Book Review: ‘The Hired Man: A Novel’ By Sandra Dallas

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The book is in stores now from St. Martin’s Press. Click on the link to buy a copy. https://amzn.to/4sjUmZQ

In Colorado, set in 1937, there’s been no rain, just dust storms that have destroyed farms, crops, and the ability for people to survive. Martha Helen Kessler is 15, and the narrator of this novel. During one of the storms,a mysterious man named Otis saves a little boy during one of the storms Martha’s family offers him room and board in exchange for helping out at the farm, despite the objections of the town, who don’t take to strangers. When Martha’s best friend, Frankie, goes missing and is later found dead, Otis becomes the prime suspect. The family thinks he is innocent and fights to save him. We follow along with the small town, the issues various families have, family violence, and the effects of the dust storms. A story about family, survival, and what life was like during this time. It’s a well-written, heartwarming novel.