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Connie Briscoe attempts to create a soap opera-like melodrama in her latest release entitled P.G. County. The novel takes place in the posh Silver Lake community of Prince George's County,
Maryland where we enter a world filled with a host of characters representing the various socio-economic classes. We meet the black elite represented by Bradford Bentley, a self-made, philandering millionaire and his
wife, Barbara, a woman who hides her pain in the bottle. There is a BUPPIE couple represented by Patrick and his wife, Jolene, who has an insatiable, materialistic desire
to supercede Barbara regardless of the costs. The upper-middle class white matriarch,
Candice, is comfortable living in a black world until her teenaged daughter begins dating a black man (Pearls son). Pearl owns the local beauty salon and lives in the much frowned upon townhouse development on the outskirts
of Silver Lake. We are also shown the impoverished suburb of Seat Pleasant and meet Lee, a young victim of child abuse in
search of her real father.
Briscoe tries to build excitement
with Bradford's extramarital affairs, mystery with Lee's search for her father, and suspense with Candice's genealogical search
for the truth. Unfortunately this reader found that the story's climaxes fell
short which made for slow reading at times. Nonetheless, Briscoe does a great job with character development. She provides a solid background for each of the characters so the reader has a clear understanding of their
behavior, fears, and motives. The author ends the story in such a way that the reader suspects a sequel may be needed to obtain
closure on some open issues and deferred dreams. I believe most Briscoe fans
will not be disappointed with this novel because despite the intermittent lags P.G County is a light, easy, entertaining read.
The Nubian Circle Book Club rating for P.G. County
is
3.5 out of 5 stars. We
welcome your comments and thoughts about this book review. Please e-mail us at
this address: NubianCircleClub@aol.com.
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