Thrifty Means — Sharon Sobel

New England towns know how to keep secrets. But in Eastfield, the volunteers at The Thrifty Means have their fingers on the pulse of the neighborhood's gossip, as well as on the many treasures donated to their charitable shop. Eleanor Gilmartin, a single mother, finds something even more valuable: a supportive community. When Evan Zane walks through the door one morning, Eleanor's sanctuary is suddenly threatened. Evan returns to town to clear out his aunt's estate, but he stirs up more than dust. An old tragedy is revisited, and the ghosts of the past insinuate themselves into the lives of the present. Evan suspects his aunt's death has been hastened, and appeals to Eleanor for help. Together they decipher the record of local history, the evidence among the antiques at The Thrifty Means, and discover the youthful assumptions that once kept them apart are no barrier to the long-denied attraction now burning between them.