From Publishers Weekly
Dalby's sequel to Waltzing at the Piggly Wiggly revisits the offbeat Mississippi Delta town of Second Creek, where mayor Floyce Hammontree, once the new blood the town needed and now a corrupt manipulator, is outraged that Choppy Dunbar, the seventyish former owner of the local Piggly Wiggly and a novice to the down and dirty business of local politics, is running against him in the upcoming mayoral race. Working to help Mr. Choppy's campaign are newlyweds Powell and Laurie Hampton and the Nitwitts (wealthy widows with social standing and influence). Although charming and energetic, this polite band of earnest do-gooders faces a formidable battle against the slick Floyce, who still has some favors to call in. Meanwhile, Mr. Choppy's long-lost love reappears at a critical moment, and he is determined to keep her. On election night, unusually stormy weather delays the announcement of the winner, which should be no surprise. Dalby brings the story neatly together, but the novel's pacing suffers from the drawn-out and overly cute conversations, which turn the characters into caricatures. Dalby lays on thick the cartoonish Southern quirkiness. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
The Nitwits of Second Creek, Mississippi, are back. These feisty, southern widows may have a new president for their little group, but widow turned newlywed Laurie Lepanto Hampton is still in the thick of it. Mr. Choppy, the former owner of the Piggly Wiggly, has the inspired idea to run for mayor of the small town. Admittedly a shy man with no political experience, he calls on Laurie and her husband to help with his campaign against the good-old-boy incumbent and the hopeful Floyce Hammontree, a lounge singer. With the help of the Nitwits, Mr. Choppy's campaign begins to give his opponents a run for their money. With everything going for him, an old flame and some unusual weather could yet induce Mr. Choppy's downfall. Not to worry, though, things in Second Creek have a way of righting themselves. Once again, Dalby tells a sweet story with an all-but-poetic style that captures the flavor of the South and holds the attention of readers. Hatton, Maria
