As Theodora Taylor mentioned, this was a rather "unusual paranormal" story but I loved, loved, laughed it! The use of a phantom leg in the story was a great twist too !
This was Grant and Willa's story and it was truly memorable read for me. In high school, Sawyer seemed like he could do no wrong as the golden boy in high school and town's rich heir; whereas, Willa and her sister, Thel were the only Blacks attending that same school and children of the known "crazy librarian" who by the way was a nurse by professor (are you laughing yet!). Thel was given the name "Mouth" by Sawyer and Willa, "Stork". Several years later, Willa wins a fellowship to Germany in a special medical program and her first patient was non-other than her nemesis, Sawyer who was badly injured on a special military mission.
In this story, you see the cliques, status seekers but you learn early on that death changed some ghosts for the better as in the case of Sawyer's alcoholic mother Kate, and Dylan, the drunk driver who killer Trevor, Willa and Thel's younger brother. Ghosts (yes, Willow, Marian and little Trevor could see "dead people") were everywhere in this story whether they were family members, neighbors, KKK members, children up the road or down and my all-time favorite character was , Marian, the crazy librarian who was again, Willa and Thel's eccentric and comical mother!
You will have to read this unusual but carefully crafted story to believe it! You will laugh, cry, "say duh", have to put it down for a sec' but mind you, you will pick it back up and laugh some more.
4.5 WILL read again Stars ****.5