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Summary: Go Benni!
Review: Always a pleasure to read another Benni Harper story! I look forward to a new story every spring, and Arkansas Traveler sure didn't disappoint. As usual, I couldn't put it down until I'd read the whole thing.
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Summary: earlene fowler is a treasure
Review: Arkansas Traveler delivers it all: the lush southern landscape of Arkansas, the details of "nine kinds of grits" in the Piggly-Wiggly, the not-to-be-missed Waffle House breakfast, and best of all, Earlene's memorable and unique characters. This story is one of her best. Exploring racial and political concerns alongside a stormy love relationship, this novel is peopled with the backbone of what it means to be Christian in every sense of the word, the rewards of revisiting one's childhood, and the little poke we all need to stand up for a better future. Hurrah, Earlene. Please keep writing, and someday, let's have a mainstream novel, okay???
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Summary: Another reason why Earlene is an Award winning Author!
Review: Arkansas Traveler is a wonderful addition to the Benni Harper series. The author has branched out with a bold statement about racism and the heart of people. She twists in a murder while two churches are attempting to merge. The characters are wonderful. The reader gets a new understanding of Benni's best friend Elvia and Benni's husband Gabe. The rest of her family comes to life too. There is a delightful Southern charm to Arkansas Traveler. Growing up in the South made all of the references to food and stores a lot of fun! From Piggly Wiggly to the Waffle House- I was completely entertained. Yet again, I love how Earlene gives credit to the Lord in her novel. Once again, He has blessed her with the gift of writing!
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Summary: Sermonizing
Review: Arkansas Traveler was disappointing to me--clearly the weakest of the Benni Harper series. The engaging, affectionate descriptions of local color were more than outweighed by the preachy, moralizing sections that read like a poor movie of the week. Not only the characters of the ministers in this book offered sermons; the book read as if the author filled in set characters to prop up the message. Subtlety has never been Fowler's forte, but this book belabors the obvious repeatedly. How Benni uncovers the clue that leads to the solution of the mystery rings false, although in general the plot works. Her continuing characters saved this book from being tossed aside less than half way through.
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Summary: Great regional mystery
Review: As a child, Benni Harper of San Celina, California spent summers with relatives living in Sugartime, Arkansas. Benni has always looked back fondly to those days and hopes to recapture much of that feeling with her first visit in over a decade. The hot issue in Sugartime is the close mayoral race between a Black woman and a good ole boy. Benni is stunned to observe the bigotry that is blatant and hostile. The current mayor's son Toby Hunter leads a force intimidating anyone opposing the reelection of his father. This eventually forces his opponent Amen to withdraw from the race. Not long afterward, someone murders Toby and though he had a lot of enemies, the police lean towards Amen's nephew as the prime suspect. In spite of the objection of the local authorities, Benni begins her own inquiries into the homicide. Reading ARKANSAS TRAVELER is an accurate account of a divided community still unable to come to grips on racial harmony even as individuals have moved forward for the betterment of everyone. A Benni Harper mystery is always fun as readers revisit characters from the previous novels who are friends that keep growing as happens in this story. With her marriage still strong to Ortiz, the audience sees a glimpse of the heroine's past inside an enjoyable who-done-it. Harriet Klausner
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Summary: Mystery Story with a Quilting Angle
Review: As an avid quilter, I was attracted to the title of this novel, which is a traditional quilting pattern. I enjoyed the references to quilts and quilting along with an entertaining whodunit. The main character is a contemporary young woman who appreciates and respects the older women in her family--not just feminist, but womanist. The political issues explored in the book are ones of concern to all of us today grappling with the blending of many cultures.
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Summary: Another winner
Review: Before I got this book, which by the way was difficult to find at first, I read the editorial review and was surprised that it wasn't altogether favorable. The reader's review was much better although I don't know how they got the book prior to publication. I now agree with the reader. This deals with racial issues in a Southern state and handles it very well showing the difficulties on both sides of the issue and that good people can take different sides and still be basically good people. There are a lot of emotions ruling everyone in this book and they are handled well. Her normal cast are there and their trials and tribulations add to the books appeal. The mystery is a good one and I didn't know who done it until pretty much the end because it could have been too many people and most I didn't want to have done it. The people and their reactions were believable and ones you could empathize with. I've eaten in the Waffle House she mentioned at the very beginning and she had it nailed. I love this series and the author is terrific. I just wish for more. I good book, a good mystery, good characters that you care about; what more could you want, well...more.
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Summary: Native Arkansan Loves Arkansas Traveler
Review: Earlene Fowler caught the spirit, good and bad, of the Arkansas I love. Her descriptions of people, scenery and the food of my native state were wonderful. I liked the honest way she dealt with race relations and that the book did not have a fairy-tale ending. The mystery was well paced and written. I have to read the rest of her novels, now!
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Summary: Native Arkansan Loves Arkansas Traveler
Review: Earlene Fowler caught the spirit, good and bad, of the Arkansas I love. Her descriptions of people, scenery and the food of my native state were wonderful. I liked the honest way she dealt with race relations and that the book did not have a fairy-tale ending. The mystery was well paced and written. I have to read the rest of her novels, now!
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Summary: Politics and race relations
Review: Earlene Fowler draws a perfect picture of a small town in Arkansas in her latest novel. Despite the beauty of the area and some of the people, there is a poison running deep in the community. Benni Harper, her friends and family, return to Sugartree, Arkansas, where Benni grew up. Benni's church is having a reunion and 100-year anniversary at the same time there is consideration of merging with a black church. Despite many communal activities and many people who are for it, there is much opposition. Benni's childhood friend, Amen, a young black woman, is running for mayor against a white male incumbant. Racial tensions run high when the male candidate's son taunts Amen's elderly aunt, and her nephew defends her. Hidden secrets of past and present loves come to the surface as Benni tries to uncover the perpetrator's identity while supporting her friend. This book touches on deeper topics than previous ones in the series and is very well-written.
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