The Women in Black

';The book I most often give as a gift to cheer people up.' Hilary Mantel ';Tart, beguiling, witty and compassionate, Madeleine St. John's novel is a literary boost for the spirits.' Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air ';A deceptively smart comic gem.' The New York Times Book Review ';Witty and delicious.' People The women in black, so named for the black frocks they wear while working at Goode's department store, are busy selling ladies' dresses during the holiday rush. But they somehow find time to pursue other goals Patty, in her mid-thirties, has been working at Goode's for years. Her husband, Frank, eats a steak for dinner every night, watches a few minutes of TV, and then turns in. Patty yearns for a baby, but Frank is always too tired for that kind of thing. Sweet, unlucky Fay wants to settle down with a nice man, but somehow nice men don't see her as marriage material. Glamorous