This tale didn’t exactly lack focus, but it sure was headed in that direction. It touched on a lot of things. It included a runaway wife, a feminist business woman, her somewhat deceitful employee, an unfaithful husband, an unfaithful wife, actually make that two of each, a young child definitely on the spectrum but as of yet, not being helped by any doctor, a kind of reclusive carver of large wooden dolls, and of course, the aging “merhags.” Oh! And Elvis. Can’t forget him. The characters are definitely quirky and flawed. And even though the book’s dust jacket claims Elizabeth Strout said the novel was hilarious and wacky, I didn’t see it that way. Wacky, yes, but not so funny. Weird characters in weird situations that are sort of resolved, but in a weird way. Not a lot of closure at its end. Maybe I just missed a deeper meaning, but the novel just never seemed to build to anything. I’m not sorry I read it, but I can’t imagine recommending it to any of my book friends. ( )

This book is not "Great Literature" but it is a very good story. Once I began reading it, I never really put it down, except to have dinner. I read it straight through.

From the jacket: "As a young woman, Grendy swam her way to fame in the kitschy underwater pageants of Mermaid Springs, a premier attraction of pre-Disney Florida. When she met her minister husband, North, she hung up her fins and moved with him to the Midwest. Thirty-six years later, a reunion of the Mermaids of Yesteryear (Merhags) brings Grendy and North back to Mermaid City, where they decide to purchase a second home. In no time at all, Grendy lands a starring role in the 'Mermaids on the Moon' Labor Day spectacular, and life seems very good indeed. So when Grendy suddenly goes missing, leaving only a cryptic note behind, her daughter, France, goes to Mermaid City to find out what happened.

While taking over care of her erratic (Autistic) six-year-old nephew, Theo, who is most affected by Grendy's disappearance, France explores, the odd circles her mother moved in. Grendy's fellow Mermaids of Yesteryear--or 'merhags'--are forthcoming about every detail of their friendship except her disappearance, and they seem much more interested in convincing France t step into her mother's fins for the big Labor Day show. As France grows more concerned that her mother may have been a victim of foul play (I didn't get that), she makes extraordinary discoveries about Grendy and wonders why the mermaids still talk about the night that Elvis came to town."

There was a lot more to this book that is described in the blurb: France's father takes off & leaves Theo in France's care..... France herself leaves behind a companion who carves large dolls out of posts in order to search for Grendy. France has taken his work to the All Women's Art Gallery she manages..... The owner is putting on a Labor Day show featuring the dolls and is convinced that France is the artist....

We also learn about France's sister Beauvais who died in a car accident, her Father's foibles, and the sisters' childhood......

Once again, I didn't really like many of the characters, I didn't find much warmth in them or endearing qualities, but I liked their stories and how they all came together in this book....... I did find it admirable how France stepped up to take care of her nephew Theo no matter the difficulties his care presented. ( )

I think I would label this one chick-lit crossed with Florida-weird. France's mother, Grendy, has gone missing claiming she needs time for herself, so France travels to Mermaid Springs (obviously based on Weeki Wachi) to wait for her return and and watch over her nephew, Theo. Grendy, a mermaid alum, is a member of a troupe of alums, who refer to themselves as merhags, who are rehearsing a new show. With Grendy's disappearance, France is recruited to replace her in the show. Old secrets are revealed, family wounds opened, and new insights gained. Amusing if you're interested in the background workings of roadside attractions. ( )

When France, living in Indianapolis with boyfriend artist Bruno, finds out her mom has left her dad and their grandson Theo, she leaves for Florida to investigate. Mom and Dad live in Mermaid City (Weeki Wachee) and mom is an ex-mermaid at Mermaid Springs. France hooks up with the other merhags as they practice a reunion show set to take place at Weeki Wachee. She's invited to join the troup and does so, giving an underwater performance as the astronaught in "Mermaids on the Moon". In the meantime, she interviews locals and investigates her mom's disappearance. During the reunion show, her mom appears in the act and we discover she has been hiding in a motel 10 miles away. She ran out because of dad's seriel infidelities and that one of the other merhags was going to tell dad that France may not be his kid.

Overall, this was an OK book. I liked it mostly because it was set in Florida and we just got back from visiting the real Weeki Wachee (which was faithfully reproduced in the book, despite the fake name). The characters could have used some more fleshing out and a little more wackiness. I didn't like the ending - the reason mom left was lame and the mystery got tied up too quickly and not as a result of anything France did. ( )

A 38-year-old divorcee from Indiana goes to Florida to resolve the mystery of her mother's disappearance after she leaves her father. Not surprisingly, she learns a lot about herself, too, as she cares for the troubled 5-year-old nephew her mother has left behind a gets to know her mother's friends, with whom she performs in an underwater mermaid act. There's little suspense, & lots of touches designed to be cute aren't really very. All in all, a pretty disappointing book. ( )