Whisper Town : A Novel

Despite the hard times that still grip the town, Jeb Nubey, now a dependable minister and accidental parent to three orphans, happily settles into the quiet routines of Nazareth, Arkansas. Even the pretty schoolteacher, Fern, who once seemed so cold to him, finally returns his attentions. Then one fateful night, a small package is delivered to Nubey’s doorstep: an infant girl. And the baby is black. Unable to find a relative for the baby anywhere, Jeb feels obligated to care for her. This simple act of charity, however, awakens the troubled undercurrent of racism in the South of the Great Depression. The townsfolk of Nazareth find themselves divided-what are they to make of bricks thrown through windows, graffiti on the church’s wall, the child’s new black nanny, and a craven attack in an apple orchard? And who will win the battle for the heart of this one small town?

Under a chorus of joyous gospel choirs and benevolent reconciliation, Hickman’s melodious prose and vivid characters draw the reader into a fulfilling story, one filled with humor, rage, misunderstanding, and-finally-faith.