One Little Word

A Mary Fisher Novel

Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
352 Pages
Reviewed on 01/05/2016
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Author Biography

T. A. Peters was born in Fort Worth, Texas and has lived in Florida for over twenty years. The author's interests in classical literature, language, dialect, philosophy, theology and local history resulted in the writing of the Green Flourish series of books including the novels One Little Word and the award-winning Loggerhead featuring the diffident, atypical heroine Mary Fisher, and the prequel Green Flourish Pentalogy which presents an intimate portrait of Mary's ascendance as a character from her conception to maturity in five volumes.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Lex Allen for Readers' Favorite

What I believe to be the second novel in the Mary Fisher Pentalogy, One Little Word by T.A. Peters is a fascinating tale set in nineteenth century Florida. Mary, an exceedingly tall woman with large hands and feet, assumes the role as husband to the winsome Abigail as they travel across Florida on their way home to Greenhaven. They encounter a young girl stranded in the swamps, near the hidden village of Bella. Thinking that the girl has wandered off, the pair carries her to the village in search of her mother. Immediately upon entering the village, the story takes off on a tale that will not let you go, even as you eat and sleep between reading sessions.

I’ve never understood the definitive difference between literary and commercial fiction, and in some books the definition is a toss-up. With One Little Word, there is no doubt of the brand — it’s literary; but I'll be damned if the pace, themes and word-smithing don’t scream commercial thriller. In fact, it doesn’t matter. This is a masterful piece of storytelling, related by an author with extraordinary depth and sensitivity towards several themes that are subtly, but clearly displayed throughout the book. I won’t list them as that would spoil the reading experience.

Mr. Peters has crafted a work of art. His characters come alive in every facet of their development; from speech patterns, as in Mary’s Scottish dialect, to the few words spoken by Ellie. The story reeks with verisimilitude, from the descriptions and technical details of a variety of guns to the realistic fight scenes. The author is a master of introducing themes that are unmistakable but never graphically or completely described while demanding that the reader never stop. The conclusion is perfectly set for the next book and I will read it, and the previous novel, Loggerhead.

Mamta Madhavan

One Little Word by T.A. Peters is another book from the Loggerhead series, which revolves around Mary who puts her story down on paper to her daughter while being imprisoned in Europe during World War II. The story continues to Greenhaven where they find a hidden church named Holiness Assembly Church in the Palms, which is supposed to be the abode of a ministering angel. Guests are allowed in only by special entry and Mary’s curiosity prompts her to pay to know what’s going on inside. Then a strange thing happens; the room is filled with light and an angelic figure appears. As the story progresses, Mary understands whom she can trust fully and whom she should eliminate from her life. Another dimension to the story is that Mary also has to deal with the problems in the village of Bela where only she can help.

The book will keep readers riveted and, with its many layers and intriguing plot, it’s a compelling read. Whether Mary, Hannah, Ellie, or Abigail, all the characters are well portrayed and they complement Mary’s story, adding to the intrigue and curiosity. The many layers blend nicely and are woven seamlessly into the plot. The detailed narration makes it easy for readers to get into the mood of the scenes. Readers will get involved in the lives of Mary and Abigail as they go through this series and will be eager to learn more about them.