First published 2020
In the fictional town of Tims Creek, North Carolina, lives intersect in unexpected ways. A retired plumber finds himself swept into Billy Idol's entourage during a trip to Manhattan. An architect mourning his famous lover who died from AIDS reconnects with someone from his high school years. Howard Hughes searches for the woman who once prepared him butter beans. Meanwhile, back in Tims Creek, an aging man fights his circumstances in a nursing home while a minister physically confronts an unfaithful spouse. A wealthy resident faces visits from a spectral hog, and an older woman accidentally becomes a source of miracles. These characters navigate desires, confront the weight of their pasts, and encounter both devastating losses and surprising redemptions. Kenan weaves together their voices and experiences into a tapestry that captures both the physical reality and spiritual dimensions of small town Southern life.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, southern-gothic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, interconnected-stories
Setting: Manhattan, North Carolina, Tims Creek
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
224 pages · Hardcover · W. W. Norton Company