High Cotton

An elegant, insightful novel that evokes the world of upper-middle-class blacks, following an unnamed narrator from a safe childhood in conservative Indianapolis, to a brief tenure as minister of information for a local radical organization, to the life of an expatriate in Paris. Through it all, his imagination is increasingly dominated by his elderly relations and the lessons of their experiences in the "Old Country" of the South.

This dirt-under-the-fingernails portrait of a small-time farmer follows Zack Killebrew over a single year as he struggles to defend his cotton against such timeless adversaries as weeds, insects, and drought, as well as such twenty-first-century threats as globalization. Over the course of the season, Helferich describes how this singular crop has stamped American history and culture like no other. Then, as Killebrew prepares to harvest his cotton, two hurricanes named Katrina and Rita devastate the Gulf Coast and barrel inland. Killebrew's tale is at once a glimpse into our nation's past, a rich commentary on our present, and a plain-sighted vision of the future of farming in the Mississippi Delta. On first publication, High Cotton won the Authors Award from the Mississippi Library Association. This updated edition includes a new afterword, which resumes the story of Zack Killebrew and his family, discusses how cotton farming has continued to change, and shows how the Delta has retained its elemental character.

Some families are filled with so much love they can’t help but drive each other crazy Shay Henke has mixed feelings about going to her family’s next reunion. On the one hand, she’ll get to see everyone in her mama's family—folks she loves unconditionally. On the other hand, she knows there’ll be more drama than you can shake a stick at. The days leading up to the event bring one surprise after another. First Shay must deal with her sister-in-law’s deep, dark secret. Then she has to contend with the childish ways of her business-mogul twin cousins. And when her high school crush wants to be her date to the reunion . . . well, it may have been a dream come true for Shay’s teen self, but the woman she’s become doesn’t know what to make of this. Shay’s contentment is challenged, and she’s determined to shake things up a bit. But will she find the excitement she’s looking for, or will Shay realize she prefers her quiet and predictable life? One thing is certain: Life in the Bucklin family is never boring.

Second book in the Neely Kate Mystery series, a companion series to Rose Gardner Investigations. Neely Kate’s life is finally coming together. She’s living and working with her best friend, Rose. Her newly discovered brother, Joe, has decided he’s done hiding that she’s his sister, and her new boyfriend, Jed, is everything she could have dreamed of and more. Only things aren’t going as well as she’d hoped. Neely Kate is still keeping secrets from Rose. Joe wants to introduce her as his sister at a high society dinner even though she doesn’t know the difference between a soup and a dessert spoon. And Jed is spending more and more time away from her and won’t tell he what he’s up to. She’s worried he’s changed his mind about them, not that she’s surprised—can you build a relationship on digging up a body together? Now someone’s calling Neely Kate about her Ardmore secrets, and her sister Kate might be locked up on a psych ward, but she has a few surprises of her own. Neely Kate can’t help wondering if it’s time to come clean about her past with the people she loves. The dead body that turns up in her basement might be the kick in the pants she needs. Because the truth will set you free, or if you’re Neely Kate, land you in hot water. Series order: Rose Gardner Investigations Series Family Jewels For the Birds Hell in a Handbasket Up Shute Creek (Fall 2018) Neely Kate Mystery Series Trailer Trash In High Cotton (July 31, 2018)

"One of the first things I did when Aubrey and I were in bed together was break his rib." This is but one of the many absurd happenings that occur when two widowers in their mid-sixties, one from the North and one from the South, unexpectedly meet and eventually marry. The unlikely, quirky success of their relationship, despite dissimilar personalities and huge doses of stubbornness, is the basic ingredient of "Dancing in High Cotton." Writing with wry humor, Babette Williams chronicles the couple's adventures-and misadventures-as they blend their lives, survive several moves, and learn to age gracefully. In spite of clutter, miscommunication, and even tragedy, the moral of the story is that life's not over unless you decide not to live it. Readers discover, along with the author, that laughter and fun go a long way, and that truth and honesty are the cornerstones of a good relationship at any age.

Murder at Waite House When realtor and sleuth Mosey Frye lists a stigmatized property, solving the murder outshines making the sale. But in a little Delta town, good luck getting the Police Chief to pay you any mind—specially if you're a long-legged, rosy-cheeked blonde. The Terrace Lured by a ripped photograph of members of the local gentry, Mosey visits the grounds of an abandoned mansion, where, on the once stunning terrace, now fallen into ruin, she uncovers a dark past, the chilling murder of a lovely young socialite. House with a Corner Door As a guest at an old Western hotel, Mosey Frye finds herself within striking range of a killer who targets women realtors by pressing poisonous bulbs into their mouths. Out of her usual element, can Mosey adapt and help the local sheriff track down the murderous lunatic before he kills again?

Twenty-one horror, crime, and alternative history stories.