"A GIRL COULD STAND UP "

When Elray Mayhew is orphaned on an outing to celebrate her sixth birthday, she finds herself the ward of two hapless uncles-Harwood, a macho, hard-drinking photographer, and Ajax, a cross-dresser who prefers to present himself as an "aunt." As this unlikely trio struggles to process grief and forge a coherent family, they are joined by an unforgettable cast of characters, including Rena, a ferocious Irish attorney, and a glamorous but unruly relative who resurfaces after having allegedly died thirty years earlier. But the beating heart of this novel is the relationship that develops between Elray and her friend Raoul. They first bump into each other deep in the catacombs of Washington National Cathedral and embark on a series of wild adventures in pursuit of their shared quest: invincibility. Ultimately, the two "Invincible Heels" discover as much about love as courage.