Southern Gospel

Book excerpt: JONELL EVERSOLE AND THE REVEREND BUDDY JAMES HAGEN LIVE WHAT THEY THINK ARE NORMAL, QUIET LIVES IN A SMALL SOUTHERN TOWN. SHE'S THE DAUGHTER OF A WELL-KNOWN LOCAL BUSINESSMAN, THE WIFE OF AN ASSISTANT PASTOR AND THE OWNER OF A DOWNTOWN ANTIQUE SHOP. JONELL'S LIFE IS DEVOTED TO FAMILY AND CHURCH UNTIL EVENTS CAUSE HER TO BECOME INVOLVED IN TRYING TO SOLVE A POTENTIALLY SCANDALOUS MYSTERY TARGETING THE WEALTHIEST FAMILY IN TOWN. HER EMPLOYEE, MARTY, IS SOMEHOW INVOLVED, MAKING JONELL EVEN MORE CURIOUS AS SHE UNCOVERS SITUATIONS SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER BELIEVED COULD OCCUR IN HER QUIET HOMETOWN. MEANWHILE, THE REVEREND HAGEN, PASTOR OF THE LARGEST CHURCH IN TOWN, IS SUDDENLY IN DANGER OF LOSING HIS CHURCH, HIS FAMILY AND HIS CAREER AS HIS PAST CATCHES UP WITH HIM AND HIS LIFE BECOMES FILLED WITH FRUSTRATION AND FEAR. BOTH JONELL AND BUDDY FACE SHOCKING REVELATIONS CAUSING THEM TO RE-EVALUATE THEIR PREVIOUSLY CALM, RELATIVELY UNEVENTFUL LIVES.