Sheriff Winston Browne has lovingly watched over the tiny tony of Moab, Florida since he came home from the war. Now he harbors a secret he can’t share with anyone—not even his best friend or the woman he’s falling in love with.

Jessie with no last name gets spirited out of the compound where she has lived out her ten years and put on a train to Pensacola, Florida. She has no idea why or what will happen when she gets there. She only knows to trust no one except the person who repeats the catchphrase. When a man tries to abduct her at the train station, Jessie takes flight and ends up in Moab.

Eleanor Hughes has loved Jimmy Abrams for decades, but the foolish man doesn’t want to set a wedding date. After dancing the night away at a church social with the sheriff, Eleanor decides she doesn’t want to turn out like so many women in Moab, ‘who got old many years before they become elderly.’

Buz Guilford drops out of school to help support his momma and his drunk grandpa long before a boy should turn into a man. Like everyone else in Moab, Buz loves baseball and the Brooklyn Dodgers. But boys-turned-men don’t have time to play.

Four lonely lives intersect in a town where people fixated more on themselves than on others and “The rest of the world and all its issues were imaginary.” Will Winston Browne become the catalyst that turns Moabites’ vision to the suffering of others?

Dietrich has a way with words that made me highlight gem after gem. Like this one, “Lisa was an uptight woman married to the oldest Baptist deacon in town who preached against the dangers of “premarital relations” with the opposite sex because this might lead to dancing.” Or “Up North they had wild, vibrant colors. In northwestern Florida, you had the entire spectrum of mildew.”

Reading Dietrich’s words reminded me of settling down with one of my all-time favorite books, To Kill a Mockingbird. Like Harper Lee, Sean Dietrich can convey his love for the setting and characters along with gentle irony for their foibles.

While published by a Christian publisher, The Incredible Winston Browne doesn’t fall into any typical Inspirational genre. Nevertheless, the book will inspire readers to treat others with more grace, lead a helping hand to those in need, and appreciate the ordinary heroism of those around us.

4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars

My goodness, what a treasure this little novel is! One of my reader friends who finishes a book every day tagged this as her best book so far this year. That is very high praise for her, and I knew I mustn't miss the chance to read it.

What can I say about this novel? It is simply a lovely down-to-earth story of a small southern town, its dying sheriff and his best friends, the townspeople, and a frightened little girl on the run. Winston has lung cancer. But for the longest time, that doesn’t stop him. He continues his work as the town protector, baseball coach, adviser to all, and surrogate dad of two. He falls in love several times over. Though this is Winston’s story, there are other characters that will win your heart. Characters like Jessie, Eleanor, Buz, Tommy, and Jimmy. No one is related, but they are as true a family as they come.

Next to the characters, I was most impressed with how Mr. Dietrich, rightfully nicknamed “Sean of the South”, portrayed the tiny Northwest Florida town of Moab in the mid 1950s. He nailed the ambience perfectly. I felt transported back in time to when I grew up in East Tennessee in the mid 20th century. It is one of the best portrayals of a town in this specific time period that I have read.

This is not a terribly pacy book as it is mostly character-driven, but I read it fast as I was so absorbed in these people and their town. There is however a pretty darn awesome stretch in the second half of the book that is downright nail-biting. The last several chapters are so beautifully written. I cried a lot as I read those. The epilogue is perfect and so appreciated.

Oh, how could I almost forget to mention the periodic “Moab Social Graces” daily news bulletins. They reminded me so much of my life in mid 50s Tennessee. “The Women’s Missionary Society annual trick-or-treat caravan will be meeting at 7:00 PM at Miller’s Drugstore. Costumes involving use of blood are not allowed. Mr. Martin Bass escorted Miss Laney McWilliams to the theater in Pensacola last Friday. Rev. Lewis has been called to a West Virginia parish and will be leaving Moab Methodist after two years of faithful service. Farewell party on Tuesday. Bring hot covered dish.” I laughed so much at these!

So obviously, I am strongly recommending The Incredible Winston Browne to anyone looking for a fast read that squeezes the heart and supplies all the feelings. I will definitely read more of this author.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins, and Mr. Sean Dietrich for an advanced copy. Opinions stated are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

Is it fair to ding a book a star because they are all Dodger fans? I have been debating this for a few days now. Dodger adoration aside (they were a good team in 1955), this is a heart-warming story of a man, a girl, and a town. Well, and the Dodgers. Even those who don't like the Dodgers or baseball will find this story and its characters working their way into their heart. Winston, the perpetual sheriff through inertia, comes to a crossroads in his life. At the same time, a young girl shows up in the small town of Moab, Florida. While Winston is already a caring man who goes above and beyond to take care of his town and its residents, Jessie's appearance sparks a change in both Winston and the town. Lucky for us, the reader is brought along to witness the transformation. Maybe prepare for a little tearing up? But definitely prepare to really enjoy reading this story.

Title: The Incredible Winston Browne
Author: Sean Dietrich
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"The Incredible Winston Browne" by Sean Dietrich

My Opinion:

"The Incredible Winston Browne" was that it was quite a good read that will keep you turning the pages till the very end. Just imagine living in this small town of Moab, Florida, and having the camaraderie that went on in this touching story of the main character Winston Browne. We find Winston is the town's local sheriff who can do some very extraordinary things.

However, what will happen when a person is told he is dying? Will he be able to get done some things that were so important to him before his death sentence? Be ready for a load of some well-developed cast of characters that will have you in tears, laughing at some of the funny things that go on in this story.

This author knows how to brings a story to life as this story is so enriched with human emotions where one is trying to live without any regrets while dealing with mortality. Along with the story about Winton Browne, there is another story about Jessie. What was that all about? To find out what is going on in this story, I would recommend you pick up "The Incredible Winston Browne" to get the whole story.

The scene of this town of Moab, set in the panhandle of Florida, close to Pensacola in 1955, where the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the reigning NY Yankees in the World Series.' So, if you are a baseball lover, this would be a good read for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Spoiler Alert: Have a box of tissues before you end 2/3 of the way through this book!!

Our second book today is another book that stays with you , long after you finish it. The story of Winston and the arrival of a runaway who changes his entire world, and that of his friends. It's a story of what we do when the unexpected happens. How does it change us, both inside and out. And when that change is more permanent than we thought, how will we rise up to the new challenges in front of us. It's also the story of old Florida and a time of innocence.Don't miss this one!

In the small southern Alabama town of Moab, pop 912, fifty two year old sherriff Winston Browne has just received some bad news from his doctor. It's the mid 1950s and with the Dodgers heading for the World Series, everyone is baseball mad. With the low crime rate in Moab, Winston has time to coach the little leaguers, in-between acting as the local coroner, delivering groceries to the elderly, playing scrabble with the old timers and scaring off courting couples parking in quiet spots. He's not ready to give up on life and all that he loves yet.

Into this small quiet town, arrives a small girl, Jessie. A runaway who refuses to speak about where she's come from or why she's running away. She's immediately cared for by the town with church stalwart Eleanor taking her in and Winston doing his utmost to search far and wide for missing children. Unknown to Winston, someone is looking for Jessie and she might not be safe even sheltered as she is in Moab.

Sean Dietrich is a wonderful writer who brings to life the very likeable character of Winston Browne and the town that loves him. He has a lovely comic touch with his characters including Win's hapless deputy Tommy, Buz, the teenage boy trying to look after his mother, and Jimmy the overworked mailman and Win's competitor in love. Dietrich brings a marvellous sense of time and place to the novel, not just with the lead up to the Dodgers 1955 World Series win but with the social calendar encompassing charity dances, potluck suppers, church picnics, trick or treating at Halloween and Easter egg hunts. The fashions of the day also feature with Eleanor shedding her frumpy dresses and aprons in favour of more modern colours and styles, and causing palpitations by wearing trousers. Ongoing excerpts from the local paper's gossip column also add flavour to the doings of the town people and are guaranteed to cause a few smiles. A lovely, moving tale about love and friendship and finding your place in the world.

This is a nostalgic story that touched a lot of different emotions but ended in a feel good way. Set in the mid twentieth century in a small Northwest Florida town, it brought back some memories of a slower lifestyle-one where everyone knew each other and each other's business but had a strong sense of community and friendships. Everyone went to the Methodist Church or the Baptist Church across the street in the fictional town of Moab. Winston Browne grew up in the town, went to Europe for World War II and became a Captain in the Army. His girl did not wait for him so he has remained single for all of his fifty plus years. Now he is Sheriff, baseball coach, lover of the Brooklyn Dodgers (as are many locals) grocery deliverer and much more. While the story revolves around Winston and his whole life, it is about so many other interesting, funny, and realistic friends and townspeople. There is also a side story of the mystery of a little girl showing up in town and touching many lives, including Winston's. Sean Dietrich does a great job capturing the time in the Deep South where life moved slower. Lovely story that I recommend for those who want to read something a little different.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

One of those stories you just need to sit back and enjoy. The small town of Moab is the setting for a whole bunch of characters, we meet quite a few of them, they all know every street name, where everyone lives, they absolutely love baseball, either the town’s team or the Brooklyn Dodgers and the local newspaper lists the obits, the family gatherings and any other tidbit anyone wants to know. I grew up in a small town like this so the read was very special to me.
This one doesn’t have a lot of mystery or intrigue, not a fast-paced shoot em up either, but it does have a lot of love, quite a bit of humor, a bit of action from the compound and just some good old-fashioned fun. Good people caring for others and how brings to light how your life affects the people you are surrounded by. Yes, Winston Browne did have an incredible life.
I want to thank Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC. Coming in with 5*****

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for this ARC.

This book really surprised me - in a good way! It was truly "the right book at the right time". The story centers on Winston Brown, the sheriff of a small town in 1950s Florida. Winston is a good man and his impact on the town is profound. Solid writing and the right mix of humor, mystery and quirky characters will keep you turning the pages.

The book feels nostalgic (but not dated) and a little melancholy at times. But the way the author weaves the universal themes of friendship, love, loss and second chances throughout the story is pretty inspiring. It makes me hopeful for a kinder, gentler world.

2 stars
I guess I do not understand the appeal of this book. The beginning is so scattered and hard to follow that I finally just gave up.

Can't love this book enough! The story was amazing! The author writes beautifully and I can't wait to read more by him!!

In a small Florida town, Winston Browne is the sheriff who finds out that he is dying. But he has a town to take care of. A young girl comes to town, running away from something. The sheriff helps her.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It is 1955, the year the Brooklyn bums conquered the world. It was a simpler time when people in small towns knew and cared about each other. It was a time where a mercantile store served the needs of the community and a local paper kept everyone informed. The small town of Moab, Florida is blessed to have Winston Brown as not only their sheriff but an everything man who takes care and watches over much of the population. He coaches the kids, he teaches his deputy how to dance, he finds a way to provide for those who who skate on the edge of poverty. He finds ways to encourage them to try for more.

Winston Browne is an all around nice man and once again I wonder why the good always die too soon. Yep, he’s sick, he is coughing a lot and while the story never lets us forget his ill health it always enforces how and why this man is important to so many. He gives us great insight into his hometown and his love of Samuel Clemens. Unsurprisingly his town loves him, even his best friend Jimmy who is conflicted about Winston’s new interest in Jimmy’s girlfriend Eleanor. Nice people, caring people all wrapped up in a near perfect package.

I liked this book a lot. It has many greats elements and it would have been a five star read except for the appearance of the child who escaped from a cult. I thought that part of the story was a distraction that could have been handled in a better scenario.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for a copy.

4.5 stars

“Miss Anna Jordan accompanied Mr. Richard Hackle to the VFW dance in Mobile.”
“Emmet Threet has returned from Detroit, Michigan, where he visited his brother, Earl, who is ill.”
“Miss Eunice Freeman Hoyt was a guest of Miss Mattie Hicks. “The deviled eggs were delicious,” said Miss Mattie. “I made them.” “ (From “MOAB SOCIAL GRACES)


Moab, Florida is a very small town and when you read the notices of happenings around the town in the early 1950’s, it’s a pretty dull place. However, they do love the Brooklyn Dodgers and there is excitement when they win the World Series. It’s not all innocence and gossip and pot luck suppers, and baseball, though. The human condition, life affecting things happen here as they do anywhere. There is terminal illness, alcoholism, people on the edge of poverty. There also is a little girl, who finds this town as she runs for her life and finds her way into the hearts of the people here. Jessie’s story is heartbreaking and unnerving and it takes a while for her to tell these kind people who take her in just who she is running from and why. This quiet town is now facing danger they have not seen before.

I love these small town stories with a variety of characters. Some are quirky and at times provide a bit of comic relief, but most are characters that you’d want as a neighbor or friend. The time and place are so perfectly depicted and I felt I was right there . Okay, I’ll admit that there were a few minutes when I thought, this was a little corny, but the story has so much to offer. It’s about friendship, love, life’s seeming disappointments, about the goodness of people. There’s the Dodgers, too. And yes, Winston Browne is indeed an incredible man. A wonderful story that was perfect for me just now.


I received an advanced copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley.

A lovely story about kindness, friendship and compassion. A young girl on her own is rescued by a small town in Florida, led by the remarkable Sheriff Winston Browne and his large circle of friends. A wonderful
heartwarming story.

This was a surprisingly good book! It takes place in a small town and gives us a glimpse into their life. It was full of interesting characters and a few side stories. It’s kinda a baseball story and kinda just about the title character.
It was well written and for me hits alittle close to home. I really enjoyed the book. Definitely recommend
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

The Incredible Winston Browne by Sean Dietrich is the best book that I have read so far in 2021. I would not have thought that a book set in the small fictional Florida town of Moab during the 1950’s would end up being a five star read. But this historical fiction with some suspense and action was excellent.

It features fifty-two year old Sheriff Winston Browne who not only handles the normal sheriff’s duties, but is also the coroner and baseball coach. He even delivers groceries while doing patrol duty. After nine-year-old Jessie shows up needing help and protection, Winston’s life becomes more fulfilled as well as complicated.
While the town rallies to help Jessie, Winston gets some bad personal news. As he deals with that, he also reflects on his life and continues to care for the town’s inhabitants (including Jessie), and finds he still has more heroic acts ahead of him.

Winston shows tremendous character depth and growth during the course of the book. The other characters have varying degrees of depth, but it was adequate with some being complementary to the protagonist and some being oppositional.

The author brought a strong sense of time and place to the events in the book. Whether it was the attitudes towards and expectations of women, the social and gossip columns, the church social events, the thrill of baseball, the daily Scrabble games, or the townsfolk looking out for one another, I felt transported to northwest Florida in the 1950’s. The town and its citizens came alive for me. While I wish the author had explained why Jessie had to initially run, I came up with my own answer that seemed plausible to me.

The way Winston deals with his bad personal news has a huge impact on the reader, but that is just one of the dramas playing out. When you add in a teen that quits school so he can get a job to help support his mother and his alcoholic grandfather, mail that gets delivered erratically, a love triangle, and the people trying to locate and retrieve Jessie, you have a heartfelt and intriguing novel.

There was a melancholy feel to the atmosphere at times, but there was also humor, hope, protection, love, romance, and friendship to balance it. The ending is impactful, uplifting, and insightful.

Overall, this book was moving and inspiring. Winston Browne is a memorable character and I will continue to think about him for some time. This is the first book that I have read by this author but it won’t be the last. I highly recommend this novel.

Thomas Nelson—FICTION and Sean Dietrich provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for March 2, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this gem. I haven’t read anything by Sean before but this novel has made me want to check out his other works. This novel brings you right into a quintessential southern small town. The main character Winston Browne is basically every elected official position except the postman. Sheriff Browne is dying according to his doctor but he’s not ready to leave his friends or his small town just yet. Moab Florida, lives for The Dodgers, Church potlucks and socials. Win thinks all he has to deal with is his health, enter a runaway child, a feud with your best friend, and taking a lonely young man under his wing. I can’t think of a more heartwarming novel that I’ve read in a long time.

The Incredible Winston Browne is an emotional, moving story about the power one man’s life has to change the lives of everyone around him. I loved this glimpse into a small Southern town in the 1950s, where life revolves around baseball and church socials and whether or not the mail comes on time. The summer this book took place brought a lot of change to Moab, Florida - their beloved Brooklyn Dodgers made history, Eleanor started wearing pants, Sheriff Browne developed a mysterious cough, Buz was forced to grow up too soon, and a little girl named Jessie showed up in town, bringing trouble with her. I loved how the story was told from the perspectives of all of those characters, and while their stories did intersect, they had unique individual elements as well. It’s a story of coming of age and of aging; leaving a legacy and starting fresh; celebrating tradition and embracing change. It does have a bit of a bittersweet ending, but does still leave you with hope. This book will be enjoyed by fans of Southern fiction, especially fans of Lauren K. Denton and Valerie Fraser Luesse.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It's Sean Dietrich, so it's wonderful. What else can I say? A man is told he's dying, but finds out how to truly live after he rescues an abandoned little girl who speaks a peculiar Pennsylvania Dutch dialect. Both happy and terribly sad at the same time, it's a book full of hope, and lord knows we need that during the times we're living in!