A thief vacuums a church before stealing the chalice; a lonely woman paints her toenails in a drafty farmhouse; and a sleepless man watches his restless bride scatter their household bills beneath the stars.
Welcome to Grouse County, where the towns are small but the people, their desires and their eccentricities come in all sizes. At the heart of The End of Vandalism is a love triangle set off by a crime: Sheriff Dan Norman arrests Tiny Darling for vandalizing an anti-vandalism dance and then marries the culprit's ex-wife Louise. So Tiny loses Louise, Louise loses her sense of self, and the three find themselves on an epic journey.
This is a novel full of small miracles of observation, compassion and humour, held together by the 'electric deadpan' of Drury's justly celebrated style.
