The Homecoming of Samuel Lake: A Novel (Random House Reader's Circle)

A bewitching debut novel in the vein of the much-loved classic Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café.It's 1956 and Samuel Lake, a handsome preacher, is voted out of his ministry by yet another congregation, disappointed by his relentless pleas for them to live more charitable lives. Out of options and out of pocket, Samuel and his family are forced to move in with their Arkansas in-laws, the rambunctious Moses clan.At first they thrive in the unruly sea of relatives – Willa, Samuel's wife, runs the bar for Grandma Calla, while the boys, Noble and Bienville, run riot through the surrounding countryside. But when Swan, their formidable but loveable 11-year-old tomboy, crosses the path of neighbour Raz Ballenger, things take a turn for the worse.Raz Ballenger, horse trainer, is a man who rules both his family and his animals through terror. Used to instant obedience, he is insulted when Swan leaps to his son defence, an act that sets a whole chain of unexpected and terrible events into motion...### ReviewAdvance praise for "The Homecoming of Samuel Lake""Jenny Wingfield's richly detailed account of good and evil in 1950s Arkansas will captivate anyone who treasures the values of faith and honesty that are a part of America's rural past. Wingfield's sense of people and place is uncanny. After reading" The Homecoming of Samuel Lake," you too will believe in miracles."--Sandra Dallas, " New York Times" bestselling author of" Prayers for Sale" and" Whiter Than Snow ""Jenny Wingfield has given us a spectacular novel with" The Homecoming of Samuel Lake." This ensemble of unforgettable characters will make you laugh out loud one minute, hold your breath the next, and weep when you least expect it. I didn't just love this book, I adored it."--Dorothea Benton Frank, " New York Times" bestselling author of" Lowcountry Summer""Readers will lift up their hands in praise of this layered tale of sin, grace, and redemption. "The Homecoming of Samuel Lake" has a supreme c### About the AuthorJenny Wingfield is an accomplished screenwriter. Her credits include The Man in the Moon (starring Reese Witherspoon), as well as The Outsider (starring Naomi Watts). She lives in Texas and this is her first novel. “Raw, dark, and powerful . . . Southern Gothic at its best. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake puts one in mind of Erskine Caldwell and Flannery O’Connor.”—Fannie Flagg
 
Every first Sunday in June, members of the Moses clan gather for an annual reunion at a sprawling hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. And every year, Samuel Lake, a vibrant and committed young preacher, brings his beloved wife, Willadee Moses, and their three children back for the festivities. In the midst of it all, Samuel and Willadee’s outspoken eleven-year-old daughter, Swan, is a bright light. Her high spirits and fearlessness have alternately seduced and bedeviled three generations of the family. But just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes, jolting the family to their core and setting the stage for a summer of crisis and profound change.
 
With the clear-eyed wisdom that illuminates the most tragic—and triumphant—aspects of human nature, Jenny Wingfield has created an enduring work of fiction.
 
“Jenny Wingfield has given us a spectacular novel [that] will make you laugh out loud one minute, hold your breath the next, and weep when you least expect it.”—Dorothea Benton Frank, author of Folly Beach
 
“[This novel] touches on many genres—family life, Christian fiction, coming-of-age, and suspense. . . . Readers will love it.”—Library Journal (starred review)
 
“Wingfield hooks the reader with her opening sentence. . . . The reader is thoroughly caught up in the family saga.”—Abilene Reporter-News
 
“A lovely debut . . . a bittersweet, inspirational tale.”—The Dallas Morning News
 
Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more. Raw, dark, and powerful . . . Southern Gothic at its best. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake puts one in mind of Erskine Caldwell and Flannery OConnor.Fannie Flagg Every first Sunday in June, members of the Moses clan gather for an annual reunion at a sprawling hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. And every year, Samuel Lake, a vibrant and committed young preacher, brings his beloved wife, Willadee Moses, and their three children back for the festivities. In the midst of it all, Samuel and Willadees outspoken eleven-year-old daughter, Swan, is a bright light. Her high spirits and fearlessness have alternately seduced and bedeviled three generations of the family. But just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes, jolting the family to their core and setting the stage for a summer of crisis and profound change. #160; With the clear-eyed wisdom that illuminates the most tragicand triumphantaspects of human nature, Jenny Wingfield has created an enduring work of fiction. #160; Jenny Wingfield has given us a spectacular novel [that] will make you laugh out loud one minute, hold your breath the next, and weep when you least expect it.Dorothea Benton Frank, author of Folly Beach #160; [This novel] touches on many genresfamily life, Christian fiction, coming-of-age, and suspense. . . . Readers will love it. Library Journal (starred review) #160; Wingfield hooks the reader with her opening sentence. . . . The reader is thoroughly caught up in the family saga. Abilene Reporter-News #160; A lovely debut . . . a bittersweet, inspirational tale. The Dallas Morning News #160; Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more The rigid moral codes held by mid-twentieth-century preacher Samuel Lake are called into question when his twelve-year-old daughter and his neighbors hide a young boy from his abusive father, a man who lashes out at the community when he learns about thedeception. The rigid moral codes held by mid-twentieth-century preacher Samuel Lake are called into question when his twelve-year-old daughter and his neighbors hide a young boy from his abusive father, a man who lashes out at the community when he learns about the deception