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Stephen King
“Isn’t it funny how a little place like the bakery brought so many people together?”
Down At The Devlin Bakery is a view into Midwestern America, beginning as World War II ends and quickly transitions to a renewed environment in 1948.
The story begins with soon-to-be-retired farmers from Naperville, Illinois, traveling to meet with the mayor of Martinsville, who desperately needs to find qualified individuals to reopen the multi-generational Devlin Bakery, the town’s anchor, after being shuttered for three years.
From there, the story unfolds, bringing together families, friends, and eventually lovers. The storyline takes the reader through humorous and emotional scenes, sprinkled with drama and surprises, as the townsfolk’s lives unfold before their eyes.
Down At The Devlin Bakery is a captivating story. You will find yourself standing alongside Ms. Goodacre’s characters, enjoying their personalities and conversations as they progress through easy-to-visualize, well-crafted scenes.
The novel has received high praise from readers, who highly encourage and recommend it as a well-thought-out work. Ms. Goodacre’s book is guaranteed to entertain.
Deborah Goodacre is a born storyteller. With a natural gift of gab, it is no wonder she writes engaging dialogue for her characters. Her ability to create a visual image of each character’s appearance, manner, and personality traits brings them to life. Her readers can easily envision and relate to them.
A successful interior designer for many years, Deborah began to pursue her interest in writing during her genealogy research. She honed her skills by writing stories to preserve memories of her family for future generations. As a member of The Daughters of the American Revolution, her story, The 19th Amendment: How A Revolution Healed My Momma’s Heart, won third place nationally in the 2020 DAR contest in the literature (drama, fiction, and nonfiction) category.
Over the years, Deborah recalls occasionally saying she thought she had a book inside her, and with her breakout novel, Down At The Devlin Bakery, that prophecy is fulfilled. She attributes her effortless writing style to her upbringing in the Midwestern state of Michigan; she has been a resident of Arizona since her mid-thirties. Filled with a passion for writing, the hours she spends writing and editing are a genuine labor of love for Deborah.
Down At The Devlin Bakery takes place in Martinsville, Illinois. The town was established in 1835 in Clark County, and is situated on the eastern side of the state, approximately midway between its northern and southern borders. Martinsville is known for its rural charm and community-minded lifestyle.
Members of the Devlin family operated bakeries and cafes in Martinsville beginning in the late 1890s. Arthur’s granddaughter, whom I came to know, told me about visiting her grandparents, along with her siblings, in the apartment where they lived above the bakery. Arthur Devlin, the last family member to own the bakery, retired and moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1974.
These two facts lead people to think the book is a true story. It is not. Other than the Devlin Bakery and Martinsville, Illinois, the rest of the story is from the imagination of the author.
