Grandma Ruth Doesn’t Go to Funerals by Sharon J. Mondragón

Grandma Ruth Doesn’t Go to Funerals by Sharon J. Mondragón
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Kregel Publications (February 11, 2025)

REVIEW BY KELLY J. GOSHORN

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started listening to Sharon J. Mondragón’s Grandma Ruth Doesn’t Go to Funerals, but what I found was a warm and whimsical contemporary Christian novel. The story unfolds in the equally delightful Southern town of Raeburne’s Ferry where everyone knows everyone else’s business—and where everyone has an opinion on how that business should be handled. From the first page, Mondragón paints this small-town setting with both affectionate humor and keen detail, making Raeburne’s Ferry feel as familiar as any real place I’ve ever visited.

At the heart of the story is Mary Ruth McCready, better known simply as Grandma Ruth, a bedridden matriarch whose stubborn determination and sharp wit make her the undisputed social hub of the town. Though her mobility is limited, her influence knows no bounds. Unable to attend funerals herself due to her frail body, she delegates that task, and all the investigative sleuthing that comes with it, to her favorite granddaughter Sarah. Sarah, a twenty-four-year-old CPA trying to balance her career and a complicated social life, becomes the lens through which most of the novel’s action occurs.

The plot kicks off when P. B. Harrington, a beloved member of the community, and husband to Grandma Ruth’s dear friend, Charlotte, dies. The fallout from P. B.’s last message, and the whisper of another woman named Millie, sends Grandma Ruth and Sarah on a mission to uncover the truth buried in decades-old gossip, condolence cards, and elusive town history.

The novel’s strength lies in its deep, character-driven charm. Grandma Ruth herself is an unmistakable highlight: audacious yet sincere, meddlesome yet loving. Whether she’s indulging visitors with cookies or issuing orders from her bedside, she brings a rich blend of humor and wisdom to every page. Sarah, on the other hand, offers a grounded counterbalance, a woman learning that honoring family doesn’t necessarily mean sacrificing her own path.

Grandma Ruth’s faith, while not presented with a heavy hand, provides a steady anchor for the characters, as they grapple with life’s uncertainties. To those doubting the possibility of hope or resolution, she often insists that God’s ways are larger than any bit of gossip, misunderstanding, or heartache in Raeburne’s Ferry.

God is too big.

Sharon Mondragón, Grandma Ruth Doesn’t Go to Funerals

At its core, Grandma Ruth Doesn’t Go to Funerals is a story about living well, loving deeply, and finding grace in the messiness of life. Fans of character-rich, feel-good fiction with a touch of Southern hospitality and faith-infused optimism will relish this novel.

I listened to Grandma Ruth Doesn’t Go to Funerals on Audible. The narrator, Allyson Morgan, gave a solid performance.