Bestseller Andrews provides another round of light historical fiction, with themes similar to his last book, The Lost Choice. This time the person finding historical artifacts in his yard is Andrews himself. (Fact or fiction? It's tough to tell, and some readers may find that confusing.) While trying to dig out the roots of a dead wax myrtle tree, Andrews's shovel hits a tin containing WWII artifacts—buttons, photos, a badge and medal from a German U-boat officer. Andrews, who lives on a Gulf Coast island, immediately begins researching U-boats in the Gulf of Mexico during the war. Who did these items belong to? How did they end up buried in his yard? What happened to the German officer and the family shown in one of the pictures? The questions lead him to uncover the past: a U-boat officer washed ashore, critically injured; a desperately bitter young war widow; a crazed Nazi; and a cast of characters from a sleepy undeveloped beach town. The underlying theme concerns the necessity and nature of true forgiveness, portrayed through the story and in occasionally didactic dialogue that may grate on some readers. But many are sure to love this sweet tale, simply told.
