The year is 1919. The Spanish flu is set to ravage the United States, and the small town of Paradise, Idaho is running out of options. Should they fail to make it to the 1920 census with a population of at least 125, the locals will lose their community under eminent domain. As a last-ditch effort to save their town, the residents decide to sell off four abandoned mansions—relics of the gold rush—for a penny each (plus a deposit and a portion of refurbishment costs). These “penny mansions” do indeed attract more people to the town of Paradise, but those people bring more than just growing families.
The cast of Steven Mayfield’s THE PENNY MANSIONS is massive, but followable. Front and center of the whole affair is Bountiful Dollarhyde, the daughter of a former slave and an initially unknown (and unkind) white man. Bountiful and the rest of the town council stand against corrupt politician Gerald Dredd, who is keen to make sure Paradise does not survive the census so he can claim the land for himself. As the four new families move in, a roller coaster of bizarre situations ensues. Thaddeus Cooler, accompanied by his unconventional (and somewhat untrustworthy) relatives, gives the little town of Paradise the acting bug. Handsome lawyer Meriwether Peycomson is rarely seen with his family, and he seems to be hiding a secret in plain sight. Dredd’s daughter Geraldine runs away and falls in love with Willie, a strangely eloquent former soldier struggling with PTSD. And just as things seem to be reaching a strangely comedic peak, there’s a fire…and a murder. The second half of THE PENNY MANSIONS uncovers layers of corruption and deceit, with the census drawing ever closer and the town’s livelihood on the line.
Mayfield takes on a dangerous balancing act with THE PENNY MANSIONS, but handles it with ease. This book is many things: a commentary on racial inequality, a series of romances, a comedy, a murder mystery, and even a love letter to classic literature. With all these elements in play, it would be easy for the book to become muddled or lose its center. However, the story and its characters remain eminently followable and likable, even when a detective enters the story. The massive cast is extremely diverse, too. Heroes, bad guys, and every shade of grey in between are represented. While there’s a clear villain, there’s also a fair number of lovable scoundrels, tragic antagonists, and heroes-to-be finding their way.
Full of heart, humor, and suspense, Steven Mayfield’s THE PENNY MANSIONS is a beautiful and multifaceted piece of fiction that is expertly rendered at every turn.
~Kara Dennison for IndieReader
