Small town, past being stirred up, and yes a lot of meddling in past and present that really didn't help anyone. Very wordy and sometimes rambling and hard to follow, but if you like slow moving stories it will work for you.

Well, I went in knowing it was 708 pages, and came out the other side...so all is good! The chapters were short, so it didn't seem as daunting, although there are 121 of them. That being said, this was a very enjoyable read. It really gives a great depiction of what life in a small town in the 1950's must have been like. And Emma Madison, isn't so much a Master Meddler, as she is a Master Manipulator. Life back then was all about the appearance of living a scandal free life and doing what was expected of you. Of course, that is all smoke and mirrors, but it is how life was lived. This was the time of party lines, so everyone knew your business. Gossip was the main activity and just part of socializing. And heaven forbid you do something untoward!! Emma is so charming in the way she goes about getting people to do things and moving all the players on the chessboard. But, she is so kind and good hearted. Nothing she does is with malice. I loved watching out how all these characters intertwined and their lives played out.

Emma Madison is the resident meddler in a small town, and has a gift for solving problems. Which is just as well, since her niece, the scandalous Jasmine, has now returned to Medford, after leaving it under a cloud 9 years prior to that for the sinful city of Las Vegas.

Jasmine has fallen on hard times, so it is Aunt Emma who must rescue her young daughter from foster care and nurse Jasmine herself back to health. But small towns have long memories and Jasmine does herself no favours in that regard, choosing to inevitably court attention by looking after the ailing wife of her alleged one-time lover.

Not to mention, Jasmine's return brings with her a long held secret of the "best to let sleeping dogs lie" variety. Fortunately, Emma has everything worked out...

This was a really enjoyable story, with a wonderful protagonist in Emma.

Emma Madison, Master Meddler
by Patricia McDermott Michener
Beautiful book.I got lost in the story. Emma was a woman who I would have loved to know.

I loved this book, very much. It’s wonderful, each page is like a layer added to each character. I loved till the last page, I absolutely recommend it.

Such a fantastic book!There are over one hundred chapters and each one adds immensely to the stories of several people in the gossipy small Canadian town of Medford. The stories are interlinked by those of Jasmine and her great aunt Emma. Sorrows, deep regrets, love, and rekindled love work through the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this book so very much.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.