Kirjahaku

It's a new century. Ralph Thacker is beginning his adult life in LeRoy Michigan with five dollars in his pocket, an axe, and the stigma of being a son of "the sheriff who murdered his wife". Travel back to the heart of Michigan farming country at the beginning of a new century and meet the good (and sometimes not so good) people of Leroy. Follow Hattie and Ralph's fight to build and hold onto Maple Grove Farm and bring their family safely through the scandals, plagues, and perils, large and small, that beset a rural family.This book is the sequel to the novel "Faithful Unto Death", published by U. of Michigan.

Benzonia, Michigan, 1894: a sleepy Congregationalist community, dedicated to the education of hardworking and virtuous young people of both sexes and all races. Anna Spencer Thacker is the daughter of missionaries, a faithful wife, and mother of five, pious to a fault. She is suddenly stricken with a mysterious ailment that soon proves fatal. Was it truly an unfortunate illness? Or was it murder—or suicide? Taking a true story of a murder in her own family, Becky Thacker has crafted a historical mystery novel whose cast of characters rapidly builds, including William Henry Thacker as deputy sheriff, deacon in his church, a kind man . . . but perhaps just a trifle too fond of the attractive young housekeeper; and Charlotte Spencer, the pretty missionary sister, almost saintly in her efforts to bring Jesus to the Armenians in the mountains of Turkey, though a bit prone to exaggeration. She could be a suspect—or the next target. The children are Roy, 19: musical, a good student, but a little too wild for Benzonia; Ralph, 17: trying to shoulder the responsibilities of farm and family; and Lottie, 14: a talented young artist trying to take care of young Will and Josie. Faithful Unto Death provides a window into the daily lives of small-town Michiganders at the turn of the century wrapped up in a riveting whodunit. Cover image by Hemera/Thinkstock

Thacker skillfully intertwines wit and sensitivity in her collection of quirky stories that traverse the realms of nostalgia and an ever-changing world. In a futuristic tale, an elderly protagonist embarks on a profound journey with their mute partner, contemplating their nomadic existence and the abandoned landscapes now transformed into national parks. An aging woman in Mexico grapples with poignant memories of lost love and past relationships, particularly her poignant experience with a loved one who fought against cancer. An inebriated man finds his specially modified hunting cart pilfered by two adventurous women, who take it on a thrilling joyride across a golf course, leading to encounters and revelations that defy expectations. A woman wakes up to a bewildering reality, trapped in the body of a teenage girl, while the teenager inhabits the woman's body. Both characters are left horrified and perplexed by this surreal situation, and they must navigate their newfound identities while seeking to adapt to this extraordinary predicament. Thacker's stories artfully capture the essence of human experiences through heartfelt emotions.