During the early days of American's involvement in World War II, it was common knowledge of how Japanese Americans were rounded up and put in interment camps. But what about Americans who had immigrated to this country from Germany?

Dorothy Garlock's new book, The Moon Looks Down, takes a look at how one German family in a small Illinois town had to put with bigotry, oppression and intimidation as the country was turned upside down during war-time.

Sophie Heller's family has lived and farmed outside of Victory, Illinois for many years, escaping the growing furor in their native Germany. So when a group of masked men burns down their barn, assaults her father and insinuates that the family is really a group of Nazi spies, the family's peaceful existence soon is filled with fear. Her father vows to continue on with their lives as normal, but Sophie knows that danger lurks around every corner as long as the threat of violence is in the air. When she discovers an old boyfriend might have been involved with the incident, Sophie doesn't understand how hate could have turned someone close against her.

Cole Ambrose knows something about intolerance and discrimination, having dealt with being severely handicapped all his life. He is also dealing with the estrangement from his family over an accident that took his mother's life. But he has returned to Victory to try and reconcile with his father while taking a job as a math teacher at the high school. When he encounters Sophie at a local diner as she confronts a group of men who have insulted her, Cole steps in before more violence can erupt. As he gets to know the pretty young German, he soon finds out that there is more to Sophie's problems than ignorant slurs, and Cole vows to do what he can to help.

As the two struggle to overcome the conflict that threatens the town, their love for one another proves to be the steady constant that will see them through.

Dorothy Garlock is well recognized for her heartfelt Americana-laced novels and with this latest release, "The Moon Looked Down," she once again proves why she is a master storyteller. Taking a page from history, Garlock makes you feel like you are right there in that time and place as you are drawn into the story. With over 50 novels to her credit, Garlock once again delivers a spell-binding heartfelt tale that is sure to be another success.

(One note about the review above this one - I read this book carefully, and there is NO train derailment in the story...anywhere!)

The reader will be fooled by Dorothy Garlock's "The Moon Looked Down," since although it is written in what appears to be seemingly a sophomoric-hand, the story is still an important one to re-tell. The book begins with Sophie Heller being awakened by three men burning down her family's barn. She later finds out that the men are townsmen intent on driving her and her family out of town because they are of German heritage. The story intertwines with that of another family in town, the Ambrose family who own the local hardware store. The father, Robert and son Cole have strained relationships as Cole returns home after a long absence. The reader understands Cole, a man born with a clubfoot, who is searching to find himself and repair a broken relationship with his father that began when his mother died. The father and son will need to make amends if they are ever to move forward and heal after the tragic event of the mother's passing.

The reader is drawn into the story at this point, as it begins to develop the blossoming love relationship between Cole and Sophie. This is directly juxtaposed with the story describing the underlying racist hatred that is directed towards Sophie and her family. In her defense of her family from the three characters (Riley Mason, Ellis Watts, and Graham Grier) intent on "teaching them a lesson," and "finishing them off," Sophie gets closer to Cole, develops a sense of courage and learns that fighting hatred and racism is more empowering than cowering and running away from adversity.

The story is told with simple themes, short manageable chapters and carefully chosen words to express the plot of the story with clarity and believable prose. There are no scenes depicting stunning imagery, and no words are wasted in this book. But the reader will find a story of courage and a strong lead female character who learns to stand up for herself and what is right, at any cost, to make a life for herself and her family in their hometown of Victory, Illinois in the mid-1940's.

I have enjoyed this author for a long time. This is not one of her better books but still enjoyable. I would rate it a 8 of 10