Just Bill — Barry Knister

Set on a golf course in Naples, Florida, Just Bill tells the moving story of three outsiders.

At the Donegal Golf and Country Club, residents are very attached to their dogs. The children are all gone, and many have lost their spouses. This means club members depend on pets for companionship. The story centers on Bill, a rescued Labrador retriever mix. Saved by his owner after escaping from a puppy mill, Bill is an oddity at Donegal, where most dogs are small for easy transport by car or plane.

The story starts the night Glenda Gilmore learns her husband has died. Because Cliff Gilmore was much older than Glenda, she too is an oddity at Donegal. Her youth and beauty make her the object of envy and suspicion among other wives.

The third outsider is the troubled granddaughter of Bill's master. When Ruby comes to visit, trouble starts. Her father has divorced and remarried. Fearing the loss of his love to his new wife and baby, Ruby tells a lie that forces Bill's master to give up his dog to an animal shelter. This injustice leads to painful separation and many ordeals. Ultimately, Bill's suffering leads to spiritual healing--for the grieving Glenda, for Ruby, and for Bill's master.