June 2012

As many of you recall, I was just crazy about A RELIABLE WIFE by Robert Goolrick, which was a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. In his latest book, HEADING OUT TO WONDERFUL, Goolrick again grabbed my attention with a bold story and a group of flawed characters.

Charlie Beale rolls into the quiet town of Brownsburg, Virginia. He brings with him two things --- a suitcase of knives and a suitcase of money. He finds work at the butcher shop in town where his skill with creating beautiful steaks and chops gives him a wide audience amongst the townspeople. He also befriends the butcher’s family, and his young son, Sam, clearly loves spending time with Charlie. Before we all get caught up in an idyllic world, along comes two other characters --- a rich man named Boaty Glass and his beautiful wife, Sylvan, who catches Charlie’s eye. And well, more than his eye. What Sam sees over the next months between Charlie and Sylvan will change his world forever. The novel is told in the voice of Sam, and the scars he has will never heal.

From the start, readers know something will not go well. And I was page-turning to figure out just WHEN that was going to happen. There are many parallels between these two books of Goolrick’s, including the lonely characters who have lots churning inside. This WILL be a big book for book clubs as there is a lot to discuss about the characters, the writing, the structure and the plot. I see it as attracting just as big an audience as A RELIABLE WIFE.