Decades ago, Trudy, Georgia, and Aunt Star formed a code of silence to protect each other from an abusive man who terrorized their family. One act of solidarity long ago lives with them still. With the election of a president who brags about groping women without their consent, old wounds and deep secrets come alive again, forcing hard truths to be told and even harder truths to be left to the … dead.
On the outskirts of Pardon, New Mexico, Trudy returns to her mother, Jewel, to navigate an old house filled with haunting mementos of her father who went missing in action over North Vietnam. As she helps her mother sift through the memories and finally lay her father to rest, Trudy will do her own soul searching to say goodbye to the dead, and find her way along with the other women in her family, and through the next election.
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The Flying Cutterbucks, a novel by Kathleen M. Rodgers, is a story of courage and female solidarity that takes place in the fictitious town of Pardon, New Mexico.
The story briefly begins on election day, 2020, but then reverts back to 2016 when Trudy returns to her home town to help her mother organize the family home of a lifetime of mementos.
The family has had more than its share of tragedy. Trudy’s father, a fighter-jet pilot, was shot down in North Vietnam in 1972. Major Cutterbuck is still considered Missing in Action, since his remains have never been found. Later, Trudy’s younger brother died of a brain tumor.
Soon after Trudy’s brother died, her Aunt Star came to take care of the family while Trudy’s mother[ was briefly hospitalized, overwhelmed with the death of her son and the lingering grief over the loss of her husband. During that time, the three—Trudy, her younger sister Georgia, and Aunt Star—were terrorized by an abusive man. As the result of this invasion and its ramifications, the three women formed a code of silence to protect each other.
With the 2016 election of a president who brags about groping women without their consent, the Cutterbuck women are reminded of the terrifying incident that took place many years before. They struggle to come to terms with the past, realizing it will pave the way toward a feeling of freedom and a more courageous future, yet afraid of the consequences revealing the secret might bring.
I loved The Flying Cutterbucks. It features a cast of strong women, each with their own secret burdens. With skill and sensitivity, the author tells a story of grief and terror, but also of strength and humor. The flavors of small-town New Mexico come alive with its spicy food and colorful people of various ethnic backgrounds. It’s a moving story about a loving family, the power of forgiveness, and the gifts friendships offer.
Homecomings often result in coming to terms with the past. For Trudy, a recently retired flight attendant, her return to her family home on on the outskirts of Pardon, New Mexico means confronting two separate family crises—the loss of her father who went missing in action over North Vietnam decades before and a family secret involving a sexually abusive cousin. Set amidst the turmoil of a divisive presidential election and the growing MeToo movement, this powerful novel draws us into the lives of Trudy, her mother, Jewel, her sister, Georgia, and spunky Aunt Star, as each puts the past to rest in her own way, while working toward a better future for a community—and country—they deeply love. Beautifully written. Uplifting and inspiring. I highly recommend The Flying Cutterbucks.
My review of The Flying Cutterbucks by Kathleen M. Rodgers
Keeping it real! The Flying Cutterbucks was a story of the resilience of women in today’s world. Kathleen M. Rodgers was able to weave stories of sexual abuse, insurmountable loss, and the power of undying love to create a story with characters you will understand and enjoy getting to know. One definitely needs to be in the correct political mind frame to read this book as Kathleen brings forth our current political atmosphere with a vengeance.
Thank you to Denise Birt and Kathleen M. Rodgers for choosing me as one of your giveaway winners. This is an unbiased review.
A wonderfully unusual, romp of a realistic ride through the tension of a presidential election. Author Kathleen Rodgers takes a firm stance and keeps it real with well-drawn women characters you won’t soon forget. Memories unfold, the past haunts and ghosts are laid to rest in this intricately woven story set on the outskirts of Pardon, New Mexico to such a nuanced degree that you’ll feel as if you’re there. A celebration of strong, resilient female characters, The Flying Cutterbucks roared onto my Kindle device and kept me riveted.
Book Review:
The Flying Cutterbucks by Kathleen M. Rodgers – June 2, 2020 release
ARC
A turquoise phone, a Gold Star Family, a sexual predator, an election year with its own problems, the return of an old but never forgotten love, haunting family memories, mystery, and a code of silence… What do they all have in common? They weave together a story of real life, the messy kind~ the kind with its pitfalls and promise~ a story you most certainly won’t want to miss!
The Flying Cutterbucks is an emotionally charged journey that will bring you full circle. It will break your heart and help it to heal through the good, the bad, and the ugly, all within the confines of a small but historical town~ the outskirts of Pardon, New Mexico.
Four women, Jewel, Trudy, Georgia and Star, a tightly knit family that has seen it all, experienced it all, but through it all, support and protect one another with courage, strength and perseverance as they fit together the missing puzzle pieces of the past, surprised by new loves that shines bright, and hold onto hope for what lies ahead in a most unsettled world.
Drama and dreams~ a home that springs to life by being pulled from the shadows of loss and despair, and the strong-willed women who continue the fight by holding onto what matters most. A story that will leave you wanting more.
I thank the author for my personal copy of The Flying Cutterbucks, one I not only enjoyed, but a story I’m truly pleased to have been given the opportunity to review – and one I highly recommend.
5 Stars
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