What she discovered gave her insights into love and marriage, as well as the search for what really happened. The other mystery in this book (besides the one about Benni and Gabe's marriage) was, the fifty-year-old unsolved murder that Benni got involved in to catalog items for the historical society. It's now easier to understand why he sometimes acts the way he does. Having chapters written from Gabe's point of view this time was enlightening, and made him a more well-rounded person. I especially liked the themes of forgiveness and the grace of God, and how both Benni and Gabe sought advice (albeit unwillingly) from their respective spiritual advisors. I was glad they finally tied the knot, however, and that their wedding was included in the book.

Sad also that Benni was unable to really enjoy the celebration of the marriage of her best friend and her favorite cousin. I felt so incredibly sad reading this book, perhaps reliving the feelings from the breakup of my own marriage. I think it would have been harder to read without knowing that. I was glad for the prologue to Earlene's earlier book, Mariner's Compass, which let us know they were still going strong after 40 years.

I re-read it again over the next few days to savor it more slowly. I knew I'd never be able to sleep anyway without knowing how Benni and Gabe resolved their problems. I bought the book on the way home from work one evening, began reading right away, and stayed up till it was finished. My Mom loves 'em, too! So get a copy, wrap yourself up in your favorite quilt, and enjoy.Įarlene Fowler's 9th novel is the most riveting yet, right to the very end. I bought three copies of the book: one for myself, one for the library at the high school where I teach, and one for a favorite colleague of mine. This goes for male readers as well as for female readers. This is a wonderful novel and I recommend it highly. Included at the edges of this quilt are bits and pieces of San Celina's annual Mardi Gras celebration. Story blocks in this well-sewn quilt of a novel include the marriage of Emory and Elvia, the marriage of Dove and Isaac, and the possible breakup of Benni and Gabe Ortiz's two year marriage when an old partner and lover of Gabe's shows up in San Celina.

This plays out against the backdrop of the ongoing lives of our favorite citizens of San Celina.

The main mystery involves the unsolved murder of a prominent citizen of San Celina in the 1940's and Benni Harper's attempts to solve the murder 50 years later. Love and marriage are the threads that stitch together the various stories in Earlene Fowler's most recent Benni Harper novel, Steps To The Altar.

Steps to the Altar by Earlene Fowler