Schmidt's Mill — Richard E. Peck

The open secrets of a small Wisconsin town greet prodigal son John Schmidt, "returning" to a hometown he's never seen. He discovers unlikely mysteries, crimes and raw passions unbelievable to many Americans but commonplace to hundreds of Midwestern villages. This moving novel is a rich, multi-layered tale by an author who has mastered several genres already in a dozen other books and here immerses us in a Midwestern milieu we thought we knew. We do now Visiting Schmidt's Mill is an experience bordering on the gothic, in a setting of surpassing beauty. "A wonderful and memorable read," say the reviews.