by Bud Gundy
mystery, suspense
Available at Bold Strokes Books
For more than forty years, the stain of horrific allegations against their father has haunted the Esker sons. When three little boys were murdered in 1975, their dad was suspected of the crimes. The immense strain of the unsolved case shattered the family, sending the brothers reeling into destinies of death, flight, and, in the case of Don Esker, shame-filled silence.
Years later, Don returns to the family home in North Homestead, Ohio, to help care for his dying father in his final months. His dad longs for the peace that will only come with clearing his name. If Don can find the killer, he can heal his family—and himself. His own redemption begins when he becomes romantically involved with Bruce, who joins the hunt and forces Don to confront the unthinkable answer they’ve uncovered.
“★★★★★ – Highly recommended!”
- Gay Book Reviews
“I was absolutely enthralled with the story from the opening paragraph until the final moments. Moving, gripping, and unforgettable.”
- The Novel Approach Reviews
“While the chapters in the present kept me riveted to the unfolding mystery, the chapters in the past damn near broke my heart. The writing is impeccable and the plot enthralling.”
- Love Bytes Reviews
“Every once in a while, a book comes along that grabs me in the first paragraph and does not let go even when I have finished reading it. I was totally mesmerized.”
- Reviews by Amos Lassen
“This book, with its tight narration and unexpected turn of events, kept me glued to its pages until the very last one. It’s riveting – a page-turner, and masterfully written.”
- My Fiction Nook
Praise for Somewhere Over Lorain Road
Horrific events in a small town set off a chain of aftershocks that rocks a community, and one family in particular, for the next forty years. This is a believable and engrossing story of a pre-teen child navigating a series of devastating family tragedies, and his much older-self trying to fit the pieces together.
But this story goes far beyond a simple murder mystery. It is also a story of rebuilding family relations, of gay-bashing, of coming out and becoming comfortable with your sexuality, and also a touching romance.
The author pulls all the stops out in this gripping story of love, tragedy and redemption, set against a backdrop of a murder investigation. An emotional roller coaster that will keep the reader guessing until the last, fully satisfying page.
There is beauty here as well, and wisdom. You come away from this book understanding yourself and humankind a little better, and a writer can’t do any better than that.
In the end, the author scores a five-star win with the best mystery novel I have read in years, because ultimately, I realized that the mystery the author is sharing is not the murders of a small town, but the mysteries of Life.
- Alan Chin, author of The Plain of Bitter Honey and Buddha’s Bad Boys