Dominie Dean: A Novel
1917
When idealistic young minister David Dean arrives in the small town of Riverbank, Iowa, he brings more than just his sermon notes. He brings the kind of earnest conviction that small towns find either refreshing or absolutely maddening. The good people of Riverbank quickly divide into those who adore their new pastor and those who are absolutely delighted by the spectacle of watching him stumble through the town's intricate social webs. At the center of his troubles are two women: the dazzling, scandal-tinged 'Thusia Fragg, whose magnetism proves impossible to resist, and the steady, sensible Mary Wiggett, who represents everything propriety demands he want. What follows is a gently satirical comedy of errors, as David's sacred calling collides with gossips, rivals, and his own recalcitrant heart. Butler writes with an affectionate wink at the hypocrisy and heat of small-town life, capturing the particular torture of being watched by everyone while trying to figure out who you actually are. It's a vanished America's version of modern dating apps: everyone has an opinion, nobody minds their business, and the pastor's courtship becomes the town's favorite entertainment.
