Four Corners on Main Street

Lynne Hughes teaches communication arts at the University of Calgary.

This novel depicts life in a small Ontario hamlet, from the viewpoint of
one of its residents, a social worker. It deals with modern social
problems: delinquency, police brutality, and injustice exist in the
seemingly peaceful rural community. It also deals with contemporary
relationships: the narrator and his wife must resolve their feelings
about each other and their marriage. As the book proceeds, Ross
demonstrates that there are no easy answers, that truth is elusive, and
that one can only try to accept these realities.

This first novel is fast-paced and witty. Ross has a good ear for
dialogue, and he draws believable characters. Using first-person
narration, he creates a fairly intimate relationship with the reader,
who quickly feels close to the protagonist and empathizes with his
ambivalence, anger, and confusion as events unfold.

Ross, with his talent for conveying the intricacies and struggles of
contemporary society, should also be successful with his second novel,
at which he is now working.