YCReads

When 28-year-old Willie Upton returns to her hometown of Templeton NY on a dark summer dawn, a 50-foot-long body of a monster just happens to float up from the depths of the town’s lake.  This mysterious coincidence is the beginning of Lauren Groff’s intriguing tale about the people of Templeton.  Willie is a descendant of the town founder, Marmaduke Temple.  Returning home pregnant and miserable, she plans to hide there, recovering from a distastrous affair with her graduate school professor.  From clues hinted at by her mother, Willie begins her search to untangle the roots of the town’s greatest families in order to discover her own father’s identity.  Through Willie’s investigation, she uncovers a wealth of fascinating people, both in the town and among her ancestors.  I found the accounts from generations of Templetonians delightful and witty…you won’t want to miss this book.  The author also borrows some characters from the works of James Fenimore Cooper, who named an upstate New York town Templeton in The Pioneers.  Spanning two centuries, the story is told through a variety of voices including Templeton residents, ghosts, masters, servants, natives, interlopers, and more.  You’ll enjoy reading about all the predicaments in which these characters find themselves.  Place a hold on it today!

Jennifer L. - York                                   ISBN 9781401322250