The Harper Nose

Ah, the intricacies of life in a small Southern town! The conventions to be maintained. The formalities. The secrets and the stories. Above all, the stories. Of Ariadne Moncrief, who's seen Gone with the Wind one time too many. Of the Reverend Mr. Simms and how he learned the proper sermon length at the Baptist Church. Of Jason Morgan's grandmother and her sister, who live together but never speak, communicating through other people or their dog, Billy. Of Helen Mason and her cold revenge. Infamously, of Nolan Harper, whose libidinous behavior continues to be manifest down through the generations, and of his sordid death. Arthur Campbell returns, reluctantly, to his hometown and gradually falls into its rhythms and folklore, its pathos and farce. And, finally, he learns the contents of Miss Lois' cut-glass tumbler.