The Night the Lights Went Out is the newest novel by Karen White. Merilee Talbot Dunlap has been married for eleven years to Michael, but after discovering his affair, she quickly divorces him. Michael was having an affair with her daughter, Lily’s math teacher. Merilee is moving along with her two children to Sweet Apple, Georgia where her children will be attending Windwood Academy. Merilee has little to move to since she would not accept any of the furniture nor her fancy SUV in the divorce settlement. The three of them are moving into a cute Craftsman cottage behind Summer Prescott’s farmhouse. Summer is ninety-three years old and projects a gruff demeanor. Merilee was hoping to escape the gossip in her new community, but there is an anonymous blogger that likes to spread local gossip. The Playing Fields Blog is signed by “The Neighbor”. The anonymous blogger gives a different take on the rumors and provides definitions to Southern expressions (it is not mean spirited). Merilee finds a friend in Heather Blackford, the head mom of the school. Heather takes Merilee under her wing and assists her with adjusting to her new life. For some reason, when Summer is with Merilee, she feels compelled to tell her the stories of her past. Just when things begin to look up for Merilee, she finds the body of Daniel Blackford in the lake at the benefit gala. The police soon narrow their suspect list down to Merilee and arrest her for Daniel’s murder. Merilee cannot believe she is suspected of the crime. With the help of Summer and Wade Kimball, local handyman (and love interest), Merilee sets out to find the person who set her up for this crime and Daniel’s real killer.

The Night the Lights Went Out is well-written and an engaging novel. I found myself slowly drawn into the story, and I loved the various Southern expressions and their explanations. The story is told from Merilee and Summer’s point-of-views. In this novel, it worked. The book has good characters that are well developed and relatable. I am sure many woman will relate to the mom group at the school and their manipulations, motivations, gossip and attitudes. I was particularly interested in Sugar’s story. Sugar’s history shaped her life and her disposition before she met the Dunlap family. I give The Night the Lights Went Out 4 out of 5 stars. I believe many readers will figure out what is going to happen to Merilee and who is responsible (the phrase “leading a lamb to slaughter” came to mind). But I was curious to see how it would play out. I am sure that many people will also be able to identify the anonymous blogger. There are two major clues that give away the identity of the blogger (pay close attention). It was entertaining, though, when it was revealed. Merilee’s naïve routine got on my nerves after a while. I cannot see how a woman in her thirties can be that clueless. That is the one thing that I found unrealistic (and a little unappealing). I do wish that the author had provided more details about what happened to the killer at the end of the book (it felt incomplete). The Night the Lights Went Out reminds me of Fannie Flagg’s novels. The Night the Lights Went Out is a compelling novel with many layers to it. Of the Karen White novels that I have read, The Night the Lights Went Out is my favorite.

* Join Me. Blog Tour Host April 11 * THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT It’s the first novel Karen has set in her hometown of Atlanta. We are celebrating every day for two whole weeks!

Destined for the Big Screen (see my cast selection on my blog) The queen of the south, Karen White returns following Flight Patterns on my Top 50 Books of 2016 with the highly anticipated THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT.

As sweet as a Georgia peach, and as scandalous as Desperate Housewives’ Wisteria Lane, and Big Little Lies. Set aside the time, readers . . . you are going to love Sugar!

The Southern Queen B has created her best yet! Yay Atlanta . . . From the stunning WOW cover and the memorable characters, Karen White grabs you and pulls you into this Southern suburban neighborhood filled with drama, revenge, secrets and lies, while exploring the true meaning of friendship. It is not always as it appears.

Alternating between the 1930s Depression-era Georgia and a modern-day 2016 Sweet Apple, Georgia (fictional) suburb of north Atlanta. Let the games begin.

Meet the 3 leading ladies:
• Merilee Talbot Dunlap, newly divorcée, single mom, mysterious past
• Alice Prescott Bates, Matriarch aka Sugar Prescott, landlady
• Heather Blackford, Socialite, beautiful, perfectionist

An anonymous blogger offers up entertaining essential Southernisms any Yankee in the South should know, sprinkled throughout. “It’s never about the secret itself, but the keeping of it.”

From the wealthy private school, social climbing moms to a young single divorced mom who discover (the hard way) . . . the true meaning of friendship and the dangers of deception.

Against the modern-day scandals, we meet matriarch Sugar Prescott who is at the center of the novel. A grounding force. A courageous woman you want on your side. Sugar is wise, and has had her own share of tragedy and can relate to her new tenant, on more than one level.

Merilee Talbot Dunlap had learned in eleven years of marriage, it was the simple fact that you could live with a person for a long time and never really know him. One day the mask slips. Her husband, Michael has an affair with their daughter’s third-grade math teacher, Tammy. Merilee decides she does not want to stay in the house with all the reminders. She was traded in for a younger woman. She needs to escape from all the gossip.

However, she is unaware, it may be the lesser of two evils. What lies ahead at the new location, may be even more devastating.

Merilee is the mother of ten-year-old old daughter Lily and eight-year-old Colin. They were now moving into a quaint furnished Craftsman historic cottage (with a cellar) for tornados, located behind Mrs. Prescott’s farmhouse in Sweet Apple, GA.

The landlord is a southern matriarch and well-respected in the community. Some say she is harsh. She is known as Sugar. She is widowed (Tom was killed in the war) and no children. A mystery to some. Fascinating and eccentric to others.

Sugar Prescott (Alice Prescott Bates) is ninety-four years old (what a great character)! She lives alone in an old farmhouse on her family’s land. Her loyal best friend Willa Faye Mackenzie. Willa Faye moved to a senior living facility. While Sugar was staying put as long, as possible. A realtor had found the young mother and her two children as her new tenants.

Not that she had any desire to befriend her new tenants and neighbor, but Sugar had the feeling that Merilee was suddenly on her own and in need of help. Sugar was in a position, to understand that need more than most. She suspected but would deny if anyone asked, that she was getting soft in her old age.

Of course, Sugar did not realize this single mother would be this young and pretty. Mid-thirties. She wonders what happened to her marriage? Surely the woman had flaws. Sugar soon discovers a few. Heaven forbid, the woman does not even know how to cook, nor does she know her proper Southern graces! Sugar must teach her a thing, or two.

. . . “At least by the end of the day, you’ll know how to bake cookies and fry okra. Because it might be against the law for a Southern-born girl not to know how. Along with changing a tire.” . . .

Despite all her attempts to keep her new tenant at arm’s length, a tenuous connection had been formed. They may have more in common that they may suspect. Merilee at first thinks Sugar is a little strange and is judging her. However, soon their bond strengthens.

The best award-winning part Think: To Kill a Mockingbird This is where White always "shines" with the historical past and dual timelines. Sugar begins telling Merilee bits and pieces of her life on the farm as a girl during the Depression, starting from 1934.

Normally she is closed-mouthed about her past (in a world of oversharing), she likes keeping some things to herself. However, somehow, she feels comfortable opening up to this younger version of herself.

Sugar’s dark life during the Depression in Sweet Apple provides a very different look at life compared to the present-day of the same town, especially those in Heather’s world.

A nice edition to the story: Wade Kimball is Willa Faye’s grandson, and he looks in on Sugar. The developer, and handyman. He helps with any of the maintenance issues for Sugar and her new tenant.

As Merilee and her children begin to get settled in, she meets a variety of moms. One, in particular, Heather, which is like “perfection.” The perfect wife, mother, house, children, food, social standing, glamorous, clothes, and home (s) with the good-looking nice husband, Daniel. Merilee feels inferior next to her.

As the kids become involved in their new school and Merilee in carpools and committees. She just wants to be accepted, like a kid at school. Peer pressure is tough. Soon her daughter comes home and tells her about this anonymous blogger.

It is called: THE PLAYING FIELDS BLOG. Observations of Suburban Life from Sweet Apple, Georgia Written by Your neighbor. Who is this person and how does she know so much about their Sweet Apple lives?

The blogger dishes out a variety of gossip and offers a few Southernism tidbits for all the newbies at the end of each installment. No one knows but they think it could be a mom at Windwood since she seems to know a lot about what goes on at school, the community, and their lives. (yes it is spicy, sassy, and oh so funny)!

In the meantime, the perfectionist mother Heather at school is befriending her. Merilee gets pulled in by the attention and her affluent lifestyle. She has taken her under her wing. Merilee grabs on, desperate for new friends and acceptance. Looks can be deceiving. Of course, Sugar does not trust her. A backstory here. Merilee also has a mysterious past; however, she is not so forthcoming, until it all unravels later.

Between Sugar’s stories from the past, Merilee’s own drama with her wealthy friends in the present; the school, her children, her ex-husband, his girlfriend, and a baby on the way, worrying about measuring up to her new friend Heather, and the constant reminders of her life from an unknown blogger and social media; she feels like she is on a reality TV show.

. . . and there are some other strange happenings. Daniel and Heather are acting weird. Plus, Merilee has her own memories and guilt from the past which may be coming back to haunt her.

Then someone is murdered at the lake house (Lake Lanier). The suspicions are pointing to Merilee. Is someone setting her up? How will she prove she is innocent based on her past? What motive do they have for hurting her?

From murder, attempted murder, revenge, and a tornado. It wouldn’t be the South without a little drama and deceit sprinkled with some sugar. Female friendships are at the heart of this page-turner.

5 Stars +++ Top books of 2017! Move this one to the TOP of your list. You are going to love it! (cover obsession) Karen White just keeps getting better and better.

From southern "grit lit", a murder mystery, historical, women's fiction, domestic suspense, family drama, motherhood, social media, bullying, friendship, romance, humor, contemporary, to psychological and suspense! THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT has it all!

Grab a hammock, a swing, head to the beach, or a front porch rocking chair. Mark out the time and sit back and be prepared to be entertained Southern savvy style!

For my movie cast wish list and more about this exciting book and author, Visit my Blog

A special thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an early reading copy. I also purchased the audiobook for an outstanding Southern performance.

JDCMustReadBooks

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Merilee Talbot Dunlap’s and Sugar Prescott’s lives collide when Merilee rents a cottage from Sugar following her divorce. Sugar doesn’t usually get involved in her tenant’s lives but there is something that draws her to Merilee and her children. When an anonymous local blog spills all the details about Merilee’s divorce and she finds she doesn’t have much in common with the other moms at her children’s pricey private school (paid for by their grandparents), she finds herself opening up to Sugar. She does make friends with a couple of the moms but Sugar advises her to be cautious of Heather Blackford, one of the Sweet Apple’s elite that has basically taken her under her wing. There is just something about her Sugar doesn’t like….

I loved this story for so many reasons.

The first is the story starts with a blog post, what blogger wouldn’t love that.

The second is the characters and the friendships that build throughout the story. The friendship between Sugar and Merilee drew me deeply into the story. Both woman started out very uncertain about their future both apart and together. Sugar had quite a life, losing the love of her life and living on her property her entire life while developers bought up land all around her. She shares her memories with Merilee and in turn us readers. It gives Merilee a different perspective for her life. We also learn they both have secrets.

Third, there was mystery. I knew from there was something building but was totally surprised and then things fell into place like dominoes. There were fantastic twists all along the way that I really enjoyed.

Full of Southern charm, friendships, history, mystery, and humor. These complex characters will jump off the pages and into your heart quickly. As the weather warms, make yourself a pitcher of sweet tea, find a comfy chair and grab this book. A perfect springtime escape!

Chick-Lit is either a hit or miss for me, The Night the Lights Went Out managed to fall in the middle. Karen White's writing brings Lorraine Moriarty to mind, with the mom-cliques, and charm. But rather it being Australian charm, it's Southern. And southern charm is by-far my favorite kind, and White portrays it beautifully.

I had a ball reading the developing friendship of Merilee and Sugar, who is a hoot, by the way. And reveled in the "what's up with the woods" aspect. This novel truly is Desperate Housewives in the South. The mixture of Merilee and Sugar- AKA: old and new, is down right hilarious.

Although Chick-Lit is not my forte, I would suggest it to anyone who loves the genre. Especially my southern friends.

I'm a huge fan of Karen White's work and look forward to reading each of her new releases. The Night the Lights Went Out was an interesting blend of romance, mystery, time-slip, and a commentary on a subset of American culture--the white upper class suburban mothers juggling their first-world problems. For me, the first half of the novel had a pacing problem. It was really slow and other than the portions written from Sugar's point of view revealing her compelling backstory, I had a hard time getting into the novel.
The unlikely friendship between Sugar and Merilee was a delightful part of the plot. Sugar is an extremely well-written, complex and enjoyable character. She carried the novel for me. I kept reading just so I could find out her whole story. I figured out pretty early on that she was the author of the anonymous blog posts and her social commentary made me laugh out loud several times.
Merilee was less likeable. She was extremely naive regarding Heather, the obvious antagonist of the story from the minute she strolled onto the page. Merilee's inability to recognize Heather as someone from high school was not plausible, in my opinion. I found the foreshadowing to be so blatant that it eliminated the tension and the mystery of who the culprit was. The lipstick, Merilee's inability to use passwords, the constant reminders from her friends to secure her passwords, going to Heather's beach house which was clearly a set-up, the Facebook page, etc., all pointed to Heather and it seemed silly that Merilee couldn't figure this out and blamed it all on the stress of her personal circumstances.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC.

The Night the Lights Went Out is a great southern read for when you want to escape to another world.

Sugar is in her 90s and has lived in Sweet Apple Georgia her whole life. When she takes on a divorced mother and two children as a tenant their lives begin to intermingle in a way the two could never have imagined.

I found myself laughing out loud at the southernisms in this book. They are spot on and so much fun! The characters are a great cast of the lost, the champion, the mean girls and more all wrapped up with an element of history and mystery.

I spent the day by the pool getting lost in another of Karen White's worlds and I loved every minute of it.

The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White was an absorbing read, that I thoroughly enjoyed.

On the one hand we have Merilee, recently divorced, with two young children stepping into a new phase in her life. Refreshingly, Michael her ex and herself have a reasonable relationship. Her two children fit in perfectly to the story. Merilee has secrets, she has that look in her eye that she has experienced loss and lived on. She is resilient and strong.

Sugar her elderly landlady recognises Merilee's qualities and even though Sugar is known for her crustiness, Merillee is not long in discovering the woman has a heart and eye that sees and cares. I so loved Sugar and her little pearls of wisdom. Her life connects with Merilee in many ways, they have seen similar things and their hearts understand and connect.

Then there is "the blog" from your local neighbor that comments on life in the town and the people there in. It tells it like it is and makes connections, often going against the local gossip and innuendo. It is full of southern says which I totally adored, down to earth sayings that made me ponder, like " You can't tell the size of the turnips by lookin' at the tops". And so many more. Who is the author of the blog? Well that's just one small secret in a book that abounds in secrets.

Every detail that is dropped foreshadowing something is followed up. Nothing is left dangling. I like that in a book. The plot was full of interest, moved along at a very good yet relaxed pace. Lots of things happened.

I liked how it explored friendship and resilience. And that dreadful emotion or motivation - revenge. I am always partial to a book that has someone going for a little revenge on the party that hurt them. However this book I think has cured me! Revenge is taken to a new level here, I'll never look on it in the same way. Who is the executor of the revenge and why? You'll have to just read this book to find out!

The author used her typical story lay out in this new book. A little bit from yesterday through the eyes of Sugar, a crotchety yet supportive older woman Merilee rents a house from. Her family history and story is woven through the events of today to make this an intriguing read.

With her main character, Marilee, she has crafted a recently divorced woman trying to make it on her own. Juggling life, work, children, and even balancing friendships and maybe a love interest, she is put to the test each day. But Marilee has history too! Things she has not told anyone. And, unfortunately, her nativity may backfire in ways she cannot fathom.

You know that something is going to happen, you just don't know when or what. All things are not as they seem in this engrossing story. The author dropped hints and clues on the way to an exciting and suspenseful ending.

Karen White is a master at blending history and stories from today with the flavor of the south. This book is loaded with so many different aspects, there's no way you can be bored. Highly entertaining, suspenseful, and even a bit gruesome, this is a read you cannot put down.

This is not my typical genre, but I really enjoyed it. I loved the two main characters and liked a few of the surrounding characters as well. I figured out what was up early on and that made it a little slow getting to the reveal, but it was still not a bad read.

ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review will be posted on 4/13/17

Merilee, mother to Lily and Colin, leaves her cushy life behind after her divorce and moves into a cottage on a farm in Georgia. Sweet Apple, Georgia is the quintessential Southern town and of course everyone knows everyone's business. She is renting a charming cottage on Sugar Prescott's farm, an older woman who has a no nonsense reputation around town. Merilee's children are starting over at a private school, but things are a bit different than she expected. The other moms are very high maintenance and are helicopter parents. Think Desperate Housewives meets Gone with the Wind. While trying to figure out her place in all of this, Merilee meets another mother, Heather, who takes her under her wing. Heather is pretty much the Queen Bee of Sweet Apple and they surprisingly hit it off. Thanks to Heather, Merilee finds her niche in the community, volunteers for a committee at school, and meets a whole new world of people. This is all juxtaposed by Sugar and her way of life, which is entirely different than Heather's. Sugar grew up when things were different in the South and is the polar opposite of Heather. Sugar is all about farming, home cooked meals, no technology, and other remnants of days gone by in Georgia. Although Sugar doesn't take to many people, she cares about Merilee since she is a single mom just trying to get by. Readers get to know a bit more about Sugar as we flashback to her memories of growing up on the farm and the various people that lived in Sweet Apple in the past. But as things progress for Merilee, she comes to find that behind the perfect people that live in Sweet Apple are secrets and things aren't what they seem. Perhaps things aren't so perfect after all, especially if you dig a little deeper and look closely. Karen White's The Night the Lights Went Out is a fantastic novel. It has everything that I want in a read. There's a Southern setting, some romance, some flashbacks to the past, compelling charcacters, and an edge of your seat mystery.

I adored Merilee from the beginning of The Night the Lights Went Out. Although she was pretty naive at times and too trusting of some of the women, I still felt for her situation. Her divorce wasn't easy; in fact, it was downright scandalous, so starting over and leaving all that behind is tough for her. She also has an interesting past and is dealing with her own issues, especially when it comes to the untimely death of her brother. When Heather takes Merilee under her wing, she relies on her much more than she should due to the place that she is at in her life. She also takes to Sugar, who she has a strong connection with. Even though Sugar is ninety some years old, she finds they have more in common than she thought.

Which leads me to the character of Sugar....I loved, loved, loved her in The Night the Lights Went Out. White did such a great job bringing her to life and I adored the flashbacks to her life on the farm many years ago. Her life was also filled with scandal, secrets, and many ups and downs. I thought White did a good job alternating the present with Sugar's past. It was very compelling!

There's a mystery in The Night the Lights Went Out, which also kept me on the edge of my seat. I didn't see it coming, but I was able to figure out who not to trust. Of course it takes some time for Merilee to figure out who is sincere and who is playing her, but that was part of the fun.

White also incorporates a few chapters that are excerpts for the town blogger who shares some juicy gossip and words of Southern wisdom. I absolutely loved this and I thought it as a nice touch.

So if you are looking for an atmospheric tale that has it all and will keep you on the edge of your seat, but also has some humor, history, and romance give Karen White's The Night the Lights Went Out a try this spring. It reminded me of a southern Big Little Lies and it's definitely one of my favorite books of the year. If you aren't sold yet, check out the excerpt of The Night the Lights Went Out below.

I loved Desperate Housewives when it was on air. When I saw that this book was described as a Wisteria Lane type of book, I knew I wanted to read it. I did think that the beginning of the story started a bit on the slow side however, it did pick up and become intriguing.

If you liked the craziness of Wisteria Lane and all of the mysteries that were hidden there, I suggest that you give this book a chance. Sugar was a pain in the ass landlord with a heart as big as the sea. She was definitely my favorite character.

The ending was so juicy that I stayed up until 1:30 in the morning to finish it. Then, I stayed up until 2 thinking about what I would write about it.

When Merilee and her husband split up, she moves with her two children to the little town of Sweet Apple, Georgia and rents a little house from Sugar Prescott. Sugar is one of those curmudgeonly ladies who likes her time and space and keeps herself at arm’s length from most people. There is a connection between Merilee and Sugar, it’s palpable from the start. They both have their share of secrets. (And one of them was a really big surprise to me!) Merilee’s children are enrolled in a private school and she is swept up by the “Lead” mother, Heather. Heather’s very rich and not afraid to show it. (I felt so sorry for her poor husband. He was a nice guy who fell in love with the wrong woman.) Merilee is swept up in Heather’s world and that just may be the plan…

We are also treated to an unknown blogger who writes about their little town with scathing clarity and a lot of humor. This writer has got their finger on the pulse of what’s true and what’s not. And kudos to Karen White for keeping me guessing on just who the mystery blogger was. I was waffling between two people all along, thinking for sure I knew who it was.

I loved how the book took us back into Sugar’s life as she slowly unfolded her story to Merilee. I think it is always a good thing when we can see what made a person be who they are in the present. I was just as invested in the past as I was in what was happening now. I also loved the slow moving friendship between Merilee and Wade. It didn’t move to fast which I think would have been a disservice to Merilee finding herself. I also loved that Merilee finally had that motherly support that she craved all her life. Her mother was a piece of work.

You can never go wrong with a book by Karen White. I love how she serves up the South in such a delicious way. I have never been there but always have been fascinated by it and in the blog, we are treated to little tidbits of “Southernisms”. Treat yourselves to this book. You will not be disappointed.

I happily received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Let’s start with that cover, I just LOVE it! It’s gorgeous and though the ebook version (which I read) is pretty enough, I’m ordering a physical copy too. The Night the Lights Went Out is a perfect blending of genres with a southern flair, it has drama, intrigue, betrayals, history, a small dose of romance, truly something for everyone. Plus, it’s set in Georgia which always makes a fantastic setting in my opinion.

Merilee moves into a new home following her divorce with her two young children, Lily and Colin. She rents a place from Sugar, a life long resident of Sweet Apple, Georgia. Though these two seemingly have little in common, their proximity allows them to strike up an unlikely friendship and discover they may have a whole lot more in common than meets the eye.

I felt for Merilee right from the start, we’re the same age and imagining trying to start my life over in a small, tight knit is terrifying. Especially when it’s a small town in the south, some of the grown women in this book were worse than Regina George in Mean Girls! Sugar took me a little while longer to warm up to, she’s a bit crotchety but as she slowly shares her past with Merilee, I begin to really empathize with her. Both women were so deeply developed, resulting in characters that will stay with me for a long time.

I simply loved everything about this book, it was super entertaining, magically blending past and present as Merilee and Sugar both narrated sections. There are also sections from an anonymous blogger who only will reveal they’re a neighbor, preferring to keep their identity a secret, but they dispense some great life lessons and hilarious southern sayings. I did figure out a plot twist, but I was having such a fun time reading this, I didn’t even care. It beautifully captures small town Southern life and had enough gossip and whisperings to make it even more juicy.

Marilee Talbot Dunlap moves to Sweet Apple, Georgi with her two children. She rents a cottage from Sugar Prescott and Sugar begins to teach her to cook and begins to reveal some of her background. Secrets, family, friendship, and wonderful characters make this new novel by Karen White well worth reading.

This is the kind of book I just love. It starts out like an excellent story of a woman struggling to come to terms with her recent divorce and move on with her life. She is befriended by her elderly neighbor, Sugar, who is one of my favorite book characters in a long time. She is also befriended by the queen bee of the moms in Sweet Apple, Heather. If that was all that there was to this book, it would be a good book.

But there is so much more to this book. People aren’t who they initially appear to be. Secrets come to light. And someone ends up dead. It was great. This was the first book of Karen White’s I’d read. It won’t be the last.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with a review copy.

The Night The Lights Went Out
By
Karen White




What it's all about...

Marilee is abandoned by her husband for his girlfriend...a much younger pregnant teacher. Marilee is left on her own...to start her life again with their two young children. Marilee has issues with her parents...who don't seem to want to talk to her. She also inherits a mean old cogety land lord...94 year old Sugar. Sugar seems to always appear in Marilee's space either disapproving or bringing cookies or criticizing...and Marilee never seems to mind.

Why I wanted to read it...

I loved the cover of this book and loved the idea of this book but I must say this book irritated me. Sugar was a real pain. How many times are you going to just show up in your renter's space? And when she shows up she is not very nice. I didn't care about Sugar's flashbacks or her life...honestly.

What made me truly enjoy this book...

The mean girl aspect of this book was fun. Heather...the ultimate mom...had ulterior motives for everything she did. The close to the ending part of this book was more fun than its beginning. Seriously? This is a book you read for fun!

Why you should read it, too...

Readers who enjoy this author and stories set in the South...all sweet tea and okra...should enjoy this book.

4.5 Stars!!!

Every time I pick up a book by Karen White, I'm impressed. It's like I forget what an amazing writer she is and how well she weaves a story. Those are just a couple of the reasons she is one of my all time favorite authors and on my auto-buy list.

The Night the Lights Went Out completely captivated me. In the beginning, it was the writing that did it. The southern setting of Sweet Apple Georgia was beautifully described. I could hear the characters' Southern accents as I read the book. Not too long after beginning, it was the plot that kept my attention. The four points of view that delivered it were very engaging.

First, there was Merliee. She was a recent divorcée trying to navigate her new world. She had recently moved into a rental house on Sugar Prescott's land, and her children were attending a new private school. Merliee was trying to develop new friendships with other parents and Sugar. Trying to fit in was stressful for her. I found it very easy to relate to. Making friends in your adult years is really hard.

The second and third point of views were both Sugar's. One was her current 90-something-year-old current day voice. Sugar was crotchety and stubborn, but a great person underneath her rough exterior. She saw people for who they really were. The old lady made me smile a lot. Sugar's second perspective was told through stories of her past. Bit by bit, she unfolded the mystery of her life. I loved learning how Sugar become the strong, outspoken woman she was today from her history.

The fourth and final perspective was an anonymous blogger. The blogger claimed to have all the insight into what was happening in Sweet Apple. The blog gave insight into not just local business and construction happenings, but also social gossip. What showed up on the blog was scandalous.

All four perspectives wove into a couple of different fascinating mysteries. The first, I mentioned above about Sugar's past. The second involves things that begin happening after Merilee makes some new friendships with parents from her children's school. The mysteries weren't too hard to figure out. I may have guessed some major plot twists early on, but it didn't keep me from enjoying the book. It actually made the revelations all that more fun.

The Night the Lights Went Out was truly a great women's fiction/mystery read. I enjoyed every minute I spent with it. I highly recommend reading it to anyone who enjoys great mysteries in a Southern setting.

What a wonderful story with some twists you would never expect. When you read the blurb you assume that Marilee is moving her children to small town Georgia to recover from her divorce and away from the gossip of her husband's infidelity. Her landlady, Sugar, feels that Marilee is a good person and starts teaching her the ways of Southern hospitality. But When murder rears its ugly head and Marilee is accused of murder Sugar, her elderly friends and Wade decide to help out. Great book in the style that has made Karen White one of my favorite writers. Lots of detail and very realistic characters makes this a page turner. Would love to return to Sweet Apple, Georgia and visit with Sugar and her friends again and again.

Despite a somewhat slow start, this ended up being more interesting than I had anticipated. I quickly picked up on the clues as to what was "off" in the story, but did not anticipate exactly how the chips would fall in the conclusion, which happened at a much faster pace than the rest of the book. Sugar's slowly revealed story of her past is full of sadness and grit, and the connections she and Merilee forge out of their shared griefs are, beneath Sugar's gruffness, very tender. This will be a great recommendation for summer and beach reading.

The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White Is a 2017 Berkley publication.

Karen White reigns supreme when it comes to modern day southern fried storytelling. I love Karen White’s novels, so it’s fair to say I’m a little biased when it comes to her books, but this one is really special.

Marilee and her two children are uprooted from their lives after her husband, Michael cheats on her with their child's third grade teacher.

Moving to Sweet Apple, Georgia, Marilee rents a cottage from a gruff elderly woman everyone calls ‘Sugar’.

As Marilee gets settled in, she meets the other mothers in town, forges friendships, and may even have a love interest. But, one of the most important relationships she cultivates is with Sugar, as the two women begin sharing a type of quid pro quo confession of their painful past and sins, while unearthing a few old mysteries and solving a crime along the way.

There are books I enjoy, books that touch me or move me, books that make me laugh, or keep me on the edge of my seat. Some books combine all those elements, like this one did, but few of them hit all the notes with perfect tone and pitch and harmonizing, quite like this book did. I haven’t read a book like this one in a long time and I really, really, really needed this kind of story.

While books often focus on marriages, romance, and relationships within the family, allowing friendship bonds to lurk around the surface, this book places friendship front and center, and teaches a few valuable life lessons in the process.

We all have regrets, have all made mistakes, suffered painful losses, some more than others, and confession can be good for the soul. This is something Sugar discovered, albeit kicking and screaming and determined not to allow anyone to melt that carefully constructed exterior she hides behind.

Marilee finds in Sugar a dependable friend, a mother figure, and an unlikely kindred spirit. Sometimes, we still, even well into adulthood, seek approval, a salve for our loneliness, and a way to seek redemption for things we wish we could take back or redo, which is something Marilee goes through in this novel, while Sugar watches from the sidelines, ready to step in if and when necessary.

The characters in this book are going to stay with me for a long time. They are so well crafted, realistic and vivid I would swear they came to life. The plot is amazingly well crafted, quirky, emotional, witty and humorous, but also suspenseful and edgy.

The southern setting is a Karen White trademark, and as I've said many times before, there is just something about a story told with a southern flair that pronounces everything, from the food, (cookies in this case), to the scenery, to the dialogue. Karen White has that flair down to a science, and this novel is no exception, in fact, it’s exceptional.


In other words, this story has something for everyone, and can be read by anyone, and enjoyed by all, and is the type of story that is good for your soul. I loved it!

So, you’ve heard me gush long enough. Go forth and pre-order this book, you won’t regret it!