The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery

Starred review from August 1, 2021
Cox follows The Edge of Belonging (2020) with a novel that portrays three generations of women and dramatizes the ways the impact of family misunderstandings are passed down over and over again. After tragically losing her husband, Sarah Ashby returns to Brighton, Tennessee, and Old Depot Grocery, which her family has maintained for decades. Her mother, Rosemary, is desperate to sell the store, but keeps her true motive hidden while Sarah's grandmother, Glory Ann, finds solace there, squeaky floorboards and all, since the store gave her a second chance at life long ago. While Sarah plays peacemaker and seeks healing within the familiar aisles, she uncovers a long-buried secret. Masterfully told from each woman's perspective and across two time lines, Cox's tale articulates the emotional trauma each woman experiences while also weaving in forgiveness and hope. Readers will fall in love with Old Depot Grocery and its women as Cox explores themes of loneliness and isolation and highlights mother-daughter relationships and the strength of the female spirit. Cox is a writer to turn to for emotionally rich and redemptive fiction.

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