THE HAND I FAN WITH

Local color and exposition almost overwhelm this story of a unique woman in small-town Georgia who conjures up a man who turns out to be a ghost. Confronted with a morass of detail, Tonya Jordan skillfully manages to keep the plot in the foreground. Explicit sexual scenes don't daunt her in the least. As the narrator, she seems bemused by the eccentric residents of Mulberry, who never do learn all that is going on but who proceed with verve and passion as they address the changes in their favorite and very important leading citizen. Her characterization is distinct even in the face of the many minor characters. J.E.M. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 98]