by Ann B. Ross
Part of Miss Julia, book 1
First published 2000
Miss Julia has just buried her husband and inherited his fortune when Hazel Marie Puckett arrives at her door with shocking news. The woman brings a nine-year-old boy she claims is the illegitimate child of Miss Julia's late husband. Miss Julia, a respected church member in her small Southern town, suddenly faces public disgrace. The wan child becomes her responsibility, turning her orderly life into chaos. As if the scandal weren't enough, Miss Julia must deal with a robbery and a kidnapping that follow in the wake of her husband's death. She confronts each crisis with sharp wit and steel magnolia composure, speaking her mind about the disgraceful situations thrust upon her. The story moves quickly through comic drama as Miss Julia navigates her transformed world. At its heart, this is about a proper Southern widow discovering strength she never knew she possessed while protecting an innocent child who represents everything that could destroy her reputation.
Genres: fiction, contemporary, southern-gothic, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: South, Southern Town
Period: 20th-century
273 pages · Paperback · William Morrow Paperbacks