On Maggie's Watch [Paperback]

Ann Wertz Garvin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2, 2010

Maggie Finley has returned with her husband from the big city to her Wisconsin hometown, where she reunites with her best friend and awaits the any-minute-now birth of her baby. She's determined to create a safe haven on Hemlock Road, a neighborhood that has always meant security, community, and love. One way to do that: resurrect the defunct Neighborhood Watch program.

The Watch folks are mostly concerned with dog poop and litterbugs. But Maggie's done some digging and discovered a potential threat living just around the corner-a threat that must be eradicated. And the more Maggie tries to take control, the more out of control she gets...

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Maggie Finley is a woman at loose ends. Having suffered through the birth of a stillborn daughter, Maggie is pregnant again. As part of her desperate search for security and stability, she and her husband have moved to her Wisconsin hometown, where Maggie restarts the long-defunct Neighborhood Watch program. As Maggie gets closer to her due date, her focus on safety and perceived threats increases, as does her already neurotic behavior. One of these perceived threats is a handsome new male friend, another threat is a mysterious sex offender in the neighborhood. A late plot twist and Maggie’s psychological makeup are hardly subtle, but the book remains compelling because it touches on so many issues relevant to modern parenting and suburban life. Although there are a few wacky-neighbor incidents, for the most part, this debut novel remains tightly focused on Maggie’s unraveling and reconnecting. An included reader’s guide makes the book a perfect fit for suburban reading groups. --Marta Segal Block

About the Author

Ann Wertz Garvin is a full professor at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, where she teaches courses on nutrition and stress management. This is her first novel. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; Original edition (November 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425236781
• ISBN-13: 978-0425236789
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,284,188 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Check out annwertzgarvin.com for the whole story...

To Do:
 Set up Crib
 Carve Zucchini Boats
 Fight Crime


Maggie Finley has just returned to her beloved Wisconsin hometown, quirky
best friend, and eccentric mother. Life should be good, but her marriage to
Martin is suffering under the strain of a recent family tragedy and Maggie's
feeling pressed for time. Before the birth of her baby she has to figure out
how to fit her high-anxiety-self into a low-anxiety-life.

True to her can do attitude, Maggie hires a compelling handy-man, resurrects a defunct Neighborhood Watch and inadvertently discovers a potential threat to her house and home living just around the corner. Choosing to investigate, despite her best friend's advice to keep her nose out of it...and despite the risk, Maggie sets her sites on discovering the stranger's secret. As the mystery of the neighbor's identity draws Maggie irresistibly in, her ordered life starts to unravel in surprising and hilarious ways.

Unexpectedly compelling and sparkling with wit and intelligence, this debut novel chronicles one woman's quest for control over her surroundings, and the secrets and surprises that lie hidden in an ordinary suburban landscape.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasure to read., November 29, 2010

By 

readingbody - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Maggie's Watch (Paperback)

The only reason I read these days is to enjoy an author's language and style. I don't care much what a book is about, I just care about whether the words and sentences are fresh and skillful. Ann Garvin's "On Maggie's Watch" is a pleasure to read. I loved the natural dialogue and the direct, expert prose. Every line of dialogue rings true to the character who delivers it, and the story is told in a funny, light, and smart style. Under the light touch, there are some dark feelings, but Garvin handles the mix well. Can't wait to read her next book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A COMPELLING READ!, May 16, 2011

By 

Lori Caswell "dollycas" (FALL RIVER, WI) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Maggie's Watch (Paperback)

This is truly a story of a woman who has suffered a tragedy and her efforts to get her life back on course. Maggie Finley first child was still-born and while the grief was overwhelming for both her and her husband, it has turned Maggie into a entirely different person. When she finds out she is pregnant again, they pull up stakes and move back to her hometown in Wisconsin, where she reconnects with her best friend.

But Maggie becomes obsessed with protecting herself and her family. She restarts the Neighborhood Watch and even becomes the president. Then she learns from the internet that there is a sex offender in the neighborhood. This seems to push her over the edge and causes some very unusual actions.

Her friends and family are very worried about her and work hard to bring the old Maggie back. It may take the birth of this new child to set things right.


This was a very compelling book and the local connection made it even better. Yes, the Wisconsin town was fictional, as was the county, but this book could of took place practically in my backyard.

The topics taken on in this story are very relevant in today's world. The author handles these hot topics with care and makes it so easy to read and feel Maggie's pain and fall totally in love with her and want to be her friend.

I am amazed that this the author's first novel. I hope she is working on her next novel as I write this because I definitely want to read more by Ann Wertz Garvin soon. This is a perfect book for my blog because it will give you an "escape" for a few hours of pure pleasure with a peek into Maggie's life.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from THE AUTHOR. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous work!, May 3, 2011

By 

"ReviewsByMolly" (Willow Spring,NC USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: On Maggie's Watch (Paperback)

When I sat down to read this book, I was really expecting it to be rather slow, honestly. I am not afraid to admit that. But, what happened totally blew me away. I was instantly captured and taken by surprise at how fast of a read and how engrossing of a read this truly was. Garvin really did a FANTASTIC job at writing this novel.

On Maggie's Watch is a perfectly blended combination of humor, love, friendship, and worry. I'm not going to go into deep detail about the novel, for if I do, I will give away the spoilers, and my blog isn't about that. So, what I will tell you is this: Maggie is a flaw-filled character trying her best to not make another mistake in her unborn child's life. When she learns that one of her neighbors is harboring a deep and dark secret, she goes to great lengths to protect her neighborhood. She starts the Neighborhood Watch, but what she doesn't realize is that the people around....well, they are all flawed, just like her. They all have secrets they are harboring. But, still, she wanted to protect her baby and would do nothing to stop herself from vandalizing the neighbor who holds the dark secret. She will stop at nothing to make the world a "perfect" place for her sweet baby.

I truly loved this book in the end. It made me laugh in places, but it made me stop to think about the world today. Garvin took serious issues in the world today, and blended them with the flawed characters, and turned out a 4 star plot that will hook you and reel you in. It will get your mind turning and thinking and make you realize, as a parent that the world is not perfect, but sometimes you have to have a little TRUST. Well done, Ms. Garvin!