Gail Fraser
The Lumby Series
Gail Fraser

Reviews


"If Gail Fraser's little town of Lumby could escape the confines of her imagination and be put on the proverbial map, I'd move there in a moment. Until then, I'll have to be content with my vicarious visitations. What an agreeable world she's created!"
--- Philip Gulley, Author of the Harmony series

"Gail Fraser's Mitford-esque settings and engaging characters will charm readers of all ages. Lumby On the Air continues the fun as family reunions and eccentric relatives make life interesting for Mark and Pam. Pack this thoroughly enjoyable novel in your beach bag this summer -- you won't want to miss this amusing adventure!"
--- ChristianBookPreviews

"Gail Fraser has created an enchanting landscape that I know readers will want to visit again and again. If we all could live in Lumby, the world would be a much happier place. I was utterly charmed."
--- Donna Ball, Author A Year on Ladybug Farm and At Home on Ladybug Farm

"A visit to the charming, whimsical town of Lumby is a refreshing change from our fast paced lives. Challenged to host a hot air balloon festival, its residents rise to the occasion: lives change, love blossoms, a wild and irrepressible young man matures. A delightful read."
--- Joan Medlicott, author of The Ladies of Covington Series

"In this newest rendering of the Lumby series, Lumby on the Air, author, Gail Fraser deftly carries the reader through a rich venue of interwoven storylines and memorable characters set against the backdrop of small town life with the skill of a Circus de Soleil juggler while deftly leading the reader towards the core message of tolerance, forgiveness and redemption. Grab a hot cup of cocoa, snuggle under a favorite quilt and enjoy!"
--- Katherine Valentine, award winning author of the
Dorsetville series and the Haunted Rectory

"A trip to any part of Gail Fraser's cozy but edgy little universe is, simply-put, 'Lumby-licious!' These characters walk right off the page and find a warm place in your heart."
--- Robert Dalby, author Piggly Wiggly series

"Readers who have traveled to Mitford with Jan Karon will find the trip to Lumby at least as pleasant and marked with a lot more laughter. If the world of cozy fiction has a capital, it's Lumby. Although I hesitate using the overused word 'charming', it most definitely applies to The Promise of Lumby and its three predecessors. Gail Fraser tells wonderful stories that have kindness at their core -- and are a gentle reminder of the goodness in people's hearts. The Promise of Lumby, like the first three in the series, is a book I'll save to read again and again."
--- Cozy Library

"Good old Hank the plastic flamingo is back, dressed in attire appropriate for whatever event is next. We meet him once again in Lumby's Bounty with his little red wagon full of the things he wants to sell at the town's annual Tailgate Sale. And the moose that is a fixture around Lumby, always with some bizarre object (read that as: deck chair or child's tricycle) caught in his antlers still wanders and appears at inappropriate times.

As in the previous two books in this delightful series -- Lumby Lines and Stealing Lumby -- the Green Chile Restaurant thrives as a focal point of this small village in the foothills of the Rockies. Brian Beezer, son of the restaurant owners, precipitates - through machinations known only to Brian - a hot air balloon festival. At first, the village of Lumby digs in its heels and rants and raves. Then, cooler heads take over and the whole citizenry gets behind an idea that will bring a short span of prosperity. Anyone interested in hot air ballooning will find the facts, figures and methods of said sport to be great reading. I must admit, I skimmed over these parts -- being more interested in the end result.

It was a great pleasure to be back in Lumby, a favorite (however fictional it may be) little town of mine in the Pacific Northwest. I enjoyed catching up with the doings of Pam and Mark at the Montis Inn - including the tractor they bought to dig a little hole. Brother Matthew, a tower of strength, scatters his calm among the villagers. Fans wonder will Jimmy finally tempt his reclusive wife Hannah out of the house? Jamar and Kai from Indonesia are accepted in this little mountain town until Kai oversteps himself. And the monks at the nearby abbey turn out to be everyday citizens, as well as having a religious bent.

I especially get a big kick out of the editorials and police reports from the Lumby Lines, the local paper. Instead of drug raids, rapes and murders, the items worth mentioning are the wandering moose, or the cow that stands in the middle of the road and won't move, or possibly the chicks that appear mysteriously behind the Feed Store. Fun. Author Gail Fraser has the ability to take everyday life and make it interesting reading. Lumby's Bounty is a feel-good story by a writer who knows her audience."
--- BookLoons

"When their town is trapped into hosting a hot-air balloon festival, the good citizens of Lumby jump into the venture with their typical enthusiasm and good humor - and endearing ineptness. After plans for Lumby's balloon entry go south, a young Indonesian man is brought in to pick up the pieces. An experienced balloon pilot, Kai Talin is on a spiritual retreat at nearby Saint Cross Monastery, preparing to become a priest. While laboring in Lumby, however, he meets someone who threatens to derail his plans.

Meanwhile the monks of Saint Cross are coping with a horde of spiritual seekers who are taking over the monastery's guestrooms and grounds and disrupting their usually quiet, contemplative lives. Lumby has its seekers, too. Hannah Daniels, the shy wife of Lumby's very outgoing mayor, tries to break out of her cocoon. Pam Walker, co-owner with her husband Mark of Montis Inn bed and breakfast, takes on a task that requires operating heavy equipment. Mark, whose every venture winds up in disaster, hopes to redeem himself. Philanthropist Caroline Ross and architect Brooke Shelling Turner envision an arts center in a long-deserted building. And Brian Beezer, 19-year-old town troublemaker, turns his untapped talents to something positive.

I've been a huge fan of Gail R. Fraser's books since Lumby Lines was first published in 2005. I loved the first two books - the stories, the characters -- in this series, so I wasn't surprised that I loved Lumby's Bounty. I was surprised by the tautness of the writing and the economy of the characters. Lumby's Bounty is, quite simply, better written than its predecessors. Series characters, moving in and out of starring roles from book to book, are not Pollyanna-ish, plaster saints but people we know. The main character -- Lumby itself -- will astound readers with its sense of humor, quirky charm, its aura of magic and possibilities and happy (if unexpected) endings."
--- Diane Vickery, CozyLibrary

"You're a dumby if you miss out on Lumby! Drop in on the sweetest small town since Mayberry, where the worst people are still nicer than the best people you know, and life's problems are solved by a backhoe, an industrial sewing machine, or monks wearing light-up tennis shoes. Your own troubles will melt away. When they return - if you're a smarty - you'll visit the next warm-hearted book in Gail Fraser's series and get lumbified all over again."
--- Bob Tarte, author of Fowl Weather and Enslaved by Ducks

"The second installment in a series set in the bucolic Pacific Northwest town of Lumby picks up where The Lumby Lines left off, with Pam Walker bemused by husband Mark's horticultural foibles and attempts at animal husbandry as the two struggle to turn a profit at their new inn. But when the painting The Barns of Lumby by the esteemed Dana Porter is stolen, the quiet town suddenly finds itself in the media spotlight. A slew of journalists descend and shake things up for everyone, especially young widow Katie Banks, the owner of the barns depicted in the painting. Katie is suspicious of journalists, but in spite of her skepticism, Katie is drawn into a romance with Adam Massey, a journalist who is also writing a biography of Dana. Other subplots include a monastery that makes a popular gourmet rum sauce and the sinister maneuverings of Norris Fiddler, the New York-based media conglomerate CEO owner of the stolen painting. There's a ...quality to the writing that lends an unrushed, meandering feel to the narrative as evildoers are dispatched and equilibrium is restored. Fraser's story is pleasantly easy reading and as smalltown cozy as they come."
--- Publishers Weekly

"This is the second in a series set in Lumby, a small, eccentric town somewhere in the Northwest, where everyone knows one another and crime is practically nonexistent. So when a famous and very valuable 50-year-old painting of two local barns is stolen en route from New York City to the British Museum, the townsfolk are in an uproar as the media descend on Lumby, digging up whatever information they can about the artist and his stay in their humble town years ago. Fraser juggles a multitude of plots-including the budding romance between a reporter and the owner of the famous barns, the hostile takeover of the rum-sauce business owned by the beloved local monks, and the sudden and mysterious disappearance of one of the barns, right down to the last barn board. In the tradition of Jan Karon's Mitford series, this engaging inside look at small-town life will draw a bevy of fans to its old-fashioned story combining a bit of romance, a bit of mystery, and a multitude of quirky and endearing characters."
--- Booklist

"The story in Stealing Lumby begins in 1946 when a young artist, Dana Porter, has a brief, intense romance with an older woman in Lumby, located in the Pacific Northwest. Charley helped Dana find his way as an artist and his first major painting, "The Barns of Lumby", propels him into a career as a top-rated artist -- with his works fetching millions of dollars each on the auction market.

The story then fast-forwards to the present day when word comes that "The Barns of Lumby", considered a national treasure, has gone missing while being shipped to London for exhibition. The good folks of Lumby prepare themselves for the horde of reporters traveling to Lumby to cover the story. The theft of "The Barns of Lumby" is the cornerstone of the plot, but the author deftly brings in a few sub-plots: an attempted hostile takeover of the rum sauce business of the monks of St. Cross Abbey; the theft of one of Lumby's historic barns; and the Midnight Moo Do Iditarod (don't ask!).

Mark and Pam Walker and their Montis Abbey bed & breakfast, also feature prominently in Stealing Lumby as the rooms in their inn are filled to capacity by reporters looking for a scoop in Lumby (population: 4,000). A contentious relationship develops between a reporter from the New York Chronicle -- the publisher of which owns "The Barns of Lumby" -- and a young widow, Katie Banks, who owns the actual barns.

Life in Lumby is disrupted by all the media attention, but that doesn't stop the normal little happenings small-town life brings: chickens laying eggs in a mailbox, a water pipe breaking in the public library, Mark Walker's fumbling with all things agricultural.

Stealing Lumby is a classic cozy read, with good-hearted characters that face life's problems head-on. Readers can be certain that, despite heartache and loss, good will prevail and evildoers will get what they deserve. Although that doesn't always happen in the real world, at least not in the time-frame we'd prefer, Lumby is wonderful place where it does. I'm certain readers of the first book in the series, The Lumby Lines, will love Stealing Lumby.""
--- Cozylibrary.com

"If you've read The Lumby Lines by Gail R. Fraser, you're in for a treat. If not, get with the program.

Stealing Lumby, second in the Lumby series, is as delightful as the first. The series has been declared a rival to Jan Karon's Mitford books. I beg to differ. Fraser's books have no rival. Where else will you find a moose wandering around a village with a folding deck chair enmeshed in his rack? Or an appropriately attired statue of a pelican appearing out of the mist at village events? I loved the blind horse being ridden by its elderly, almost blind owner. And how about the Moo Moo Iditerod?

A famous painting is stolen from a shipment that was headed as a loaner to a London museum. Said painting of two barns in Lumby is reputed to be one of the finest examples of landscape painting ever done in the United States. The plot revolves around the artist and years gone by. The wonderful residents, who people this charming town somewhere in the Northwest, fill in the plot line with their own problems. Of course, problems do prevail. But it's fun to become a part of the village and listen in to their solutions - some of which make one laugh out loud, while others are wise and knowing, and some are just plain crazy.

Which should make Stealing Lumby scamper to the top of your must-read list. After The Lumby Lines, of course.""
--- Bookloons.com

"I thoroughly enjoyed being in Lumby and am looking forward to another trip. Let me know when Gail Fraser has another book coming out. I will certainly recommend her book in my store."
--- Barbara, The Bookhouse

"It was sweet reading, a nice way to end a hectic day in our crazy work-a-day world. It's the place where many of us wish we could live these days. Thanks for the refreshing break!"
--- Desdra Dawning, Andrea Kristina's Bookstore & Kafe

"A great read, indeed. I just don't understand why I wasn't in more chapters."
--- The Lumby Moose

"We enjoyed it and will be sure to recommend it in our store."
--- John Hendricks, The Book Rack of Cape Girardeau

"We are forming a reading group of women who want to read fiction books of a spiritual or uplifting nature. We would love to have her for an event."
--- Pam Robertson, Whistle Stop Book Shop

"..it is written with a wonderful sense of place and an amusing sense of humor. There are so many small touches that bring a whole community into focus. I know I can see the countryside, the town, and feel the characters there."
--- Rosemary Stevens, Tiger Tales Books

"I loved this book! The people of Lumby really come to life through the telling and the newspaper items. I can't wait to learn more about the town, the folks who visit the Inn and the monk of St. Cross Abbey. Do Brother Joshua and Brooke become a couple? Will Terry and Brian ever straighten up? What other surprises will be unearthed? I hope there are many more books about Lumby and its inhabitants!"
--- Carolyn Purser, The Bookshelf

"Gail Fraser's novel envelopes the reader. Transported to a fictional place, the reader becomes part of the story. Reading the police report, crying with laughter and tearing up with concern while turning each page getting to know one's new best friends can almost be a full time job! I will recommend it to all my customers, thanks for a great read."
--- Dolores Willis, Quiet Place Books

"The Lumby Lines goes straight to the heart. The simplicity, humor, and downright friendliness make reading it a pleasure. Readers will close the book with a sigh of contentment and a desire to visit Lumby again. The author has faithfully carved out a slice of small-town living and topped it off with a large helping of humor. This reviewer can't wait for her next visit to Lumby!"
--- ChristianBookPreviews.com

"A feel-good novel with lots of heart and angst."
--- BookLoons

"This book will have you smiling in the first few words and laughing before you finish the first chapter. But along with the laughter is a heartfelt story of life in Lumby."
--- Hidden Heaven Blog

"It is written with a wonderful sense of place and an amusing sense of humor...I know I can see the country side, the town, and feel the characters there."
--- Tiger Tales Books

"The Lumby Lines a most engaging read, full of good fun, drama and characters so richly drawn that you'll swear you know them, or wish you did. Wrapped in its compelling pages are real emotions and page-turning situations that keep the reader involved in the pure joy and quirky lives of Lumby's residents. Fraser has woven a distinctive tapestry in her novel, and "The Lumby Lines" has drawn up a new niche for readers who love to curl up with a good book that, at times, will have their hearts racing."
--- Saratogian

"The main character --- Lumby itself --- will astound readers with its sense of humor, quirky charm, its aura of magic and possibilities and happy (if unexpected) endings."
--- Cozy Library

"At a time when we seem to be taking ourselves all to seriously Gail Fraser pulls a rabbit out of the hat that charms while it helps us relax. The Lumby Lines strikes just the right balance of playfulness, satire, and drama. A thoroughly enjoyable read."
--- Brother Christopher, The Monks of New Skete

"There's a quality to the writing that lends an unrushed, meandering feel to the narrative as evildoers are dispatched and equilibrium is restored. Fraser's story is pleasantly easy reading and as small town cozy as they come."
--- Publisher's Weekly

"You will be amazed by the great imagination of the author...The reader is in for a treat. This book is a delight to read and one that you will thoroughly enjoy."
--- Bestsellersworld.com

"In the tradition of Jan Karon's Mitford series, this engaging inside look at small-town life will draw a bevy of fans to its old-fashioned story combining a bit of romance, a bit of mystery, and a multitude of quirky and endearing characters."
--- Booklist