Mary Kay Andrews, Hissy Fit

Hissy Fit

Mary Kay Andrews

HarperCollins, Sep 2004. $24.95, 419 pp.

ISBN: 0060564644

In Madison, Georgia, interior decorator Keeley Rae Murdock lives her life in accordance with her profession down to the tiniest iota. The twenty-eight year old feels everything is perfect until she finds her fianc Andrew Jackson "A.J." Jernigan and her maid of honor Paige Plummer having a go, hiccups and all, during the wedding rehearsal dinner. Keeley has a HISSY FIT that every local resident heard about, but especially comes to the attention of wealthy newcomer Will Mahoney.

Will decides that Keeley is perfect for restoring the dilapidated mansion he purchased that he plans to use to court the woman he desires that he has never met in person only on TV. Keeley prefers to reject Will as a client as it seems impossible to decorate a home with no idea of the benefactor of her work, but her ex and his banking family are trying to destroy her business so she accepts the assignment.

This dark comedy will keep readers' attention as southern small town secrets begin to surface, including one involving Keeley's vanished mom. The storyline offers an intriguing look at home furnishing mostly through the discerning eye of the heroine. Though much of the support cast is one-dimensional, especially that asinine jerk A.J., while Will's woman is kept somewhat shadowy on purpose, fans will appreciate Keeley's HISSY FIT that hooks the audience expecting more outbursts from this steel magnolia.

Harriet Klausner