Tully lands an internship at KCPO-TV in Seattle and finagles a producing job for Kate. Tully has a life goal for them both: They will become network TV anchorwomen.

In college, “TullyandKate” pledge the same sorority and major in communications. Tully takes refuge with the family of her “best friend forever,” Kate Mularkey, who compares herself unfavorably with Tully, in regards to looks and charisma. Tallulah “Tully” Hart, father unknown, is the daughter of a hippie, Cloud, who makes only intermittent appearances in her life. Lifelong, conflicted friendship of two women is the premise of Hannah’s maudlin latest ( Magic Hour, 2006, etc.), again set in Washington State. A gritty but heartwarming celebration of friendship by a promising new writer. As ends are too neatly tidied up, and as the truth comes out about Sugar’s parentage and Jude’s murderer, Pearl faces another loss-as Sugar moves on. But Sugar is beaten up by an old acquaintance named Lappy, and, though she recovers, her resolution to change her ways falters. Pearl talks about Jude as she has never done before, lets Sugar give her a fashion makeover, and goes to a club to hear Sugar sing, in return for getting Sugar to attend church. Learning that she had inherited this house, she came back to Arkansas. Sugar’s mother abandoned her in a local bordello run by the black Lacey sisters Sugar was raped there, became a whore, and then moved north. She eventually wins a hardened Sugar over, and the two women share their life’s stories. Pearl, reluctant to believe that Sugar is a whore, and affected by Sugar’s striking resemblance to Jude, tries to make friends.

Sugar, born in a nearby town, soon scandalizes the locals because she sits naked in front of her windows and has men visitors. But when Sugar moves next door, her life begins to change.

Pearl, Jude’s mother, never recovered from the event she retreated into herself, dressed like an old woman, and was sexually cool to husband Joe. The people are poor, work hard, and have been so badly treated by whites that fifteen years ago when teenaged Jude Taylor was found murdered and her body horribly mutilated, it was assumed the perpetrator was a white man. Set in a fictional small town of 1950s Arkansas, the story vividly evokes the life and time of a community still haunted by racism. African-American McFadden presents a sometimes schematically plotted but sweet debut tale of an unlikely friendship between two women.

Bernice mcfadden books