The Widows of Eden

February 18, 2008
Glorious faith and uncertainty—“the spice of life”—are on the agenda in Shaffner's (One Part Angel
) latest high-spirited, if unsettling, morality tale. The citizens of Ebb, Neb., are all aflutter about the reappearance of Vernon L. Moore, a mysterious traveling salesman reportedly imbued with mystical powers. The town has been struck by a major drought and the quirky cast of local characters hopes that Vernon will break it. Wilma L. Porter, of the Come Again Bed & Breakfast also wants him to heal Clement Tucker, her cancer-stricken “Fiancé in Perpetuity” and “the richest man between Omaha and Oklahoma,” but Vernon says he can't pray for both Clem's life and rain. As Clem and Vernon engage in protracted negotiations, Clem's three friends, the Widows of Eden, arrive at the B & B to help out. They call themselves Lohengrin's Children (after a mythical Wagnerian knight) and have two goals: “to see the world and to help those in need.” The book's bittersweet resolution raises more questions than it answers, and Shaffner keeps the definition of who (or what) Vernon and the Widows are purposefully vague, which some readers may find enticing and others merely frustrating.

April 1, 2008
Whenever trouble comes to Ebb, Nebraska, the mysterious Vernon L. Moore arrives in the nick of time to save the little prairie town from financial and emotional ruin. Well, Ebb is on the brink of disaster again, and Vernon has returned; but this time hes brought help. Descending upon Wilma Porters Come Again Bed-and-Breakfast in their humongous, artistically embellished RVs, three widowsBirdie, Eloise, and Marionare enlisted to help Vernon attend toproblems facing Ebbs citizens. While Wilmas Fianc'-in-Perpetuity, Clem Tucker, lies dying of cancer, area farmers are disappearing as the region wilts in the wake of a record-breaking drought. Based on Vernonspast performances, Wilma and the rest of Ebbs inhabitants think he can pull off a couple of miracles: make it rain and save Clems life. Trouble is, life is usually an either/or proposition. Mixing homespun humor with intricately reasoned religious doctrine, the third installment in Shaffners gently inspirational series provides a gracious reminder of the power of faith and the rewards of friendship.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)