After Aunt Nora agrees to this responsibility, the three head to California, and this sets in motion the plot of a most entertaining novel.

The adventures the threesome experience are exciting and interesting, but it is the character of Pauly that makes the novel so gripping. Pauly comes of age as the story progresses, and the reader follows this maturity with appreciation.

The collection of characters, both good and bad, makes for an entertaining story. The story of Tybalt (yes, named after the character in Romeo and Juliet), is quite touching, as is that of the Indian woman who returns a 500-year-old mummified descendant to his proper burial ground.

Despite the excellent adventures, it is the formation of a lasting friendship between Aunt Nora and Pauly that best holds the reader’s attention. What started out as a less-than-favorable situation turns into a loving family.