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Description
The Old PlaceHardcover 336 pages A bighearted and moving debut about a wry retired schoolteacher whose decade old secret threatens to come to light and send shockwaves through her small Texas town. Billington, Texas, is a place where nothing changes. Well, almost nothing. For the first time in nearly four decades, Mary Alice Roth is not getting ready for the first day of school at Billington High. A few months into her retirementor, district mandated exile as she
Hardcover  | 336 pages
A bighearted and moving debut about a wry retired schoolteacher whose decade-old secret threatens to come to light and send shockwaves through her small Texas town.
Billington, Texas, is a place where nothing changes. Well, almost nothing. For the first time in nearly four decades, Mary Alice Roth is not getting ready for the first day of school at Billington High. A few months into her retirement—or, district mandated exile as she calls it—Mary Alice does not know how to fill her days. The annual picnic is coming up, but that isn’t nearly enough since the menu never changes and she had the roles mentally assigned weeks ago. At least there’s Ellie, who stops by each morning for coffee and whose reemergence in Mary Alice’s life is the one thing soothing the sting of retirement.Â
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Mary Alice and Ellie were a pair since the day Ellie moved in next door. That they both were single mothers—Mary Alice widowed, Ellie divorced—with sons the same age was a pleasant coincidence, but they were forever linked when they lost the boys, one right after the other. Years later, the two are working their way back to a comfortable friendship. But when Mary Alice’s sister arrives on her doorstep with a staggering piece of news, it jeopardizes the careful shell she’s built around her life. The whole of her friendship with Ellie is put at risk, the fabric of a place as steadfast as Billington is questioned, and the unflappable, knotty fixture that is Mary Alice Roth might have to change after all. Â
Billington, Texas, is a place where nothing changes. Well, almost nothing. For the first time in nearly four decades, Mary Alice Roth is not getting ready for the first day of school at Billington High. A few months into her retirement—or, district mandated exile as she calls it—Mary Alice does not know how to fill her days. The annual picnic is coming up, but that isn’t nearly enough since the menu never changes and she had the roles mentally assigned weeks ago. At least there’s Ellie, who stops by each morning for coffee and whose reemergence in Mary Alice’s life is the one thing soothing the sting of retirement.Â
Â
Mary Alice and Ellie were a pair since the day Ellie moved in next door. That they both were single mothers—Mary Alice widowed, Ellie divorced—with sons the same age was a pleasant coincidence, but they were forever linked when they lost the boys, one right after the other. Years later, the two are working their way back to a comfortable friendship. But when Mary Alice’s sister arrives on her doorstep with a staggering piece of news, it jeopardizes the careful shell she’s built around her life. The whole of her friendship with Ellie is put at risk, the fabric of a place as steadfast as Billington is questioned, and the unflappable, knotty fixture that is Mary Alice Roth might have to change after all. Â
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4.6 ★★★★★
Based on 17 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
Great toy
Color: Blue
Great toy, too bad my Shih Tzu is afraid of it. I love the way the movement is subtle and random.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Best toy for dogs
Color: Blue
My dog plays with this for hours!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2026
★★★★★ 4
I wouldn’t recommend this for strong chewers.
Color: Orange, Color: Orange
Is it fun? Sure. Was it easy to charge and set up? Yep. That being said, this toy kind of fell flat for me. It really didn’t do any big movements once charged that I expected it to, so that was a bummer. I initially got it for my dog, but my cats were more interested in this than my dog was. The battery does seem to last a long time and the motor is pretty quiet. I WOULD NOT recommend this toy for strong chewers as the material for this is a foam rubber and I don’t think it’s durable enough for strong chewers. While the material makes this ball extremely lightweight for more movement, a strong chewer would have this disintegrated in five minutes flat. My Dog is a super strong chewer. I don’t think I would feel comfortable leaving him unattended with this because I know he would destroy it.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Interactive puppy fun
Color: Blue
Pups love this and I enjoy watching them have so much fun. Serious playtime followed by a well earned nap!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2026
★★★★★ 3
Well-designed and quiet, but didn’t keep my dog interested
Color: Blue
My dog was interested in this at first, but she would lose interest after a few minutes and move on.
I do like that it’s quieter than the hard plastic ball toys, and the charge lasts well. The internal charging port that twists closed is also a nice design feature.
That said, it will occasionally turn on by itself, which can be a little surprising. Overall, it has some nice features, but it just didn’t keep my dog engaged.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2026