The Hive, set in Cape Girardeau, follows the complex lives of the Fehler sisters as they navigate grief and economic hardship while trying to save the family extermination business after the sudden death of their father, Robbie. The book, available June 8, is Melissa Scholes Young’s second novel, as well as her second set in Missouri. “I was born and raised in Hannibal, and that part of me is so foundational to everything I do,” she says. Each chapter is told through the different viewpoints of the women in the Fehler family. Grace, the mother, is a prepper. Stockpiling and reorganizing supplies for emergencies occupies most of her time. (Scholes Young attended prepper camp as part of her research for the book. “I went there trying to understand what’s that line between preparedness and violence,” she says.) Maggie, the eldest sister, hopes to take over the family business. Jules is the first in the family to attend college. She struggles to square her newfound liberal and feminist views with the more traditional family values with which she was raised. Tammy, the prettiest sister, hides an unplanned pregnancy. And Kate, the youngest, discovers herself while watching the interplay of the others. The narratives are woven masterfully against the backdrop of the election of President Barack Obama—an election about which the family members have differing opinions. Despite their differences, the Fehler women are resilient and resourceful in this story of sisters and survival.
Left Bank Books hosts an event with Scholes Young at 7 p.m. June 9.
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