"Powerful character-driven suspense"

Their sixteen-year marriage ends when Jimmie Manville dies in a plane crash. Shockingly, the very successful James leaves his millions to his two siblings who he detests and only a dilapidated farm in Calburn, Virginia to Lillian the wife he allegedly loved. When he signed the will, Jimmie's lawyer tried to talk him out of doing just that, but Jimmie insisted he was leaving her "what she needs".

The media orchestrated by her vile in-laws rips Lillian as a Jezebel who got her hooks into Jimmie. Refusing to challenge the will out of respect for Jimmie, Lillian changes her name to Bailey James and quietly leaves for her farm. Though her new property is a disaster, she plans to fix it up while finding a way to earn money. Bailey hires the local sexy contractor to oversee the repairs while she learns why Jimmie who always took care of her wanted her to learn the truth.

New York Times best selling author Jude Deveraux shows why she is very popular among readers with her powerful character-driven suspense novel THE MULBERRY TREE. The story line grips the audience who initially feels pity for the heroine, but sees why Jimmie thought the world of Lillian when he could have had any number of beautiful intelligent women instead. Lillian makes the tale work with her self-discovery and her efforts to detect James' darkest secrets hidden from her when he feared she would leave him. Though several homicides seem like overkill Ms. Deveraux has written a tremendous novel starring an unforgettable protagonist who may be the best female character of the year.

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted June 15, 2002