The Virgin of Small Plains

by Nancy Pickard
Read May 2009 - finished reading on May 22

I bought this book and got it signed by the author when she was in Lexington last year for the Night of Literary Feasts at the library. I was Nancy's (as we call her) driver for the event. She was a very nice lady and I enjoyed being her guide. She came to the event again this year, but I had other things to do. That was the time when Madeline was in Sound of Music at Dunbar. Katie, Julie and Michael B were in town. Daddy had a heart attack that same week.

About the book... it was pretty good. A mystery. I enjoyed reading it and was hooked right away by the plot. It involves the mysterious death of a seemingly unknown woman. She's found naked and dead in a field. People do things to cover up her death and her identity.

It was a little difficult to keep track of the young characters and their parents. Each had some reason for us to suspect them. The end of the book was a little bit far fetched. Or maybe it was a little bit too pat.

Interesting touch is that the unknown victim is buried in a grave at the local cemetary. She becomes known as The Virgin and she is credited with causing miracles to happen.

This book might be a good choice for Dunbar's Reading Extravaganza.