A Novel of Bright's Pond
4 primary works
Book 1
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is the story of an unusual woman, Agnes Sparrow. No longer able or willing to leave her home, where she is cared for by her long-suffering sister Griselda, Agnes has committed her life to the one thing she can do—besides eat. Agnes Sparrow prays and when Agnes prays things happen, including major miracles of the cancer, ulcer-healing variety along with various minor miracles not the least of which is the recovery of lost objects and a prize-winning pumpkin. The rural residents of Bright's Pond are so enamored with Agnes they plan to have a sign erected on the interstate that reads, "Welcome to Bright's Pond, Home of Agnes Sparrow." This is something Agnes doesn't want and sends Griselda to fight city hall. Griselda's petitions are shot down and the sign plans press forward until a stranger comes to town looking for his miracle from Agnes. The truth of Agnes's odd motivation comes out when the town reels after the murder of a beloved community member. How could Agnes allow such evil in their midst? Didn't she know? Well, the prayers of Agnes Sparrow have more to do with Agnes than God. Agnes has been praying to atone for a sin committed when she was a child. After some tense days, the townsfolk, Griselda, and Agnes decide they all need to find their way back to the true source of the miracles—God.
Book 2
Newly widowed Charlotte Figg purchases a double-wide trailer sight unseen and moves to the Paradise Trailer Park with her dog Lucky. Unfortunately, neither the trailer nor Paradise are what Charlotte expected. Her trailer is a ramshackle old place in need of major repair, and the people of Paradise are harboring more secrets than Bayer has aspirin. Charlotte's new friend Rose Tattoo learns that Charlotte played softball and convinces her to rally the women of Paradise into a team. Reluctant at first, Charlotte warms to the notion and is soon coaching the Paradise Angels. Meanwhile, Charlotte discovers that the manager of Paradise, Fergus Wrinkel, abuses his wife Suzy. Charlotte sets out to find a way to save Suzy from Fergus and in the process comes to a difficult realization about her own painful marriage.
Book 3
Welcome back to Bright's Pond. Now that her morbidly obese sister, Agnes Sparrow, is comfortably dieting at the Greenbrier Nursing home, Griselda has time to fly-literally. A pilot makes an emergency landing on Hector's Hill and creates quite a ruckus in the otherwise sleepy town of Bright's Pond. Griselda becomes enamored with Cliff Cardwell and his airplane, a 1952 Cesna Beachpiper and takes him up on his offer of flying lessons. This after Zeb Sewickey has proposed marriage. Griselda has not given him her answer. Meanwhile, Stella Hughes Kincaid receives word that her estranged brother, Walter, is in a coma at Greenbrier. Griselda and Agnes convince Stella to see him. On her first visit she meets Gilda Saucer who claims to be Walter's fiancee. Stella smells a rat and upon further investigation discovers that Walter had recently become a millionaire thanks to the PA state lottery. Stella, Griselda, and pretty much everyone in town jump to the conclusion that Gilda is a gold digger. Stella and Griselda confront the woman who vehemently denies the accusation and pledges her sincere love for Walter. She is still suspicious, but Stella backs off. When Bright's Pond Chief of Police, Mildred Blessing, digs up the news that Stella is married to a two-bit con man, Cliff Cardwell (the pilot) from Binghamton, NY, Gilda and the cute but lying flight instructor are chased from Greenbrier by several cane-wielding Greenbrier residents and Agnes. They are arrested on bunko charges. Miracles still happen occasionally in Bright's Pond; Walter awakens from his coma. He and Stella are reunited, Griselda gives Zeb her answer-no-and is last seen flying loop-de-loops over Hector's Hill.
Book 4
Welcome back to Bright's Pond, where strange happenings are afoot at the Greenbrier Nursing Home. The folks have suddenly grown younger, happier, and even a bit friskier thanks to Leon Fontaine, the newest Paradise Trailer Park resident. But Mildred Blessing is suspicious and sets out to investigate while the wedding to end all weddings is being planned. Only, in Bright's Pond, nothing ever really goes as planned . . .