The Empress of Cooke County: A Novel

"Get ready to laugh! I couldn't have loved it more." --Fannie Flagg, New York Times bestselling author

"Sizzling small-town life in the American south with its secret history, vivid characters, and juicy dramas." --Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author

Featuring two strong women, mother-daughter tension, beauty parlor gossip, and one shocking turn of events, The Empress of Cooke County will transport you to a small town in the 1960s with the one woman determined to rule it all. Perfect for fans of Lee Smith and Adriana Trigiani.

Thirty-eight-year-old Posey Jarvis is the self-appointed "empress" of rural Spark in Cooke County, Tennessee. She spends her days following every word about her idol and look-alike Jackie Kennedy, avoiding her stalwart husband Vern, and struggling to control her newly defiant daughter Callie Jane--all while sneaking nips of gin. When Posey unexpectedly inherits a derelict mansion from her quirky old aunt Milbrey, she finagles her way into hosting her high school's twentieth reunion there. She cares nothing about seeing her classmates, but she cares deeply about seeing the love of her life, a man who dumped her nineteen years ago. Possums are nesting in the parlor and the stench of cat urine permeates the sunroom, but she must be ready for the big day, even if she has to do the work herself.

Eighteen-year-old Callie Jane finds herself accidentally engaged and is panicking about her fast-approaching wedding. She's also had enough of her domineering mother. Even though she loves her father, the idea of working at his emporium for the rest of her life just makes her . . . so sad. She longs to escape from her mother, her job, her upcoming wedding, and the creepy Peeping Tom terrorizing the town. She dreams of leaving everything she's ever known in her rearview mirror and starting over in California. But when her life has been mapped out for her from birth, how can she break free?

Set in a gossipy small town during the turbulent 1960s and full of Southern charm and unforgettable characters, The Empress of Cooke County is a novel about found family, what it means to be loved, and how being true to yourself can have life-altering consequences.

© 2024 Harper Muse (Audiobook): 9781400342570

Release date

Audiobook: 3 September 2024