Listen for the Mourning Dove

by F.C. Pearce

In the fall of 1953, during the surface calm and prosperity of post-World War II America, the privileged West Texas Randolph family suffers a terrible blow. As a result, a disparate group of strangers become inextricably linked to the family, and to each other, for the four decades to follow. In the aftermath of their life-altering event, the deep-rooted Randolph clan is left vulnerable not only to threats from the outside, but to more sinister ones from within its own ranks. Counting on the aid of those she trusts, the youngest member of the clan, Cady Frances Randolph, from the tender age of six, must rise to a level of maturity far beyond her years, a maturity that she maintains, at all costs, into womanhood. Shining a light on some of the best and worst of human behavior, F.C. Pearce crafts timeless and universal themes deftly and beautifully into a mosaic of rich characterization and backdrop, sparking the imagination and the emotions. More information about Listen for the Mourning Dove is available on the Book Leaf Press website.

336 pages, Paperback

Published January 30, 2016

Reviews

[Dana Glossbrenner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being from West Texas, I enjoyed deciphering the setting--the locales such as the "fictional" Concho City, Pecan Valley, Rowan with its church steeple, and St. Joseph's hospital, to name a few, despite the disclaimer that resemblances are purely coincidental. The story is universal, however, and flowed easily, covering 40 years of heroine Cady Randolph's life of family, friends, and loves. It begins with a nostalgic description of a 1950s neighborhood, taking on a bit of the tone of Harper Lee. Cady's family challenges inform her decisions throughout the book as she demonstrates her loyalty and strength, often derived by following her father's advice to "listen for the mourning dove."

[Jin Young Lim · Rating 5 out of 5]

F.C. Pearce’s Listen for the Mourning Dove invites readers to join Cady Randolph on a profound coming-of-age journey. As she confronts trauma, navigates turbulent family dynamics, learns to cherish her friendships, and strives to forgive the past, we witness a girl maturing into a young woman discovering her own resilience against all odds. In this remarkable debut, Cady’s growth is interwoven with poignant lessons drawn from her cognitively-challenged father after a tragic accident, and a rekindled childhood friendship.

A thought-provoking line from the novel came to mind: “We all have a problem accepting that our parents are people like us. And I think it's as hard for us to be adult in their presence.” Sometimes it takes the passing of our mentors, parents, caretakers, or grandparents to awaken in us the awareness, and the responsibility to take up the role of an “adult.” As we will see in this novel, death brought about physiological and philosophical shift in Cady’s outlook of life.

Each character in Listen for the Mourning Dove speaks with a distinct voice and personality, brought to life through elegantly crafted dialogue. Pearce’s keen attention to detail and empathy for her characters create a moving narrative that poses a universal question: How would you cope when life cruelly takes away the person you love most? Heartbreaking, yet healing at the same time, Listen for the Mourning Dove gave its readers the enduring power of hope.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spanning the years from childhood, into middle age of a woman's life, this was an engaging story with good character development. I was always rooting for Cady, who despite numerous obstacles, becomes a strong woman who can face challenges and find joy in the everyday, a lesson she learns from her brain damaged father.

[Sherry]

This book was written by a friend/ex-co worker. I'm so amazed at the story. It incorporates family oddities and strange circumstances. The setting is a small town in Texas and starts in the 50's and ends in the 90's. The author is good at taking us back to the 50's and small town America. I enjoyed this book as it was very different from the normal "mystery" books and self help books I normally read. Thanks F.C.!

[Joyce Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read in a long time!!