Devils in the Sugar Shop

by Timothy Schaffert

A failed erotic novelist; a hostess of prim sex-toy parties; an artist and a bookshop owner pursued by a demented if harmless stalker; wives, lovers, twin sisters, daughters-all members of the artsy crowd in Omaha, try to hold their families, friendships and personal lives together as they face damaged and broken marriages, and mid-life crises during one whirlwind day that may only be saved by their own children, a timely fire, and a return to their senses.Ashley, a frustrated novelist, teaches a community college class in the writing of erotica, which only seems to turn a magnifying glass on her own marriage woes. June has become filthy rich by selling marital aides at Tupperware-like home parties for a company called Sugar Shop Inc., but despite her wealth, she still longs to reunite with her impoverished ex-husband. Viv, an artist, learns to find creative inspiration, and maybe even a better understanding of herself, from a dirty-minded stalker who reliably sends her startling pictures in the mail every day. Peach and Plum, twin sisters, own a bookstore called Mermaids Singing, where together they attempt to unravel the knots of their own neuroses. All the while, the words and questionable wisdom of a tough-love motivational speaker, known only as Sybil the Guru, echoes throughout all their lives.The day ends with a few raucous parties that threaten, or promise, to challenge the ways these various women continue to live. As the women struggle for guidance in the face of sheer lunacy, they come to realize that the most useful answers are likely the ones they come up with all on their own.

Genres: Fiction

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2007

About the author

Author of five novels: The Swan Gondola, The Coffins of Little Hope, Devils in the Sugar Shop, The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God, and The Phantom Limbs of the Rollow Sisters. Director of the (downtown) omaha lit fest. Contributing editor, Fairy Tale Review. Assistant Professor in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln creative writing program.

"The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God" is part of the Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers program, and was the 2007 Omaha Reads one-book-one-city selection. "Devils in the Sugar Shop" was a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice and a Book Sense pick.

Reviews

[Barelos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to read about locations down the street in my town. Not fun to read another book by a man about women who think only about men and looking pretty.

[Jenine Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the characters and the interplay. The ending was a bit ho hum, but overall enjoyed it for a 'fluff' book.

[Terry Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed all of Timothy Schaffert's other books and saw this and realised it was something a bit different compared to his others and sounded like a bit of fun and it certainly was.

[Grace Beckemeyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

too many characters i was confused

[Paula Kramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was a very shallow book. A lot like Desperate Housewives without the humor. Wouldn't recommend it although it is a short read. Read it for a book club. Who picked this one anyway?

[Monte · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Old Market section of Omaha serves as the bohemian center of Schaffert's diverting third novel. Ashley Allyson teaches erotic writing workshops, but doesn't realize that her husband, Troy (who edits an alternative weekly, The Omaha Street), is cheating on her with her student, Peach. Peach is one the two 20-something identical twins who run the local bookstore, Mermaids Singing; the other, Plum, has a yen for Tucker, a tallish tattooed dwarf photographer who photographs his impressive genitals. Ashley's neighbor and friend Deedee Millwood operates a franchise of the titular "Sweet Shop," a sort of sex-based Tupperware party where she hawks racy goods and advises sexually forlorn suburbanites. Deedee's teenage daughter, Naomi, can't stand Deedee's confessions about her sex life, and has her own crush on gay teen Lee—son of Ashley and Troy. Another friend and neighbor, African-American visual artist Viv Dailey, has been the victim of an increasingly active art stalker. Over the course of one improbably packed February evening, a missent e-mail between Peach and Troy brings everyone together. Schaffert (The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God) walks an uneasy tightrope between the amusingly sexy and the scabrous. The stalker's eventual characterization is a mean-spirited misstep, but Schaffert's bohemian Omaha is consistently surprising and vibrant.

[Briel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's see. Three stars is that I liked it and 4 stars is that I really liked it. I'm not sure! I read it very quickly and it kept my interest, which I think is actually a good thing. It was entertaining and strange and I think that it will be a good book to create spicy dialog at our next book club meeting!

[Mary Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quirky little book set in Omaha, of all places. It involves a woman who teaches an erotic writing for women class, her friend who has made a fortune selling sex toys at home parties, another friend who teaches art, two sisters named Peach & Plum who own a bookshop, & their husbands & children, all of whom are decidedly NOT like anyone I know.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book club pick - another Omaha writer. It surprised us that a guy could write about women like that. Enjoyed the landmarks in Omaha, fiction or not. Also met the author at a book signing. Nice young man.

[Sandee]

I got this because it was set in Omaha. Supposed chick lit for the over 30 crowd it fell short of being interesting. The most interesting part was the description of the cover art which is a movie poster from 1960's(?) Poland where it's an art form.

[Nancy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This chick-lit book is an interesting look at a group of ladies, all of whom have issues, and who interact with each other, not always in good ways, regarding their lives, their sexualities, their sexual partners, and more.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do yourself and favor and read ANYTHING by Timothy. Funny, prescient, smart.

[Lorena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blah!

[Jonathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

THis book was whole heartedly reccomended to me, and I love erotica, but i must say, I really do not see the appeal.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Liked it! Overall it was entertaining. Very modern book. What I liked most about the read was that the story occured over a few days. The characters were very identifiable.

[Belinda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This "book" was so stupid.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure where I saw the title, but it sounded interesting.

[Cielo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was very funny... but it was a flat, shallow story filled with vulgarity and characters that didn't develop in any way.

[Mike Zickar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written, enjoyable, a farce. And fairly forgettable as well!