Grand Avenue

From Publishers Weekly Bestselling author Fielding (The First Time) takes a trip down memory lane in this romantic drama with a thriller twist at the end. Four women friends meet as young mothers living on Grand Avenue in an upscale Cincinnati suburb and, over the course of 23 years, collectively go through a whole range of human experience. In creating Chris, who's trapped in an abusive marriage, Fielding effectively captures the private terror of a woman psychologically and physically damaged by her husband. Vicki, the hotshot lawyer who cheats on her husband, is a workaholic mom whose family takes second place to corporate success. Susan embodies the modern mother who tries to do right by her family, but faces the challenge of a recalcitrant adolescent daughter and, later, sexual harassment on the job. Former beauty queen Barbara is a looks-obsessed woman whose devotion to countless plastic surgeries blinds her to the qualities that make a relationship work. With her usual page-turning flair, Fielding churns out a swiftly paced story that acquires real suspense when one of the characters meets a surprising fate and the meaning of friendship is put to the ultimate test. The tense denouement resolves into a tear-inducing finale, manna to Fielding's fans. 11-city author tour; teaser chapter to run in the mass market edition of The First Time. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal Four young women who live on Cincinnati's Grand Avenue become fast friends after meeting in the neighborhood park. Twenty years later, their lives take on a very different flavor. Fielding (Missing Pieces) fully develops her four women characters, each of whom is exquisitely revealed. Barbara is a regal ex-beauty queen whose focus on her appearance exposes her inner emptiness. Vicki is intense and driven; her energy and savvy propel her legal career past those she has hurt along the way. Practical and steady Susan makes a career as a spokesperson against sexual harassment after unfairly losing her job. And Chris is on the fringe of the group because of a controlling husband who limits her contacts outside of the home. Chris's story offers a chilling look into the dynamics of spousal abuse, as the evolving friendships between the women take on the difficulties of their very different lives. The book turns upon Barbara's murder and the resulting involvement of the other three in a search for justice. Emotionally compelling reading that is hard to put down; highly recommended. Carol J. Bissett, New Braunfels P.L., TX Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.