Review - Five Mile South of Peculiar

FIVE MILES SOUTH OF PECULIAR
Written by: ANGELA HUNT
Published by: HOWARD BOOKS
ISBN: 978-1-4391-8204-8
Pages: 374
Pub Date: 2012

 On the morning of July 3, 1968, Charles Caldwell died. His estate, known as Sycamores, would become the property of Jackson County, Florida on July 3, 2018. Charles was a smart man, sheltering his land from any taxes, and setting up for any Caldwell descendant living on the property to receive a monthly income.

    Now this takes us to the present day where the widow Darlene Caldwell Young has spent most of her life taking care of the Sycamores in the small town of Peculiar. Her kids are now adults living in other states, and now it is just her and her younger unmarried sister, Magnolia or as everyone calls her, Nolia. Darlene’s fiftieth birthday is coming up and her boyfriend Henry, who is also the town’s mayor and owner of the local Piggly Wiggly, is planning a huge celebration.

    Meanwhile in New York, Carlene Caldwell, whom recently had throat surgery, is dealing with the thought that she might never be able to sing on stage again. Her agent recommends her to start acting in movies, which means moving to California. That’s when she gets a letter from Henry informing her that Peculiar is celebrating her twin's birthday, the sister she has been estranged from. She decides maybe returning to Sycamore is what she needed.

    Reverend Erik Payne arrives at the Sycamores doorsteps looking for work and a place to live. Darlene is skeptically, but the kindhearted Nolia convinces her to hire the man to do odd jobs around the estate. The Reverend was recently fired from his church after his wife had left him and he is basically lost, looking for a new purpose in life. Nolia was once hurt by a man, but is starting to have new hope for love as she spends more time with the Reverend.

    Carlene’s surprise arrival is not taken very well by Darlene, as she feels that her twin will steal Henry from her. Carlene has no plans to steal anything, but the Sycamores belong to her too. After a sudden accident leaving Darlene with a broken leg, Carlene decides to extend her stay and help take care of the estate despite Darlene’s objection.

    Five Miles South of Peculiar was a delightfully read. Angela Hunt did a remarkable job creating the fictional town Peculiar and its quirky, but loveable characters. I liked all three Caldwell sisters even though each one was completely different than the other. The descriptions of the fictional Sycamores are breathtaking, and the dialogue is charming. All of the minor characters are interesting and enjoyable, adding that feel of a small town life. This is my first read of an Angela Hunt book and it won’t be my last. I recommend the book to all readers.

*I would like to thank Glass Road Public Relations for sending me a copy to review.

About the Author:


With nearly 4 million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than one hundred books, including The Tale of Three Trees, Don't Bet Against Me, The Note, and The Nativity Story. Her nonfiction book Don't Bet Against Me, written with Deanna Favre, spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. She and her husband make their home in Florida with their dogs. Learn more about Angela at AngelaElwellHunt.com.