In this work of fiction, set in the early 1970s in the south, Gibby’s voice carries the reader through a fast tale of mystery, friendship, race relations, and overall, love.  Gibby is a 20-year-old who is NQR (not-quite-right) after a traumatic brain injury sustained in a car accident that killed both of her parents. Gibby is told by a clairvoyant that her deceased mother cannot rest in peace as a result of worry about Gibby’s NQR state.  To grant her mother eternal rest, Gibby strives to become QR (quite-right).  However, her efforts are often in vain as the brain injury trumps her desire to be socially appropriate.  This leads to humorous outbursts and, on the flip side, to grim situations where others take advantage of Gibby’s mental state.

Though her day job is refilling salt shakers at her grandfather’s cafe, Gibby’s desire is to become a real reporter.  She is forever searching for fodder for her weekly gazette that she distributes around town.  When she stumbles upon a homicide, Gibby’s investigative reporter mode turns on.  Though her investigative techniques are clumsy on account of her short-term memory lapses, Gibby’s insights are occasionally brilliant. As she attempts to solve the mystery, her loved ones enter a life of turmoil and anguish in an unforeseen chain of events.

Because of her brain injury, Gibby’s narration proves to be both hilarious and heart wrenching.   The author does a beautiful job of weaving Gibby’s rambling, in-congruent thoughts into a suspenseful mystery.  And in the end, the heroine and the who-done-it are surprises.  Underpinned by race relations and tension, the book exudes the twang of the south.

This is a wonderfully written book which, while light and easy to read, addresses complex problems in our society.  The book smacked of familiarity to me as I was reading it.  Upon conclusion, I realized the book seemed to be a combination of themes I enjoyed in two other novels, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (Haddon) and The Secret Life of Bees (Monk Kidd).  However, just as it is in those two novels, the narrator’s voice is genuine and unique.  Anyone with even an ounce of compassion will enjoy Gibby’s journey through the Land of a Hundred Wonders.