Heaven Indiana is a richly textured picture of a small town in the Midwest. Author Jan Maher portrays a deep understanding of small town life. She tells us that two of her leading characters are, "Friends in the way small towns force friendships." With that single brush, she lets the reader know both how deep and how shallow their friendship is.In her portrayal, the negative spaces Maher leaves out define the town almost as much as the colors she includes. Subtly, she brings out of its patterns an underlying theme of racism that gradually rivets the reader.