One Part Angel [Hardcover]

George Shaffner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2006

This big-hearted novel about small-town miracles is the entertaining follow-up to Shaffner’s popular debut, In the Land of Second Chances.

Welcome to Ebb, Nebraska—home of the Corn Palace, the Quilting Circle, the Come Again Bed and Breakfast, and Wilma Porter and her indomitable gang of friends. Loretta Parsons, Wilma’s best friend and the owner of the Bold Cut Beauty Salon, called the town “the Last Oasis of Nice.”And it is.

But Ebb also has more than its share of troubles. Loretta is in a coma and her salon is burned to the ground. Wilma’s grandson, Matt, is in the county jail awaiting sentencing for arson and attempted murder. Clem Tucker, the richest man in town, is cooking up a business deal that could have dire consequences for everyone. Even the powerful Quilting Circle, which includes almost every woman in Ebb, is at its wit’s end.

Wilma’s prayers for help are answered when the mysterious traveling salesman Mr.Vernon Moore returns to save the day . . . and a life or two while he’s at it.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Vernon Moore, the mysterious salesman who upended everyone's lives in the quaint town of Ebb, Nebr., in Shaffner's first novel (In the Land of Second Chances) returns to save the day in this enchanting sequel. Once again, feisty Wilma Porter, owner of Come Again Bed & Breakfast, narrates an improbable tale full of miracles, humor, tragedy and a strong dose of religion and morality. Vernon finds all not well in Ebb: Wilma's grandson, Matthew, is in the county jail, refusing to name the two accomplices who destroyed the local hair salon and bludgeoned owner Loretta Parsons into a coma. Loretta happens to be Wilma's best friend, the town's only resident of color and, not incidentally, the mother of Vernon's out-of-wedlock child. Meanwhile, Wilma's "Fiancé in Perpetuity," wealthy business entrepreneur Clem Tucker, is raising eyebrows around town with the parceling and sale of his inherited farm. Vernon's interactions with the recalcitrant Matt shine; his confrontation with the menacing founders of a local religious sect is both chilling and gratifying; and his "win-win" impact on the financial future of the town comes as no surprise. Ebb's warm-and-fuzzyness is well realized, and readers will keep reading in the hope of learning who Vernon really is. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–Wilma Porter runs a bed-and-breakfast in Ebb, NE, and thinks she has her finger on the pulse of the town. When her grandson and two unidentified high-school friends beat the black owner of the beauty parlor into a coma, Wilma and the rest of the citizenry are stunned out of their small-town complacency. Enter Vernon Moore, a mysterious traveling salesman who made his debut in Shaffners In the Land of Second Chances (Algonquin, 2004). Mr. Moore has a gift for seeing problems from a different perspective, and the townspeople quickly realize that they need a dose of his quirky wisdom. While he may be one part angel, as several seeming miracles would indicate, hes plenty human: last time he came through town, he fathered a daughter with the now-comatose Loretta. He therefore has a vested interest in trying to persuade Matt to name his accomplices. This is a story in the tradition of Jan Karons Mitford series (Viking), albeit with a zanier cast of characters. From wealthy financier Clem Tucker to the sinister Reverend Gault of the Divine Temple of the Everlasting God Almighty to Dot Hrnicek, Ebbs first female sheriff, there is no shortage of eccentricities. Shaffners character sketches, along with Wilmas chatty narrative style, keep Mr. Moore from seeming too didactic as he points the townsfolk toward solutions for their various problems. Teens will appreciate the unorthodox approach that he takes in building a relationship with Matt, as well as the glimpse into the stories underneath the wholesome small-town veneer.–Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Library System, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Algonquin Books; 1st edition (March 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156512457X
• ISBN-13: 978-1565124578
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,465,031 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who is that masked man?, March 11, 2006

By 

K. Atchison (Alabama) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Part Angel (Hardcover)

Vernon Moore is back, and boy is he needed. Once again, he is being asked to deal with one of life's hardest problems--in this case "the good kid gone bad", Wilma's grandson Matt, the archtype of the alienated, non-communicative, angry teenager who has done something both henious and inexplicable, namely participating in the senseless beating of his grandmother's best friend, his mother's employer, and the woman Vernon loves. While Loretta lies in a coma, Vernon sets to work on Matt, pulling patience, humor, common sense, role playing, bad banjo playing, and circular foods out of his bag of tricks. In the end Matt understands the difference between being strong and being smart, and is able to exercise some charity, for himself, the other perpetrators of the crime, and his family.

Ever the multi-tasker, Vernon renews his sparring with Clem, the richest man in three counties, who is once again involved in a mysterious business deal that has the potential of destroying Ebb, placing Wilma uncomfortably smack in the middle between the Quilting Circle spoiling for a fight and her "fiance of perpetuity". As if that isn't enough, Vernon also crosses swords with Reverend Gault, the mysterious and sinister leader of a uber religious cult that has taken up residence near town.

Once again, Shaffner deals with a most difficult delimma with humor, wit, and sound argument. This is a must read for all parents whose teenagers seem to have suddenly been replaced by pod people, and angry ones at that. Actually, it's a must read for anyone who enjoys an entertaining page turner that actually makes you give some thought to what is happening. "One Part Angel" is a delightful sequel to "In the Land of Second Chances" and treats the reader to the same level of humor, quirky characters, and surprising twists and turns.

By the end, Vernon has performed his magic, and Ebb and its residents are safe once more. And, as Vernon disappears over the horizon in his muscle car de jour, the residents are left shaking their heads and doing their best impression of "who was that masked man?". Some good clues are offered in this book, but guess we'll have to wait until the third in the series to find out.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a Wonderful World!, June 3, 2006

By 

Kathleen S. Crettier "Kathy Crettier" (Front Royal, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Part Angel (Hardcover)

Starting this book was like coming home to a place warm and familiar. The characters, just like friends and family, are both loving and loved, despite their flaws, missteps, and serious transgressions. George Shaffner introduced us to the people of Ebb in his first novel and his second novel delves deeper into their personalities and daily struggles--they become even more "whole". We meet other town "folk" as well. I agree with the quote on the cover jacket that "George Shaffner does for writing what Louis Armstrong and "What a Wonderful World" did for music." When I initially read that I thought "that's a tall order!" But just as the song can stop me in my tracks on those days when the world seems overwhelmingly negative, "One Part Angel" is also a balm for the soul.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo!, July 8, 2006

By 

Sonja M. Carson "SCarson" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Part Angel (Hardcover)

In George Shaffner's `In the Land of Second Chances' he introduces us to Ebb, Nebraska. There we meet the Quilting Circle; a group of strong, mature women who run the town. As the first story unfolds, even though tragedy occurs, there is a constant sweetness about the story and the characters. Mr. Shaffner has surpassed himself in `One Part Angel. The gang from Ebb is back, but in book two we experience the reality and complexities of big city life creeping into the fabric of this small town. The good and the bad are not so easily distinguished. We are forced to accept the fact that `things just aren't the way they used to be'. It takes the entire community to begin rebuilding lives and, ultimately, the town. A beautiful story, and a lovely second chapter in the continuing story of Ebb, Nebraska. .