Beloved writer Sean Dietrich—also known as Sean of the South—will warm your heart with this rich and nostalgic tale of a small-town sheriff, a mysterious little girl, and a good-hearted community pulling together to help her.

Folks in Moab live for ice cream socials, baseball, and the local paper’s weekly gossip column. For decades, Sheriff Winston Browne has watched over Moab with a generous eye, and by now he’s used to handling the daily dramas that keep life interesting for Moab’s quirky residents.

But just after Winston receives some terrible, life-altering news, a seemingly mute runaway with no clear origin arrives in Moab.  The residents do what they believe is right and take her in—until two suspicious strangers arrive and begin looking for her. Suddenly Winston has a child in desperate need of protection—as well as a secret of his own to keep.

With the help of Moab’s goodhearted townsfolk, the humble and well-meaning Winston Browne still has some heroic things to do. He finds romance, family, and love in unexpected places. He stumbles upon adventure, searches his soul, and grapples with the past. In doing so, he just might discover what a life well-lived truly looks like.

Sometimes ordinary people do the most extraordinary things of all.

When I chose this book, I was simply trying to find a book featuring a character over 50 to satisfy a reading prompt, and this one popped up with glowing reviews. I figured, “Why not?” I’m so happy I gave it a chance.

From the first few chapters, I was hooked – not because the plot was a high-stakes thriller or a twisty-turny mystery, but because it felt like stepping into a warm, cozy corner of 1950s Americana. Think: small towns, front porches, baseball games, gossip passed around over cups of coffee, and neighbors who genuinely know and care for each other. The author has such a tender, heartfelt way of writing about ordinary people that you start to feel like Moab, Florida, isn’t just a fictional town – it’s somewhere you’ve been before. Or, at the very least, somewhere you wish you could visit. I seriously felt like I was back in my hometown while reading this, and that these characters were our friends and neighbors.

The book is centered around Winston Browne, the titular sheriff (obviously since the book is named after him). Winston is one of those characters who quietly worms his way into your affections. He’s been the sheriff forever and is beloved by everyone – from the town barber to the teenagers hanging around the soda shop. He’s kind, gentle, a little bit old-fashioned, loves baseball, and carries himself with the kind of dignity that doesn’t need to announce itself. He’s just… good. He’s also learned that he is dying and he doesn’t quite know how to process this news, so he does what most men do – he doesn’t tell anyone and hopes it will go away.

The synopsis might have you thinking this book is mainly about Winston rescuing an orphaned girl who mysteriously turns up in town – and yes, that is part of the story – but honestly, this book is so much more than that. Winston is absolutely the heart of the novel, but the soul? That’s the whole town of Moab, which has been vividly brought to life. It’s like reading a piece of forgotten history – each little story adds depth and richness to the larger narrative. You meet all these quirky, wonderful people who make up the fabric of the town. You read about their triumphs and heartbreaks and the small moments that stitch their lives together.

One of my favorite touches? Those little one-page inserts from the town newspaper. They’re scattered throughout the book and include things like who danced with whom at the town social, what the graduating seniors are planning next, and who’s got family visiting from out of town. They don’t advance the plot in any major way, but they absolutely make the book. They give the whole thing texture and authenticity, like you’re actually flipping through the pages of Moab’s past.

The pacing is another win for me. The chapters are short and snappy – you blink, and suddenly, you’ve read 50 pages. It’s the kind of book you could easily devour in one or two sittings, especially on a rainy Sunday with a cup of tea nearby. It’s cozy contemporary fiction, for sure, but with emotional heft. You’ll laugh. You might tear up. And by the end, you’ll feel like you’ve been given a little gift. I think my only complaint was that, besides Winston’s (and most of the town’s) love for Jackie Robinson, the book is very white.

In the end, I found this book to be a celebration of the quiet heroism of everyday people. It’s about community, decency, and the deep-down goodness that still exists in the world. If you’re in the mood for something heartfelt without being saccharine, nostalgic without being cloying, and gentle without ever being dull, give this one a try. I’m so glad I stumbled on it and gave it a chance.

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