Susan Gabriel

Temple Secrets Susan Gabriel

Publisher Marketing: Fans of The Help and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil will delight in this comic novel of family secrets by acclaimed writer, Susan Gabriel (The Secret Sense of Wildflower, a Best Book of 2012 by Kirkus Reviews). Every family has secrets, but the elite Temple family of Savannah has more than most. To maintain their influence, they've also been documenting the indiscretions of other prestigious southern families, dating as far back as the Civil War. When someone begins leaking these tantalizing tidbits to the newspaper, the entire city of Savannah, Georgia is rocking with secrets. The current keeper of the secrets and matriarch of the Temple clan is Iris, a woman of unpredictable gastrointestinal illnesses and an extra streak of meanness that even the ghosts in the Temple mansion avoid. When Iris unexpectedly dies, the consequences are far flung and significant, not only to her family-who get in line to inherit the historic family mansion-but to Savannah itself. At the heart of the story is Old Sally, an expert in Gullah folk magic, who some suspect cast a voodoo curse on Iris. At 100 years of age, Old Sally keeps a wise eye over the whole boisterous business of secrets and the settling of Iris's estate. In the Temple family, nothing is as it seems, and everyone has a secret. Contributor Bio:  Gabriel, Susan Susan Gabriel is an acclaimed writer who lives in North Carolina. Her novel, The Secret Sense of Wildflower, earned a starred review ("for books of remarkable merit") from Kirkus Reviews: "A quietly powerful story, at times harrowing but ultimately a joy to read." It was also voted one of Kirkus Reviews' BEST BOOKS of 2012. She is also the author of the novel Seeking Sara Summers which has garnered international attention since its publication in 2008. Her nonfiction book, Fearless Writing for Women: Extreme Encouragement and Writing Inspiration gives writers inspiration, writing tips and encouragement to get going again and keep going. Discover more about Susan at susangabriel.com