I liked this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a whodunnit. It's not a detective story as there are no real coffee and bagel swilling 'tecs to grumble their way through the story or private eyes to beguile us with tales of their derring do and the bedding of voluptuous women.

In the just about every aspect this story is a tragedy and it is set in small town America. The small town where everyone knows the judge and the doctor and the sheriff. In this case, it is those stalwarts of any community who become the problem for small Plains

This is a good but relatively simple story so any review of it must perforce be short otherwise far too much will be given away.

There is a blizzard and the father and two sons have to go and ensure the new born cows are safe and sound. Part way through the work they find the naked body of a beautiful young lady.

They take the body to the doctor's surgery and the doctor does something exceptionally strange to the body. What neither doctor nor just about anyone else knows is that there is a witness. A young man, Mitch, is about to deflower both himself and the doctor's daughter, Abby; and is looking for a condom whem the body is broguht in: so he hides but sees everything.

The young man runs home through the snow with no coat on and no shoes on. Clearly distressed, conversations and phone calls obviously take place and this young man disappears: he leaves Small Plains.

The young lady is buried in town's cemetery and a legend attaches to her as a miracle worker. People pray to the one they call the virgin and miracles are ascribed to her.

Many years pass and life goes on then the young man returns. Things move at a blistering pace and things that couldn't be said about the murder and the young lady herself are said. The mystery is solved and reputations are shattered because of it.

Does Mitch get to deflower Abby, his teenage love? Read the book and find out! There is, by the way, the best sex scene in this novel than in any other novel I have ever read. Not pornography, not long and drawn out and incredible but one that catches the moment absolutely prefectlyI think you'll wish you were involved!

Can't say more, well worth a read!

Duncan Williamson
15th October 2006