The Dalhart Girls, by Sandra Fox Murphy
In the early 1950s, in the Panhandle town of Dalhart, Texas, the church stands firm amidst community and gossip. But on a December Sunday, Curtye Lee Logan, a shapely young woman from Colorado, enters Victory Church on the arm of bull rider Willie Bob Preston and takes a seat in the second pew. Curtye Lee’s arrival sparks town gossip and draws the welcoming attention of ranch-wife Shelby Hauser and the pastor’s wife, Jane Connor.
Shelby narrates the journey of these three women, revealing how they secretly gather to study mysticism in the back of Gene Crawford’s store, unbeknownst to Pastor Henry Connor. As Dalhart recovers from the hardships and losses of the 1930s Dust Bowl, the shadows of those years still harbor secrets and pain for long-time residents. Despite the challenges of life in west Texas and the scandals of a small town, the friendship between Shelby, Jane, and Curtye Lee remains steadfast as the Fates weave their destinies in unexpected ways.
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“Reads like Steel Magnolias mixed with Harper Valley PTA.” – Dave Inman, early reviewer
“When three women become acquainted in the small west Texas town of Dalhart, they have no way of knowing how entwined their lives will become. From very different backgrounds, fulfilling their very different roles, they are drawn together by a shared interest in exploring the forbidden subject of the paranormal. Their quest to learn about the paranormal leads them to deeper understanding and an unexpected friendship. As time passes through unpredicted roads, their relationship flourishes as a precious gift that never wavers. The Dalhart girls are a perfect example of what friendship should be.” – Pat Jackson, author of Judging Anna and Path to Confession
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