The Girl Who Chased the Moon, by Sarah Addison Allen

Allen weaves her usual brand of magic in this small town tale of love and family lost and found. After her mother’s death in a car crash Emily moves to the southern barbecue town of Mullaby to live with her previously unknown grandfather. Here she must unravel the mystery of her mother’s former life and bring the town’s secrets out into the moonlight. Along the way she befriends her mother’s former enemies, who have some secrets of their own to unearth, and finds a bright and shining future for herself. The fantastical sits comfortably amid the everyday, with mood-influencing wallpaper and baking skills mixing up their own magic. Some darker story elements add depth and conviction to a suite of appealing characters, preventing what could have been a spiral into sickly sweetness. Challenging traditions, finding forgiveness, savouring food and drink – all contribute to a recipe for a good read.