Cedardale Court by Nathan Lee Christensen

Canner has tried his best to raise his daughter Chloe. His wife passed away at her birth, so he has had to do it all alone. With the economy in the dire straits it is, Canner knows he needs help. Fortunately, his Uncle Henry has agreed to let them come and stay with him awhile until they get back on their feet. Canner hasn't been to Cedardale Court since he was a child, but when they arrive, he sees that it hasn't changed much.

On their first day at Henry's, the neighbors fight and set off a chain of events that leads to the sewage backing up through the housing division. The stench is bad enough, but Henry finds a severed hand in his bush. That leads to the authorities doing a complete search and finding many pieces of a body. A school teacher has been missing for a few days, so they believe it could be her.

All of the action around his house stirs old memories for Henry. His neighbor, Jane, had a violent relationship with her husband Joe. He beat her daily and it brings back the time that Henry wanted to set Joe straight. Now, even though he has been in love with Jane for years, and she is now unmarried, he knows that he can't ask her to stay. She has informed him she's moving and Henry isn't sure what to do to convince her to change her mind.

Between the small town characters, the murder investigation and a look into not only Henry's life, but Canner and Chloe’s and other characters, Cedardale Court is an engrossing read. I found myself immersed in their everyday lives. Impeccable writing stirred curiosity into me, leading me to stay up far longer than I should to keep turning the pages. A marvelous book, crammed with many reader pleasures - murder, adventure, kidnapping, romance and characters that make you wish you could linger inside just a wee bit longer. Highly recommend!