The Whole Town's Talking: Elmwood Springs Series, Book 4
(Libby/OverDrive eAudiobook)

In 1889, Swedish immigrant Lordor Nordstrom buys farmland in Missouri and sets up a town from scratch. Thus begins Flagg's latest, which follows the development of Elmwood Springs and the lives of its inhabitants from the turn of the twentieth century through the present, with stops at all the major events along the way (both world wars, the Great Depression, the age of bobby-soxers, the big-box takeover of suburbia). Readers meet a host of characters and watch them grow, but there's a twist: when residents die, they are buried in Still Meadows cemetery, which looks over the town quite literally. That's right; the recently dead remain, watching the world change as time goes by. Flagg doesn't stray far from her winsome and winning formula: adorable town with a cute history, check. Quirky characters, check. Nostalgic look at America, check. Readers may recognize that Flagg has visited Elmwood Springs before (Standing in the Rainbow, 2002), and there are appearances by characters from her previous novels. Fans of Maeve Binchy and Lorna Landvik will adore this charming tale.--Vnuk, Rebecca Copyright 2016 Booklist

The Whole Town's Talking follows the life of Elmwood Springs, MO, from the town's founding in the 1800s to its demise in 2022, told in life snippets of its residents and their descendants as well as their ghosts who reside in the Still Meadows Cemetery. Flagg brings back characters from several of her other novels, such as the beloved Aunt Elner, and introduces new characters and several celebrity guests, for instance, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow and President Harry Truman. Though she highlights the uniqueness of everyday life, mysteries abound: Who killed Lester the Peeping Tom at the bowling alley? Who is the imposter who married sweet Hanna Marie? Read by Kimberly Farr, who wonderfully brings out Flagg's charming and heartwarming humor and expertly emphasizes sadder moments with an appealing gentleness. VERDICT A cheerful and uplifting, character-oriented tale with a pleasing ending. Recommended to fans of Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones. ["Die-hard Flagg admirers will enjoy this title, but new readers should start with another Flagg book or pick up Americana favorites by Billie Letts or Ann B. Ross": Xpress Reviews 11/18/16 review of the Random hc.]-Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix P.L. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The history of a Midwestern town founded by Swedish immigrants, including both lives and afterlives, from 1889 to 2021.Over the years, the mail-order bride business had been fraught with pitfalls and disappointments. Not this time. The big, ambitious Swede Lordor Nordstrom and the nearsighted little wife who answers his ad fall quickly, madly in love. Lordor goes on to start a family, to incorporate Elmwood Springs, Missouri, and become its mayor, and also to donate a panoramic parcel of land for its community cemetery. And then he dies. Shortly after the funeral, the strangest thing happened. Lordor Nordstrom woke up. Turns out, after people die, they remain as spirits in the cemetery, at least for a while; at a certain point the souls disappear from the gossipy spirit kaffeeklatsch for parts to be revealed. As this tale winds through the decades and generations, two communities flourish, one of the living and one of the dead. Flagg (The All-Girl Filling Stations Last Reunion, 2013, etc.) does a clever job of tracking her clan of interconnected families through the decades, including a drive-by from Bonnie and Clyde, a visit from Harry Truman, four different wars, the birth and death of downtown, and finally modern plagues including drugs, unemployment, and deaths from texting. Theres even a murder mystery woven in, the untimely and suspicious death of a particularly beloved resident which the spirits are determined to investigate and avenge. Much of the fun of the book happens in the graveyard, with conversations like this: I went to your funeral and sent you flowers. Thank you. Im sorry I wasnt able to reciprocate. My hip doesnt hurt anymore, butIm not happy.I hate that Im dead, thats why. Ive been saving for ten years to be able to make that trip to California, and now Im not ever going, and the ticket was nonrefundable. You know the expression This is not your grandmas epic novel? Well, thisis your grandmas epic novel, anodyne but sweeping in its sweet way, full of home truths and consolation. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In 1889, Swedish immigrant Lordor Nordstrom buys farmland in Missouri and sets up a town from scratch. Thus begins Flagg's latest, which follows the development of Elmwood Springs and the lives of its inhabitants from the turn of the twentieth century through the present, with stops at all the major events along the way (both world wars, the Great Depression, the age of bobby-soxers, the big-box takeover of suburbia). Readers meet a host of characters and watch them grow, but there's a twist: when residents die, they are buried in Still Meadows cemetery, which looks over the town—quite literally. That's right; the recently dead remain, watching the world change as time goes by. Flagg doesn't stray far from her winsome and winning formula: adorable town with a cute history, check. Quirky characters, check. Nostalgic look at America, check. Readers may recognize that Flagg has visited Elmwood Springs before (Standing in the Rainbow, 2002), and there are appearances by characters from her previous novels. Fans of Maeve Binchy and Lorna Landvik will adore this charming tale. Copyright 2016 Booklist Reviews.

Best known for Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café, Flagg routinely turns out hits; 2013's The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion has sold 405,000 copies across formats. In Elmwood Springs, MO, townsfolk who die wake up once they are buried and convene amiably with friends and family. But, puzzlingly, some of the dead simply vanish.

The small town of Elmwood Springs, MO, has been populated by eccentric characters throughout its history—starting with Swedish immigrant, businessman, and town founder Lordor Nordstrom's arrival in 1889. In the fourth outing in her Elmwood Springs series (after Can't Wait To Get to Heaven), Flagg takes readers through a languid and nostalgic look at rural America in the 20th century by focusing on the relatives and neighbors of the Nordstrom family. The Still Meadows cemetery plays a prominent role here, and more traditional and conservative readers may be offended of Flagg's interpretation of the afterlife, which she reveals slowly throughout the novel. As well, the unconventional ending in 2021 may startle those looking to the past for comfort and stability in changing times. Series fans will recognize favorite characters including Aunt Elner and Mackey Warren. Verdict: Die-hard Flagg admirers will enjoy this title, but new readers should start with another Flagg book or pick up Americana favorites by Billie Letts or Ann B. Ross. [See Prepub Alert, 4/10/16.]—Christine Barth, Scott Cty. Lib. Syst., IA (c) Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.