Susan Klein, 2011
I bought a garden gnome after I read this book.
Ok – I bought a garden gnome several years after I read this book. The delay doesn’t mean I don’t love the book! I listened to the audio version read by the author; the story is charming and Susan Klein’s voice, not the voice of a professional narrator, is nonetheless pleasant. Listening to her voice was like having a family member read me a story, and her narration contributed to my enjoyment of this charming story.
Mrs. Meyers, recently widowed and and working for an unpleasant boss in a thankless job, wins a contest. The prize is a gnome – a live gnome – and most of the story involves Brenda Meyers showing the gnome around Chicago while trying to avoid detection. Life lessons are learned.
The book is available in both Kindle and Nook editions, and that there is an audiobook published through Podiobooks, which has since merged with Scribl. You can listen to the book free on the Scribl website, but not through the app, which appears to work only for paid books. Why not listen? It’s completely free, and the author’s voice adds such warmth. You can also purchase the ebook for $2.99 – both Amazon and Nook versions are available. Visit the book on Goodreads for the links.
This is one of those surprise titles that epitomize the reason I started this website – to help others discover books that will never (or never again) show up on a a NYT Bestseller list or in a bookstore’s front window. It’s a Hidden Gem.