<P>When Jimmy McMullen, a fireman with the NYFD, is killed in the line of duty, his wife, Jackie, and ten-year-old son, Charlie, are devastated. Charlie idolized his dad, and now the outgoing, curious boy has become quiet and reserved. Trusting in the healing power of family, Jackie decides to return to her childhood home on Sullivans Island.<P>Crossing the bridge from the mainland, Jackie and Charlie enter a world full of wonder and magic--lush green and chocolate grasslands and dazzling red, orange, and magenta evening skies; the heady pungency of Lowcountry Pluff mud and fresh seafood on the grill; bare toes snuggled in warm sand and palmetto fronds swaying in gentle ocean winds.<P>Awaiting them is Annie Britt, the family matriarch who has kept the porch lights on to welcome them home. Thrilled to have her family back again, Annie promises to make their visit perfect--even though relations between mother and daughter have never been what youd call smooth. Over the years, Jackie and Annie, like all mothers and daughters, have been known to have frequent and notorious differences of opinion. But her estranged and wise husband, Buster, and her flamboyant and funny best friend Deb are sure to keep Annie in line. Shes also got Steven Plofker, the flirtatious and devilishly tasty widowed physician next door, to keep her distracted as well.<P>Captivated by the islands alluring natural charms and inspired by colorful Lowcountry lore--lively stories of Blackbeard and his pirates who once sailed the waterssurrounding the Carolinas and of former resident Edgar Allan Poe--mother, daughter, and grandson will share a memorable, illuminating summer. Told in Annies and Jackies alternating voices, and filled with Dorothea Benton Franks charming wit, indelible poignancy, and hallmark themes--the bonds of family, the hearts resilience, and the strength of love--Porch Lights is a triumph from "the queen of Southern fiction" (Charlotte Observer).