could want when she snaps the carousel picture. Her daughter, a happy little five-year-old, is holding the brass ring and smiling at a daddy who adores her. Each time the carousel circles around Laura snaps another picture, seven in all. This is a day of unforgettable happiness; one of the few Laura has left. In the months following the stock market crash, Franklin Wilkes is killed; gunned down in senseless act of vengeance. The police know who did it, but the man has disappeared. It's the height of the depression and there are hoards of nameless, faceless men living in freight train yards and back alleys. The murderer is never caught, but Laura and Emory, her father, never give up hope of finding him. Now, twenty-five years later, Laura's daughter has fallen in love with Jack Mahoney a policeman working crowd... Views: 27
Trust, love and friendship--Abigail Anne Lannigan searched for these things all her life. Now, when she is at the tail end of her years, she teams up with a free-spirited young woman. A nobody from nowhere, who suddenly moves in across the street. Their unusual friendship comes under suspicion when a million dollars goes missing and a distant relative, claims embezzlement. Abigail knows the truth of what happened but, unfortunately, she'll never get the chance to tell.Reminiscent of Fannie Flagg's "Fried Green Tomatoes" the May-December friendship of these two unforgetable women is sure to settle in the soft spot of your heart. The Twelfth Child, a novel rich with emotion, humor and tenderness, explores the splintered relationships of a Shenandoah Valley family and their willful daughter's struggle to survive America's Great Depression and overcome the past.ReviewBe prepared to be swept away into the life of a girl who will tug at your emotions while never leaving your heart. Crosby has crafted a story that will enchant readers... Steena Holmes, bestselling author of Finding EmmaA deeply moving story that touches the core of your heart... Layered PagesThe Twelfth Child is a heartwarming story that will stay with you for a long time because its characters are simply too endearing to go away and you will be impatiently awaiting the sequel, since the ending of this book practically promises one. Crosby's talent lies in not only telling a good, compelling story, but telling it from a unique perspective. The shifts in time in the narrative and the life story proved quite intriguing, and all the pieces fit together truly well. It would be impossible not to feel emotionally attached to the characters in this book. Reader ViewsBette Lee Crosby is a storyteller extraordinaire...McGuffy's ReaderCharacters with emotional depth that compels the reader to care about their challenges, to root for their success and to appreciate their bravery...Goodreads ReviewStrong female characters without the "I am woman hear me roar" mentality. Crosby writes in a way that puts readers within the story so they can visualize themselves experiencing the hurts and joys of the protagonist. *A Book and A Review*About the AuthorAward-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to works of fiction--the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away.Born in Detroit and raised in a plethora of states scattered across the South and Northeast, Crosby originally studied art and began her career as a packaging designer. When asked to write a few lines of copy for the back of a pantyhose package, she discovered a love for words that was irrepressible. After years of writing for business, she turned to works of fiction and never looked back. "Storytelling is in my blood," Crosby laughingly admits, "My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in most everything I write."Crosby's work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. Since that, she has gone on to win several more awards, including another NLAPW award, three Royal Palm Literary Awards, the FPA President's Book Award Gold Medal and most recently the 2011 Reviewer's Choice Award and Reader's View Southeast Fiction Literary Award.Her published works to date are: Cracks in the Sidewalk (2009), Spare Change (2011), The Twelfth Child (2012), and Life in the Land of IS (2012). Life in the Land of IS is a memoir written for Lani Deauville, a woman the Guinness Book of Records lists as the world's longest living quadriplegic. Crosby newest novel Cupid's Christmas is scheduled for release in early October and following that, What Matters Most will be released in early 2013. Views: 7
