AUTHOR: Janice L. Dick
DATE: 2020
PUBLISHER: Tansy & Thistle Press
STARS: *****
One man running from his past, two women he’s attracted to, and a peculiar town that won’t let him go.
Matthew Sadler rides his ’77 Harley into Happenstance, intent on passing through, but people and events conspire to prevent his leaving. The elderly Barlow sisters consider Matt their knight on a motorcycle. Matt is entranced by Roni, the other lodger at the Happenstance Hotel who bears an uncanny resemblance to Matt’s beloved, deceased wife. The young doctor in town, Paula Percy, adores Matt’s motorcycle. However, she is suspicious of the woman from the hotel.
As the days pass, the quaint little town, with its unique residents, begins to show its sinister side. When evidence of multiple thefts leads to Matt’s door, he must deal with a mystery and yet more false accusations.
Do the old diaries of Amanda Rutherford Barlow hold the answers Matt so desperately seeks? Will Happenstance finally let him go, or does he have a reason to stay?
The sign proclaimed: “Happenstance: A Town You Can Trust.” But can you? When Matt arrives—by accident, it seems—in the time-warp town, he’s running from trouble. But trouble may have followed or waited for him.
I quickly fell in love with the quirky residents of Happenstance, especially gas station owner “Bear” with his mis-quips, like “volunteers are thick as hen’s teeth,” the Barlow sisters with their squabble-y banter, and the puzzled hero, Matt. Each character description and speech pattern painted a clear picture in my mind, and their personalities came to life.
The appearance of Roni, whose eerie resemblance to Matt’s wife, Ginny, draws him even while others speak of their distrust. Is she who and what she claims? The mysteries continue to deepen until they come to a heart-pounding climax.
I hope author Janice L. Dick writes a sequel; I miss her characters already. I loved “The Road to Happenstance” and award it five stars. I was given an ARC by the publisher; all opinions are my own.