A Spear of Summer Grass

March 25, 2013
Bestselling author Raybourn’s latest (after The Dark Enquiry), set in 1920’s Kenya, finds plucky, party-loving American divorcee Delilah Drummond about to be shunned from Parisian social life when her husband kills himself after receiving her divorce papers. With Delilah’s team of advisors insisting she seek refuge while the story cools off, she reluctantly agrees to an African excursion with her plodding cousin Dora as chaperone. Even on another continent, Delilah’s reputation precedes her, yet she harbors more heartbreak and depth than is evident from her actions. With her unflappable veneer in place, Delilah meets Ryder White, an intriguing, maddening man who challenges her bravado. Despite her initial dismay at her exile, Delilah finds her nursing experience helpful to the local Kikuyu, which brings her life the purpose it had been missing. As Delilah adjusts to her exotic new landscape, she finds more than she expected, both in the people she meets and within herself. Rayburn’s breezy, straightforward style is a nice counterpoint to the complexity of her heroine. Agent: Pam Hopkins, Hopkins Literary Associates.