A well done story

This family story opens with two girls, age twelve and six, witness the sudden death of their mother. The girl's names are Easter and Ruby, respectively.  Since their father left the family and relinquished parental rights, the girls are put in a children's home. The possibilities of what will become of these children was an intriguing premise for the book.

The girls seem to have settled in at their temporary home. Most of the children are black and one of Ruby's friends tells her that they will probably be adopted because they are white.

Then, one day while playing kickball, their father appears. He wants to re-establish contact with the girls. He was a former minor league baseball player and left the family when problems mounted to high for him to cope with.

The setting is Gastonia, North Carolina and we see the attitudes the children have and their lack of expectations. They have maternal grandparents in Alaska but there doesn't seem to be any rush by these grandparents to come to the south and being the process of gaining custody of the children.

Then, complications arise. We learn that there is someone after their father, Wade. He did something to this character so that the man carries a grudge against him. Further, he is paid to find Wade and locate something he took from an unscrupulous character.

We also follow the actions of Brady Wellers who is the court appointed guardian of the children.

It is interesting to read of Easter's low expectations and lack of any faith that her father has returned for legitimate reasons and wants to regain a lasting relationship.  Something happens and he takes the girls away from the home and we follow their trail and that of the man after Wade and of Brady Wellers who wants the best for the children.

Easter, in her maturity, has been compared to Atticus Finch's daughter, Scout, of "To Kill a Mockingbird" both girls are approximately the same age and behave far beyond their age.

Wade has come into money from someplace but Easter feels that wherever it came from, it can't be legitimate and she can't believe anything he tells her.

The story continues as we see the family in different places and the man who is after Wade. Feeling that some doom will befall Wade, we root for Brady Wellers and hope he can save the children from whatever fate might be before them.

There are some good surprises in the story and good development, especially in the relationship of Easter
and her father. The setting was well described and the mixture of action and drama was well handled.
Overall, a very satisfying and entertaining read.