The Key on the Quilt - story of three women and their very different lives but a common connectin draws them all together - that of a women's prison.
Not the usual place to set a christian romance novel but this is no typical novel. The characters are rich and well drawn. I immediately cared deeply for Jane - incarcerated for alledgedly shooting her husband. We meet her nearly 4 years since being put in jail and she is a shadow of her former self. Quiet, introverted and barely keeping sane in a place of desolation and boredom, her life seems pointless and without meaning. Special mention must also be made to the first line in the entire novel which so surprised me it drew me up short and then immediately pulled me deeply into the story.
The other two main female characters are Mamie, the matron of the women's prison and Ellen the new wardens wife. Mamie is a gentle caring character whose concern for those in her keeping is a lovely touch to a character which is usually hard and crusty. Ellen is the niaeve new arrival coming to terms with the prison way of life and the dangers and risks that that entails.
Finally there is Dr Max Zimmer, a man forever linked to Jane and who never gives up or lets her go - even when she tries to send him away. Tireless fighting to see her pardoned and to solve the mystery surroundng her crime and sentence.
A strong cast of characters makes for a engaging read that moves quickly along. There were a couple of times that the dialogue becomes a little to lengthly and I did wish for a little action rather than discussion but quickly my wiches were met with some unexpected twists and turns.
Overall highly recommended for a different take on a romance.