Finding Casey

In an old house in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Glory And Joseph Vigil settle in to nest. Leaving behind the home at Solomon's Oak, in California, was a big step, but from the first moment that Glory sees this crumbling dwelling, she feels connected to it.Its old bones, its history, and possibly its ghost-- all combine to help this family begin again.Juniper, the adopted daughter of Glory and Joseph, and formerly a foster child, is also renewing her life, leaving behind--almost--the painful memories of her lost sister Casey and forging a university course of study in Anthropology.Meanwhile, in an alternate story, a young woman tells her tale in the first person narrative. She calls herself Laurel Smith and lives on the commune outside of town called The Farm. It doesn't take long to feel the palpable fear that haunts every footstep. But in spite of her terror, Laurel takes a leap of faith to get emergency medical care for her daughter Aspen....and her life changes in immeasurable ways.How will Juniper's fascination for the pottery and relics of the past lead her into her own past? Will her first love be a true love, or is there someone unexpected that will redirect her destiny? Will Glory's surprise pregnancy at forty-one be a gift that will change her world?Having met these characters before in  Solomon's Oak: A Novel , I was immediately hooked into this story, and loved the way that the past, the present, and the future seemingly converged in a way that made me smile. A feel good look into what forms a family and how the past is never really behind us made me root for all these characters. The coincidences that brought these lives together were fairly predictable, but told in such a way that I had to give  Finding Casey: A Novel  five stars anyway. Solomon's Oak: A NovelFinding Casey: A Novel

A good read

the clue is in the title. But as someone who has no background knowledge about the American South West I enjoyed finding out about how these likable characters live.

I became a Jo-Ann Mapson fan when I stumbled across Bad Girl Creek and decided immediately that I wanted to go and live on the farm with the vivid people she created. In Solomon's Oak (the companion book that precedes Finding Casey), the author begins mixing together the story in the same way that one of its characters, Joe Vigil, might create a great chile: slowly building layer upon layer of interest, spice, fire, flavor and depth. Glory is a grieving widow challenged by the jagged presence of a foster daughter, Juniper, and the too-soon interest in the afore-mentioned Joe. If you are looking for a quick ramble to a predictably happy ending, you will be surprised because their story is ragged and messy and far more true-to-life than most women's fiction. The earlier disappearance of Juniper's sister, Casey, overshadows it all and makes you want to reach for Finding Casey. When you do, it's not a disappointment. Told in parallel tales, you're drawn into Glory and Joe's lives that have not become magically less messy or sticky; Juniper's journey toward adulthood and some kind of closure; and the saga of Laurel and her daughter, Aspen. The contrasts drew me: images of New Mexico that you can practically smell, taste and touch that are the lives of Glory, Joe and Juniper; and the world that exists largely in the mental struggles and memories of Laurel as she reaches backwards and forwards for something she is sure lies beyond her grasp. Do they find Casey? I'm not giving that up. It's definitely worth checking out the books to find out :-) . Solomon's Oak: A Novel   Finding Casey: A NovelSolomon's Oak: A NovelFinding Casey: A Novel

I have to start this review by admitting that I am a Jo-Ann Mapson fan. A major one. I wait from book to book for the next one and I waited a long time (or so it seemed) for Finding Casey. I was not disappointed. The best thing about Jo-Ann Mapson's novels is that you wish that they were about 2000 pages long so that the reading takes longer and the characters can stay in your life longer.The characters from Solomon's Oak make a reappearance in Finding Casey. Solomon's Oak is a lovely book but the characters take on a depth in Finding Casey that I don't think they had in Solomon's. As usual, I wish that these people were my friends, my family.Jo-Ann Mapson is a gifted writer. The story is well developed, the characters warm and inviting.I am going to read it again. It is a wonderful, wonderful book. Don't miss it.