On Maggie's Watch

November 1, 2010
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 Maggies 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 Maggies unraveling and reconnecting. An included readers guide makes the book a perfect fit for suburban reading groups.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)