Barbara Delinsky Goes Back to Peyton Place

Posted on July 13, 2005

New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky is returning to Peyton Place. Her new book Looking For Peyton Place (Scribner) takes readers into the world of small town scandal and deadly corruption, evoking the spirit of the original "Peyton Place" and Grace Metalious, its creator. Delinsky discusses her inspiration for the book:

"I remember giggling over the pages of Peyton Place with friends who had sneaked it from their mothers' nightstands," Delinsky notes. "My fascination with Grace Metalious, however, didn't grow until I was a writer myself, plotting a book about a small town secrets. I reread Peyton Place to see how Grace had done it, using her book as my guide. It was only as the years passed - and writing books about small town scandals become my trademark - that I grew enamored of the woman herself."
"Do you need to read Peyton Place to appreciate Looking For Peyton Place? Absolutely not. I tell you everything you need to know," Delinsky remarks. "That said, those of you who have read the original will find luscious little comparisons."

Without Peyton Place, there would be no Desperate Housewives, and we think Barbara is the perfect person to continue the story with a modern twist. Barbara is offering a reading group guide that explores the similarities between the two books; it's available at Book Groups page on her website. You can read our interview with talented and prolific Barbara Delinsky here.