The Lumby Lines

What Garrison Keillor did for Lake Wobegon, Gail Fraser has done for Lumby in this delightfully touching new novel. An engaging cast of characters populates Lumby, a one-moose town in the Pacific Northwest where pigs literally fly and goats invade the bank vault, a dog runs for mayor and Sheriff Dixon keeps a gentle watch over all the quirky goings-on. The story centers on outsiders, Pam and Mark Walker, a couple of "East Coasters" who set about converting the community's fire-ravaged monastery into a historic inn. In the process they face the suspicions of the townsfolk, the open hositility of the cranky old newspaper publisher with a dark secret, and the sometimes helpful, often humorously hapless assistance of the local tradespeople. Fraser weaves an entertaining tale of foibles and romance, intrigue and benign mayhem, as she introduces an array of personalities who come to life in snippets from the local paper, THE LUMBY LINES. From the myterious benefactor who leaves unsolicited checks in old journals, to the flamingo with a flare for fashion, and the young reporter who dreams of writing an 'expose', the Walkers discover the many layers of Lumby. Whether it's joining in the town's raft races with near disastrous results, or unknowingly revealing long-hidden relationships, the newcomers become entwined in the town's fabric and never look back.Setting the stage for more charming stories to come, Fraser paints a picture full of laughter and love that readers will take to their hearts--and conjures up magic in an everyday place called Lumby that they will want to revisit again and again.