Treasure Hunt (1977)
Book Description
Is Leo Bebb really dead? His friends and family suspect otherwise. Gathered at her house in Princeton, Gertrude Conover, Sharon, and Tono listen to a recording an old sermon, in which the apparently-deceased preacher tells of his humble beginnings in Poinsett, South Carolina. Convinced that the sermon holds a message for each of them, they set off by car on a pilgrimage to Bebb’s birthplace. Their suspicion that he might be alive is fueled by several mysterious occurrences. Did Tono catch a glimpse of him in the Library of Congress during their stopover in Washington DC? Is Bebb following behind them on the road? Is he waiting for them in his hometown?
Upon arriving in Poinsett they are met with more than they bargained for. The house that Bebb has left to Tono and Sharon in his will has been turned into a ‘UFOrium’: a museum dedicated to extraterrestrial events and experiences reported by local enthusiasts. Its proprietors are Babe Bebb and his wife, Bertha. Babe shares his twin brother’s self-confidence and propensity to sermonize, though his belief that all religious experiences are caused by alien interventions into human life is somewhat removed from Leo Bebb’s albeit unusual brand of Christianity. The absent-minded Bertha, meanwhile, appears to be living with a past trauma, drifting in and out of rooms, conversations, and consciousness as her husband delivers various speeches to their guests.
When Brownie—who since Bebb’s death has lost his money, his vocation, and his faith—joins the group in Poinsett, there are several confrontations that lead to a calamity, as each character struggles to find identity and purpose, and dark, long-submerged secrets finally come to light.
Reviews
“Leo Bebb is a great character…Frederick Buechner is a master craftsman. His books abound with wonder and mystery, both human and divine. They are funny and they are wise. And Treasure Hunt illuminates Buechner at the very top of his form.”
— Larry Swindell, Philadelphia Inquirer
"There must be a lot of Frederick Buechner fans out there who loved reading his wild novels about Leo Bebb, holy con man, devout scalawag, cockalorum, whose antics in the name of the Lord were a stronger affirmation of faith than the platitudes of the pious. Well, there's a new one…they are all wonderfully funny and at the same time deeply reverent…I'll say it again. These are grand books."
— Margaret Manning, Boston Globe
“For Buechner addicts who have read Lion Country, Open Heart, or Love Feast, it is necessary only to say that this is a new book about Leo Bebb, as told by his son-in-law Antonio. These delightful novels are about religion, faith, and miracles —and how impossible they are to come by these days. But most readers laugh so hard they never even notice the serious undercurrents.”
— People Magazine
“Could anyone but Frederick Buechner blend reincarnation, UFOs, transistorized teeth, adultery, illegitimacy, and Jesus without seeming a smart-aleck, preacher, or a lout?”
— Kirkus Review
“What happens and what is discovered is only part of the charm of this new Buechner novel. For the way the man writes is special and engaging—serious, comic, with a kind of reverent irreverence for his people and his lives. Thanks to Buechner's amused and amusing view, his easy wit and style, this one's something special.”
— Publishers Weekly
“The novel abounds in omens, coincidences, and contrivances because Buechner, like Parr, wants us to venture forth and find wise treasure [...]. We laugh; we cry; we gain golden wisdom after reading about his adventures.”
— Irving Malin
