white picket fences

When I hear the term "white picket fences" I envision a sided house with shutters, tidy lawns and gardens, all encircled by a white picket fence alluding to an idyllic, perfect life within. Susan Meissner has taken that image and projected it instead as an emotional one surrounding a suburban stucco in San Diego. The well-maintained, immaculately landscaped home contains a "perfect on the outside" family with secrets.

Amanda's brother is a wanderer, both on US and foreign soil, forever beginning new jobs and leaving them after just months. His 16 year old daughter, Tally, has been raised in this lifestyle, and has become pretty adept at sudden uprootings. This time, though, her dad has taken off to Germany alone, alluding to her that he is searching for treasure their family left when fleeing the Nazis, and making her promise not to tell. Her maternal grandmother with whom she'd become reacquainted only the day before suddenly dies, leaving her alone and under child services supervision. Her aunt comes to the rescue, offering shelter and a stable home life. Yet, in white picket fences, we find a family with underlying emotional turmoil that is mostly ignored, ready to erupt.

Tally and her cousin Chase begin working on a sociology assignment, interviewing two men who survived the Holocaust. In the midst, they find intertwined lives, uncover and reveal some hidden family secrets, and struggle in learning the truth about their pasts. As Josef challenges them, "What is impossible for men is not impossible for God." (pg. 254) Will they turn to God for their answers? Read white picket fences and find out for yourself.


Paperback, 2009, from WaterBrook Press.
I have one copy to give away.