The Gunners

Featuring six childhood friends who grew up in Buffalo, NY, and call themselves the Gunners, Kauffman's new work will remind many readers of the film The Big Chill. Once close, the friends have grown apart over time, with several having moved away. The suicide of Sally, estranged from her friends since high school, brings the group back together. Kauffman skillfully weaves reminiscences of their antics as children and teens with insights into their adult lives. Mikey, the only one to remain in the area, is the most fully developed personality, but Alice, Lynn, Sam, and Jimmy are all distinctive, well-conceived characters. During a weekend spent together, the Gunners wrestle with questions about why Sally took her own life and why she had alienated herself from them. As they grapple with guilt and long-held secrets, they slowly come to some conclusions.