BUCK'S PANTRY

Wierman’s novel chronicles a fateful night when two women meet under duress at a rural Texas convenience store.

Lianna Matthews, a workaholic New Yorker, finds herself driving through Texas to work out a business acquisition. On the way to her hotel, she stops at Buck’s Pantry to use the bathroom. Soon, she’s joined by Gillian Wilkins, a harassed mother of three who married into a rich but controlling family. She was ushered into the bathroom by mysterious convenience store employee Drew, who says that a dangerous biker gang is approaching the store. She and Lianna are stuck with each other for the moment and find that they’re similar as chalk and cheese. Soon, Aimee, a hardworking employee of the bank with whom Lianna is working, is set on the trail of helping the two women, but she has worries of her own involving her beloved mentally ill cousin and her difficult mother. Wierman weaves together an engaging storyline that twists and turns in ways that readers aren’t likely to see coming, with a significant portion of the novel happening over the course of one night. The aftermath of the climax is particularly intriguing, with Wierman using her three main characters to explore family dynamics and the cost of proper care for mental illness. Starting with Gillian and Lianna’s first conversation in the gas station bathroom, the book tackles political tensions and, perhaps more importantly, how deeply held beliefs can be changed. The three main characters are different in many ways, but the author never leans into stock types, instead presenting a nuanced examination of upbringings, value systems, and lifestyles while subtly calling for understanding. For all the seriousness of the subject matter, Wierman also knows when to include moments of humor, resulting in a witty and uplifting novel.

An offbeat exploration of how life-changing events can turn strangers into unlikely friends.