Toward the Corner of Mercy and Peace

(Paperback)

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"Tracey Buchanan is a welcome new voice in womens fiction. Camille Pagn, bestselling author of Everything Must Go

Its 1952 in the small western Kentucky town of Paducah and Mrs. Minerva Place would prefer everyone mind his own business, follow the rules, and if dead, stay dead. Nosy neighbors and irritating church members are bad enough but when residents of the local cemetery start showing up, the quirky widow wonders if shes going crazy. Just as distressing, a new boy in the neighborhood seems intent on disrupting her life. Minerva, aggravated by the precocious six-year-old, holds him and his father at arms length. Nevertheless, with charming perseverance they find a way into her closed-off life and an unlikely friendship begins. But just when Minerva starts to let her guard down, a tragic accident shatters her emerging reconnection with life. Now more than her sanity is at stake. With the help of the living and the dead, Minerva discovers the power of forgiveness and why its worth it to let others into your life, even when it hurts.

Reviews

"A page-turning, beautifully written novel reminiscent of the fiction from Pulitzer-winning Anne Tyler. The Corner of Mercy and Peace introduces us to heart-warming and unforgettable characters, including the wonderfully complex Minerva Place, who is poised to become one of the most memorable in modern fiction. Place is somewhat of a loner who prefers the company of the dead until one unruly little boy stealsand healsher heart. Southern fiction at its finest." --Susan Reinhardt, author of The Beautiful Misfits and Chimes from a Cracked Southern Belle

"My new favorite female curmudgeon! Prickly as a pinecone, Mrs. Minerva Place would rather chat with the residents of Oak Grove Cemetery than her own nosy neighbors. Prepare to have your funny bone tickled and your heart melted as Minerva wrestles with the inescapable vulnerability of being alive." --Lynne Bryant, author of Catfish Alley and Alligator Lake

"The story of a hilariously prickly writer who finds inspiration in her imagination (or is it), TOWARD THE CORNER OF MERCY AND PEACE is about finding the courage to carve your own path while you still have time. Tracey Buchanan is a welcome new voice in women's fiction." --Camille Pagn, bestselling author of Everything Must Go

"Tracey Buchanan delivers an unforgettable and unlikely heroine in Mrs. Minerva Place. A crusty old church organist who feels more at home with the dead than the living, Minerva is perfectly content to keep herself safe behind her own walls. At least, she's content until the day a child walks into her life and, entirely against her will, teaches her the meaning of love, forgiveness, and second chances. With a vivid, unforgettable voice, Buchanan leads the reader on a journey that reminds us that no matter our past wounds or present mistakes, everyone is worthy of love." --Kathleen M. Basi, award-winning author of A Song for the Road

"With the sure hand of a skilled writer, Buchanan transports us to a world where ghosts from the past stalk a historian and living in the present is fraught with hardships. This author hits the sweet spot of humor and tragedy where anything, even love, is possible." --Jacqueline Sheehan, NYT bestselling author

"A hint of magic and mystery propels this story of a grouchy, lonely woman named Minerva Place as she discovers important lessons about life, death, and forgiveness from an unlikely collection of acquaintances, both living and dead. Buchanan bases this uplifting debut novel on well-researched Kentucky history, celebrated tales from a local cemetery, and a wealth of imagination." --Jayne Moore Waldrop, author of Drowned Town

"Cranky and clumsy Minerva Place has a problem: The whole town thinks she's odd and maybe a bit crazy. And what with her habit of visiting the local cemetery and talking to dead people, she wonders if maybe they're right. Still, if they'd just leave her alone, she'd be content. Then a young widower and his six-year-old son move to Paducah and turn her life upside down. This touching and deeply affecting novel brims with humanity and will leave you contemplating: What does it mean to be connected to others and what do we owe the people whose paths we cross This gentle-hearted and intimate glimpse into the soul of Minerva Place will stay with you long after you've read the last words. It's a gem." --Maryka Biaggio, award-winning author of Parlor Games, Eden Waits, The Point of Vanishing, and The Model Spy

Author Bio

Tracey Buchanan crashed into the literary world when she was six and won her first writing award. Fast forward through years as a journalist, mom, volunteer, freelance writer, editor, artist, and circus performer (not really, but wouldn't that be something) and you find her happily planted in the world of fiction with her debut novel. She and her husband Kent Buchanan live in Paducah, Ky. You can find her catch-all blog at TraceyBuchanan.com.