Lead Review

• Book: Why Stuff Matters
• Location: Texas
• Author: Jen Waldo

Review Author: tripfiction

Why Stuff Matters is the second book by Jen Waldo. I very much enjoyed the first, Old Buildings in North Texas, and was looking forward to the second. It did not disappoint – although, for me, the subject matter (a somewhat bizarre antique mall with a very odd and eclectic collection of senior citizen vendors) did not work quite as well as the urbexing experiences of Old Buildings. But I suspect this is very much a matter of personal taste. Both are more than slightly off beat, and absolutely none the worse for that..

The story is that of Jessica who inherited the mall, and its occupants, on her mother’s death. She seeks to make a few changes which are roundly condemned by the vendors – a dubious and crusty lot who don’t seem to really mind whether they sell anything, or not. They prefer things as they are – arguing how to split a gun collection when one of them dies, or revolting when Jessica dares tell them to remove ten year old filthy carpets from their booths. Many have other slightly nefarious businesses on the side… Then two events happen. First, Lizzie, the daughter of Jessica’s former husband by his first wife, is dumped on her for the summer – and second, one of the vendors (with a gun lent to her by Jessica for her protection) kills her own former husband who returns to the town to recover a collection of baseball cards. Jessica is involved in the disposal of the body (and a subsequent one as well…). Yes, it is a murder but yes, it is also a comedy murder. Jen tells the story with wry humour and deprecating wit. The police (in the form of an officer who fancies Jessica, and who Lizzie latches onto) investigate, but get nowhere. There is a conspiracy of silence. Authority is not welcome in the mall.

Why Stuff Matters is well and intelligently written. Jen is a keen observer of people and how they behave. It is a book worth reading.

And on our original blogpost we chat to Jen

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