Michelle Shocklee: The Women of OakRidge

By Kelly Bridgewater

In the hills of Tennessee, two women work at a Manhattan Project site during World War II and uncover truths that irrevocably change their lives in this captivating new story from award-winning Southern fiction author Michelle Shocklee.

1944. Maebelle Willett arrives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, eager to begin her new government job and send money home to her impoverished family. She knows little about the work she will be doing, but she’s told it will help America win the war. Not all is what it seems, however. Though Oak Ridge employees are forbidden from discussing their jobs, Mae’s roommate begins sharing disturbing information, then disappears without a trace. Mae desperately attempts to find her but instead comes face-to-face with a life-altering revelation—one that comes at significant cost.

1979. Laurel Willett is a graduate student in Boston when she learns about the history of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where thousands unknowingly worked on the atomic bomb. Intrigued because she knows her Aunt Mae was employed there, Laurel decides to spend the summer with her aunt, hoping to add a family connection to her thesis research. But Mae adamantly refuses to talk about her time in the Secret City. Mae’s friends, however, offer to share their experiences, propelling Laurel on her path to uncovering the truth about a missing woman. As Laurel works to put the pieces together, the hidden pain and guilt Mae has tried so hard to bury comes to light . . . with potentially disastrous consequences. 

 

My Thoughts:

The Women of Oak Ridge by Michelle Shocklee is a unique look into the Manhattan Project during World War II. Most students who have studied World War II have learned about the Manhattan Project, but never heard about a little town that helped create the atomic bomb. Readers will enjoy how Shocklee takes the stories of characters who actually worked and dealt with the issues there and brought it to the forefront of their knowledge. The characters' struggle and defeat were realistic and harrowing. Mae's story will keep readers' guessing and wondering what really happened. I couldn't read fast enough. I really want to know what happened. Why did it affect her so much? What happened to her? Shocklee laid out a wonderful story, and I felt engrossed in the plot. This story reminded me a lot of her story The Tulip Tree, that I absolutely loved and still think about today. I recommend this story and hope others love it as well as I did.

I received a complimentary copy of The Women of Oak Ridge of Michelle Shocklee from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Donna Mumma: First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Murder

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 Vivien's Bridal Creations Found at Murder Scenes  Mid-century glam meets murder mayhem in a series of cozy mysteries at Wynton's Department Store.   It is 1956 in Levi City, Florida. Vivien Sheffield, renowned bridal gown designer and consultant for Wynton's Department Store, is facing the greatest challenge of her career. Someone has been killing brides who wore one of her custom gowns in their wedding! Vivien's fellow employees and close friends—Audrey, Mary Jo, and Gigi—and her assistant Mirette spring into action to save Miss Vivien and the young brides of Levy City before the murderer succeeds at destroying Vivien's business at Wynton's. . .and her reputation.   Be sure to also read The Women of Wynton's by Donna Mumma

My Thoughts:

First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Murder by Donna Mumma is a slight mystery with four friends who work at Wynton’s, a department store in the 1950’s. I love how eccentric and different the four women are. They spend time together, encourage each other, and lean on each other in hard times. Personally, I wish the story had a deeper spiritual thread for the characters. Maybe show them reading the Bible together and praying. I believe more women need women that will pour into each other’s lives. On the other hand, the mystery is really, really tame. Occasionally, another bride appears dead, and the four women talk about it, but then they move back on with their daily lives. It is not the central aspect of the story, which is what the title does lead the readers to believe that it is. Readers will find the tiny details like the bus ride to ring true for the time period that the story takes place in. Readers will enjoy the little details like the clothes and the order of what women can and cannot do. Mumma has spent some time trying to research and stay true to the time period. Overall, First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Murder by Donna Mumma reads okay for a historical fiction piece, but I needed more spirituality in the character’s lives and more attention to the mystery.

I received a complimentary copy of First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Murder by Donna Mumma from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

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