Book Review by Dulany Noble, MFH
Paving Paradise, A Paradise Gap Novel by J. Harris Anderson, Blue Cardinal Press 2020, Paperbound, $17.95
What a fun read. And a fun ride! Paving Paradise is the third book in a series by J. Harris Anderson that takes place in the idyllic hunt country of Crutchfield County, Virginia. You do not have to read the first two books to enjoy this one, but it might take you a few chapters to keep all the characters straight.
On the plus side, having read this one, you will be on familiar terms with the characters―a bonus―when you decide to read the first two books, as I must now do.
And there are a lot of characters who remind me of Damon Runyon (if he wrote about foxhunting). The book reads like a thriller, and the story moves along quickly, making it hard to put down.
Myra Billington has been trying to make it in Hollywood and now finds herself in deep trouble with a loan shark. He wants his money back with interest. She sees only one way out and that is to sell her share of Montfair, the family estate back in Virginia where her brother, Thumper Billington, still lives. (I am sure that Thumper is good friends with Sister Jane Arnold, MFH, of the Jefferson Hunt in the neighboring county.)
Thumper is Master of Foxhounds for the Montfair Hunt and an author of note. His dreams are haunted by scenes of hot tar creeping over the Montfair hunting country, destroying everything in its path. Many of his neighbors are getting older and it has become increasingly difficult to keep the farms going.
Pymsdale Development smells an opportunity to acquire the land which is, in Pymsdale’s opinion, a perfect location for a monster resort with a convention center attached. A local developer wants to acquire a neighboring farm to build a retirement home. And the loan shark wants his money!
You are transported to the Virginia countryside with vivid descriptions. Scenes in the hunting field are spot on, and I felt like I was riding along with the Montfair Hunt. Even if you do not hunt or ride, this book will help you experience what it is like. You just know how much everyone in Paradise Gap cares about preserving the land and how much they care about their horses, hounds, and foxes. I want to visit the town of Paradise Gap, drop into the general store, or check out the Farm and Home Store just to meet the people who work there. And then stop in Middleburg for dinner on my way home!
Paving Paradise is strongly crafted with well-drawn characters and a terrific storyline immersed in the Virginia countryside. Available from the publisher, bookshops, and online retailers.
Posted April 15, 2021
Dulany Noble is Master Emeritus of the Carrollton Hounds (MD). She served as Master for more than thirty years and hunted the hounds for fifteen of those years. She is a voracious reader and actively participates in rating books online for Goodreads.