ELLEN FOSTER by Kaye Gibbons

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GIBBONS
Ellen's heart-wrenching descriptions of life in her very dysfunctional family would make unbearably depressing reading if they were not interspersed with revelations of her present life with her delightful new foster family.
Until she arrived at her "new mother's" home, Ellen had suffered the suicide of her mother, threats of murder, sexual abuse, and a variety of dreadful homes.
Her only respite was a brief stint living with her art teacher and visits to her African American friend's family. Fortunately, Ellen's sturdy good sense and strong spirit carry her through to a decent life.

EVENTIDE by Kent Haruf

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HARUF

In the previous novel Plainsong the bachelor McPheran brothers taken in pregnant teenager Victoria Rubido. When she at last delivers her baby, the brothers are enthralled. In this sequel Victoria and baby move away from the small town of Holt, Colorado, leaving the brothers alone again.

Other Holt residents come into their lives. Raymond meets Rose Tyler, a social worker. Through her he becomes aware of the Betty and Luther Wallace and their two children who live in a trailer on the edge of town. When Betty's uncle moves in, he beats the children and the parents, weak and dispirited, do nothing to stop the abuse. Enter Rose and the brothers.

Other sad situations touch the lives of Holt's residents, including the McPheran household itself. The novel ends, leaving a sense of more to be told.

FOUR CORNERS OF NIGHT by Craig Holden

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HOLDEN

Mack and Bank have been friends since the fourth grade when Bank protected Mack from bullies. Although their lives have taken different turns, as adults they find themselves on the same police force, friends still. As a police officer, Bank likes to prowl the streets at night keeping track of prostitutes, drug addicts and his "snitches."

When a young teenager, Tamara, vanishes both Bank and Mack become emotionally involved in the case, because they are reminded of the way Bank's own daughter disappeared seven years before. When a second disappearance brings to light fingerprints matching those on Bank's daughter's items, Bank's obsession and desperation become troubling.

This is a dark story of the street.