Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: dennis-m-clausen

The 2024 Global Thriller Award Spotlight for High Stakes Suspense
The World is at Stake

Can your book save the day?

The Global Thriller Awards is our Division for all the Spy stories, International Conspiracies, and Science based novels. While some of the categories in this Division may have overlap with some others, Global Thriller stands strong in it’s quest to portray potentially World-Destroying Events.

The Categories in Global Thriller for High Stake Suspense are are:
- Historic: Theater of War, Spycraft, and more!
- Lablit: Real Science meets “What-If?” scenarios that feel all too plausible!
- Science Fiction: Sometimes the threat comes from outside our known reality like Alien or Predator
- Dramatic: Classic Die Hard style consequences
- Action/Adventure: ‘Nuf said
- Cybertech: Also known as Cyberpunk. Typically a Dystopian like story, commonly with 1980’s aesthetics and Futuristic technology.
We’re ready for your Thriller Today!

The Global Thriller Book Awards Close at the end of October! Don’t let your book miss out on the chance to be discovered!

We are delighted to celebrate the 2023 Winners of The Global Thriller Award!
- D. L. Wilburn Jr. – The God Protocol: Dragon
- Glenn Dyer – Trust No One
- Mark James – Friendship Games
- Randall Krzak – Ultimate Escalation
- Susan Rogers and John Roosen – Cobra Pose
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2023 GLOBAL THRILLER Awards is:

Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy

By Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke

For our Spotlight Articles we love to highlight some of the best High Stakes Suspense Thrillers that have come our way! Pull out your pen and paper, because your list of books to read is about to get longer!

MAJOR JAKE FORTINA And The TIER ONE THREAT
By Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke

Why would Iranian terrorists break into a Paris cemetery and steal the bones of an American Jewish WWI veteran? The answer lies in the deadly parallel history of WWI and the Spanish flu, but it’s a mystery that Jake Fortina will have to uncover in Ralph R. “Rick” Steinke’s thriller, Major Jake Fortina and the Tier One Threat.

During WWI, the Spanish Flu killed millions of people—some estimates as high as 100 million—but a Jewish nurse tossed off the flu like a cold and continued to serve her country. Iran’s leaders believe the DNA in her bones will let them develop a virus that could kill Americans and Israelis by the millions while simultaneously developing immunity for Iran’s own population.

This threat drives the story as it reaches deep into multiple countries and their governments, who collectively try to figure out the importance of the bones theft and, ultimately, what to do about it.

Read more here!

REVENGE: A Bruce and Smith Thriller Book 2
By Randall Krzak

Randall Krzak raises the bar of the thriller genre with Revenge, the action-packed second book in the Bruce and Smith series.

Javier retires from the Army and his despised desk job at the Pentagon. He lived for the action of working in the field, so as a civilian, he tries to build an international investigative agency called The Brusch Agency. Thanks to his connections from the military, he can do exactly the work he wants, with the people he chooses.

Krzak sets up this book meticulously, building conflicts in the first several chapters. Javier needs to apply for his concealed-carry permit and private investigator’s license while finding office space for his agency, but his plans are staggered as his condo is broken into and trashed. Despite his investigation and that of law enforcement, the culprit remains a mystery.

Read more here!

THE BRISLING CODE
By J.L. Oakley

In The Brisling Code, a fast-paced first installment of her historical thriller series, Oakley weaves a brilliant portrayal of the perils met by the Norwegian Resistance during WWII.

Layered perspectives—from resistance workers, traitors, and even an SS Officer—create a rich world through which readers can understand the sacrifices that were made to free our world from the tyranny of Nazi Germany.

Immersed in volatile Nazi-occupied Bergen, Norway, fearless young intelligence agent Tore Haugland and his team of organizers work tirelessly to protect the essential work of the Norwegian resistance.

Read more here!

APOCALYPSE In OUR TIME: The Accountant’s Apprentice Book 3
By Dennis M. Clausen

In The Accountant’s Apprentice III: Apocalypse In Our Time by Dennis M. Clausen, the director of a homeless shelter sees subtle changes in the community around him, changes that are both worrisome and bizarre—portending a change to the world beyond human understanding.

The story of Justin Moore, director of a homeless shelter in San Diego, continues. In the previous books in the series, he has met individuals who seem to be not quite of this world. A.C., a mysterious man in a wheelchair who played an important role earlier in the trilogy, is gone as of the third book, but his wheelchair is now being used by another man— seemingly catatonic and with no name. This man is known only as “Levi” by the staff at the bus depot where he was found, but Justin finds there is something more to him beneath the surface. Levi seems to have certain things in common with A.C., but with unique abilities. Justin is warned by a woman that the man he knows as Levi may be dangerous, but is he? And who is she, anyway?

So many questions are raised, and Justin has few if any answers. In the previous book, he saw a demonic army gathering on the horizon. Was that real? A.C. had given Justin a limited ability to see the future, and a horrifying promise of things to come:

Read more here!

These authors kept us on the Edge of our Seat, and we can’t wait for more!

Flip the switch and enter the Global Thriller Awards today!

This is the journey from beginning to end for the CIBAs Levels of Achievement is so worthwhile! Every list you make means more promotion for you and your work as each list is posted right here on our website, on our social media, and also out in our newsletter!

Your book deserves to be discovered
October 8, 2024
APOCALYPSE In OUR TIME: The Accountant’s Apprentice Book 3 by Dennis M. Clausen – Paranormal, Metaphysical Fiction, Contemporary Social Issues

In The Accountant’s Apprentice III: Apocalypse In Our Time by Dennis M. Clausen, the director of a homeless shelter sees subtle changes in the community around him, changes that are both worrisome and bizarre—portending a change to the world beyond human understanding.

The story of Justin Moore, director of a homeless shelter in San Diego, continues. In the previous books in the series, he has met individuals who seem to be not quite of this world. A.C., a mysterious man in a wheelchair who played an important role earlier in the trilogy, is gone as of the third book, but his wheelchair is now being used by another man— seemingly catatonic and with no name. This man is known only as “Levi” by the staff at the bus depot where he was found, but Justin finds there is something more to him beneath the surface. Levi seems to have certain things in common with A.C., but with unique abilities. Justin is warned by a woman that the man he knows as Levi may be dangerous, but is he? And who is she, anyway?

So many questions are raised, and Justin has few if any answers. In the previous book, he saw a demonic army gathering on the horizon. Was that real? A.C. had given Justin a limited ability to see the future, and a horrifying promise of things to come:

“No one else saw what I saw that day. They only saw the huge, monstrous tsunami wave approaching from the west and engulfing the Mission Beach Pier. They did not see the demonic army forming on the horizon and threatening every living thing on the shore.

“… A. C. did what he said he would do. He used me as his camera to see present events—but also future possibilities. What I saw on the pier was not only a vision of the tidal wave that was approaching from the west. It was a vision of the future and the demonic forces of pure evil that were aligned against all life on the planet Earth.”

Apocalypse in Our Time gives us a peek into the future— or perhaps a peek into our own minds. A story of the world coming of age, so to speak, with menace on the horizon and possible salvation, if such a thing can exist.

As this story continues, the narrative becomes deeply intriguing. The beginning reintroduces readers to the setting and characters, and once this final part of the series begins in earnest it gives us a sense of wonder and mystery, while at the same time the alarming scenario escalates around Justin. The intensifying plot echoes through well-fleshed-out characters like Angelina, a young girl living in the homeless shelter, fascinated by Shakespeare and his works, who explores her own unique abilities—and connection with Levi.

End of the world, or something more? That is left to the reader to decide. Certainly, after the events that the characters see and experience, the world—and they—will never be the same. Dennis Clausen’s third work in his trilogy is both ephemeral and thoughtful, making the reader wonder about the end of the world well after the end of the book.

May 29, 2024
ACCOUNTANT’s APPRENTICE II: The Return of the Fifth Horseman by Dennis M. Clausen – Spiritual Fiction, Contemporary Social Issues, Political Fiction

Justin Moore fights for the survival of his homeless Mission – and potentially the world – in Accountant’s Apprentice II by Dennis M. Clausen

As the reader catches up with Justin in this sequel, he now directs the East Side Rescue Mission in San Diego. The mission sits far from the clean streets and tourist attractions of downtown. As a homeless shelter, East Side Rescue provides temporary beds for as many as possible, homes for a few workers – including the director himself – and as many hot meals as they can afford for their residents and regulars.

But the tide of homelessness and the desperation that follows in its wake is rising all over the country. San Diego especially struggles, with winters and summers that people can still survive even on the streets.

Corrupt forces array against Justin and the Mission.

These rich and powerful people will do anything to reduce if not eliminate the struggling homeless. They see them as only interruptions to their flow of commerce and tourists.

Even Justin doesn’t always see how truly awful the situation has become. Not until he’s called back into service by his old friend and mentor, the late “accountant” A.C. who just might be literally on the side of the angels.

Or, has Justin’s weary, depressed and downtrodden head merely created an illusion of his old teacher?

Justin is an unreliable narrator. Even he can’t decide whether he’s hearing A.C. giving him a mission to save the world, or whether he’s deluding himself in order to feel a bit of hope. What if he just wants an escape from everything wrong with the world?

But Justin doesn’t even know the extent of the trouble. When he dreams that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are literally barreling towards Earth, how literally should he take the vision? Neither Justin nor the reader knows for certain, but Justin, at least, has to try.

Justin strives to save the world or at least stave off the inevitable.

His quest will take readers on a compelling journey with roots in the allegories of Good Omens and American Gods. Along the way, they’ll find a fascinating puzzle hunt like The DaVinci Code – only with much higher stakes.

Accountant’s Apprentice II explores everything from Renaissance art to ecological destruction. Political demagoguery and corruption frame the philosophical questions about how things got to be this way. Justin’s journey to hope and just a bit of enlightenment will keep readers guessing until the very last page – and after.

Read our review of the first book in the series, Accountant’s Apprentice here.

September 5, 2022
SHORTS Book Awards for Short Stories, Novellas, and Collections 2020 CIBA Award Winners
The Short Story Awards recognize emerging talent and outstanding works in Short Stories, Novelettes, Novellas, and Short Story Collections and Anthologies. The Short Story Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards program.

The Chanticleer International Book Awards program discovers today’s best works. The Short Stories Awards discovers the Best New Shorts in Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction.

After several years of requests, the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards program now offers a division for Short Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction in 2020. Since it is a new division, we are still ironing out the proverbial wrinkles. However, it has proven to be quite popular, so we will continue to offer it in our book awards program. These books have advanced to the Premier Level of Achievement in the 2020 CIBAs.

The 2020 SHORTS Book Awards Finalists and the SHORTS Grand Prize Winner were announced by Sharon Anderson on Saturday, June 5, 2021 at the Hotel Bellwether and broadcast via ZOOM webinar and Facebook Live.

SHORT STORIES and NOVELETTES

Historical Fiction (Chaucer/Goethe/Laramie/Hemingway)
- Kristie Clark – Dragon of the Sea
- Vali Benson – Blood and Silver
- Grendolyn Soleil – Snow Dust and Boneshine: The Chronicles of Granny Witch
- Marina Osipova – From Stalin with Love
Mystery & Suspense (M&M/Clue)
- J. J. Clarke – Dared to Fly
- Alan E. Fleischauer – Sherlock and the Tiger
- Joanne Jaytanie – Twice As Bad, Miss Demeanor, P. I. Series
Out of This World Fiction – Speculative Fiction
- Robin Lee Lovelace – Savonne, Not Vonny
- Alexandrea Weis – Sisters of the Moon
- Matilda Scotney- Joy In Four Parts
- Sarena Ulibarri – Inviting Disaster
- Grendolyn Soleil – Snow Dust and Boneshine: The Chronicles of Granny Witch
Contemporary/Literary/Satire (Somerset/Mark Twain)
- Susan Lynn Solomon – Reunion
- V. P. Evans – N
- V.P. Evans – W
- Michelle Rene Magee – Danielle’s Inferno
- Dennis M. Clausen – The Accountant’s Apprentice
Chatelaine
- Joanne Jaytanie – Christmas Chemistry, Forever Christmas in Glenville, Book 3
- Vicki Batman – Raving Beauty
- Gail Meath – Fire Blossom
- Joanne Jaytanie – P.I. I LOVE YOU, Miss Demeanor, P.I. Book I
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2020 SHORTS Awards for Short Stories is:

Robin Lee Lovelace for

Savonne, Not Vonny

FINALISTS for SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS are:
- Pierce Koslosky Jr. – A Week at Surfside Beach
- Lindy Ryan – Dead of Winter
- Janet Oakley – Hilo Bay Mystery Collection
- Sean Thomas Dwyer – Voices I Hear
- Susan Lynn Solomon – T’was the Season
- Abbe Rolnick – Tattle Tales: Essays and Stories Along the Way
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2020 SHORTS Awards for Short Story Collections is:

Pierce Koslosky Jr. for

A Week at Surfside Beach

The 2021 SHORTS Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC22 on April 10, 2022. Save the date for CAC22, scheduled April 7-10, 2022, our 10 year Conference Anniversary!

Submissions for the 2021 SHORTS Book Awards are open until the end of December. Enter here!

Don’t delay! Enter today!

A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in July. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. We thank you for your patience and understanding.
June 22, 2021
GOODBYE to MAIN STREET: A Family Memoir & Sequel to Prairie Son by Dennis Clausen – Memoir, Family Relationships / Saga, Multi-Generational Memoir

Growing up in an estranged family atmosphere brings questions that beg for answers in this complex multigenerational memoir.

Author Dennis M. Clausen recalls his early years growing up in the latter half of the last century with a detached, mostly absent father and a disabled, emotionally conflicted mother. In his tribute to small-town America, the author eloquently sketches the Minnesota village where he spent most of his youth, a place where the awnings on Main Street were opened and shut at the same time each day, and family secrets were hinted at but never discussed. Among the secrets was the enigma surrounding Clausen’s father, Lloyd, a wanderer who could never settle in one place, keep one job or stay with one woman for very long.

There are many idyllic elements to Dennis’s upbringing. Though poor and often struggling for basic necessities, his mother and siblings got by, sometimes helped by the largesse of the community. On occasion, a visitor might sleep on the couch, and tuck nickels or dimes strategically into the sofa’s cushions, leaving Dennis and his brother, Derl, the means to go to the local movie theater. The boys also managed a paper route together.

Reaching college age, there was no money, so Dennis stayed in his hometown at a newly created branch of the university. There he was fortunate to have as a mentor a legendary professor of American literature who recognized what the town’s librarian had noticed years before: that Dennis had great zeal for reading.

As Clausen matured and closely observed the clan he was born into, certain flaws appeared in the pleasant but rather fuzzy picture that had been painted for him. He felt increasingly guided by hints – and finally by some handwritten memoirs from his father – to explore their shared past. In the years of Clausen’s youth, polio was a killer stalking the country and then was miraculously eliminated, but the psychological concept of “attachment disorder,” which undoubtedly afflicted Lloyd, was unheard of. In sifting through his father’s memorabilia, Clausen learned that Lloyd’s adoptive parents always regarded their charge more as free labor than loved one. In Prairie Son, Clausen has written vividly of Lloyd’s life as a mistreated orphan. The many remarkable results of that investigative work comprise the second portion of Goodbye to Main Street, complete with documentation and photographs in what can be seen as Clausen’s second vocation as the family detective.

Clausen’s work has garnered a following among family both here and abroad who have contributed to his diligent search for his ancestry and among orphans and children of orphans who sense his empathy. There are many poignant moments in his coming-of-age account that will resonate with the experiences of an earlier generation of Americans. Perhaps this is the pull of Clausen’s memoir, the story of how one boy grew to manhood and overcame the odds, to become something other than what he was born into: from grinding poverty to successful academic.

Now, after making numerous nostalgic visits to the old hometown and to various gravesites as part of his delving into family lore, he has come to see life as “a journey” and to respect its mysteries.

Goodbye to Main Street won 1st Place in the CIBAs 2018 Journey Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction.

August 2, 2019
The SINS of RACHEL SIMS by Dennis M. Clausen – Absurdist Fiction, Historical Fiction, Psychological

With a nod to Nathaniel Hawthorne and the accused adulteress Hester Prynne in his renowned literary classic, The Scarlet Letter, Dennis Clausen sheds a familiar light on the central character in the multi-faceted psychological tale The Sins of Rachel Sims. In this intriguing two-fold drama, a desperate young woman searches for her own true identity while simultaneously unraveling the mystery behind a woman’s disappearance from decades in the past.

In May of 1952, the dark-haired Midwestern beauty Rachel Sims mysteriously disappears from the haunting riverbanks of Hodges Island. While gossip mongers spout that the immoral young wife ran off with a well-dressed gentleman from Iowa, the local cemetery caretaker, “Crazy Charlie,” insists he sees Rachel, aka “The Lilac Lady,” walking the island on quiet spring evenings.

Some twenty years later, Laura Fielding, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota, begins to question who she really is when she stumbles upon an incriminating letter that suggests the couple that raised her are not her biological parents, and the three have been living with stolen identities. The startling information gives Laura a pause and reasons to question her broken relationships and a diagnosed bonding disorder.

The upheaval triggers her obsessive need to uncover the truth. With the help of eccentric psychiatrist Ned Finley and his friend Aurther Schlepler, a proven psychic who’d helped police with difficult cases – though now a patient in the Farmington Mental Hospital – Laura attempts to find answers about her past and explore the secrets of her childhood memory. Through a combination of regressive hypnosis, a psychic’s intuition, professional insight, and Laura’s own detective work, a winding journey leads her to the area of Point Tyson and reveals plausible a connection to the vanishing Rachel Sims.

Far beyond a typical cloak-and-dagger rendering, Clausen weaves a more subtle, yet palpable essence of evil lurking in the shadows of this double-edged story. From threatening messages warning characters to “stay away” to the heated glow of a lit cigarette in the dark, Clausen expertly gives his readers nuances of suspense that serve to heighten the drama and keep us glued to the page.

Through a detailed narrative, Clausen creates an artful balance of people and place. Here Laura’s investigation takes her on a circuitous path showcasing both beauty and danger, from the natural Hodges Island environment where fragrant lilacs bloom amidst an overgrowth covering hidden death traps.

Legend maintains Hodges Island was inhabited by warrior spirits and “Heaven’s Outcasts” and Laura needs help to unravel this mystery along with the deep secrets of the puritanical church community and the self-righteous male-dominated religious enclave attempting to hide its own sins. To Laura’s benefit, an eclectic group of die-hard locals including – but not limited to – record clerks, diner patrons, and gravestone cutters offer bits of information to help her piece the puzzle together.

The plot is moved at a steady pace, with action going back and forth between the past and present. A recurring dream from Laura’s childhood serves as an essential connector for these two timeframes. While she contemplates old photographs or finds hidden Bible inscriptions, the feelings of déjà vu are always with her and enhanced in the text with Laura’s italicized thoughts and feelings about her past and the meaning behind the newly found discoveries.

Like the regressive therapy used to tap into Laura’s childhood, Clausen’s tale revisits a once-thriving rural community ensconced in a history shadowed by lies and deceit. Above all, it proves a well-crafted, compelling read for those drawn to intricate layers of mystery that confront long-buried secrets.

The Sins of Rachel Sims by Dennis Clausen was Shortlisted in the 2017 CIBAs, in the M&M Awards for Mystery Novels.

July 12, 2019
The ACCOUNTANT’S APPRENTICE by Dennis M. Clausen – Magic Realism, Mystery, Philosophical/Apocalyptic

Philosophically sophisticated, the supernatural mystery of Dennis M Clausen’s The Accountant’s Apprentice is reminiscent of the classic apocalyptic comedy Good Omens while bringing its own unique and serious take on the fight against good and evil.

Justin Moore is a priest on leave after witnessing a murder in his parish office. He is haunted by the events and struggles with making sense of what happened and why the assailant spared him.

Living in a small rundown studio apartment, Justin makes ends meet by becoming the driver of a mysterious neighbor who calls himself A.C. and claims he is an accountant. But Justin quickly becomes suspicious of his new employer when he fails to find any information about A.C or his company. To make matters worse, Justin attracts the attention of local police after not one, but two neighbors die while living in the apartment across the hall from him.

As Justin investigates the strange events he is connected to, he begins to question his state of mind, unable to pinpoint the agenda and motives of his mysterious employer. Whenever Justin finds answers, several more questions appear as more and more people connected to him end up dead. In the end, Justin learns that there are forces at work above his understanding and that he has an important part to play in it all.

Dennis M Clausen is a masterful writer that creates a full and multi-faceted story in a relatively small package. In what starts out as a mystery with a spiritual backdrop, the plot quickly brings in philosophical questions about the good and evil of our capitalistic society and what effects artistic genius has on the world. There are also touches of the supernatural that come into play as Justin tries to make sense of the mysteries around him.

Clausen develops Justin Moore with a level of mystery to the character, who can arguably be seen as an unreliable narrator. Not much is known about Justin and his life before the traumatic incident he witnesses, and the details of that event change ever so slightly every time he goes back to those memories. These changes and other events cause Justin to question his reality and make him an interesting narrator. Even less is known about the characters A.C. and Ilsa, but they both undergo their own satisfying character development by the story’s end.

A compelling novel, The Accountant’s Apprentice, leaves many areas of the story unexplored and underdeveloped in a way, perhaps to maintain a mysterious atmosphere. Certainly, its effect will leave readers longing to know what happens next. Perhaps a sequel? (We hope!)

Clausen employs multi-genre storytelling here, and this approach makes the book a screaming success. In that complexity, there is a literary feast. It is spiritualistic, philosophical, supernatural, mysterious – and apocalyptic. In other words, this story has a charismatic appeal for everyone.

June 25, 2019
MY CHRISTMAS ATTIC by Dennis Clausen – Heartwarming, Seasonal Literature, Family Saga

A lonely child’s fantasy life intersects with reality in this Korean War-era tale of separation and reunion.

At almost nine, Jake often escapes into his imagination, blotting out a couple of situations developing around him. He and his mother are hoping against hope that his father might someday return from the Korean War, and Jake cannot read. Words just seem to jumble up before his eyes, the other kids make fun of him, and worse – bullying has become routine. These days, Jake tries every ruse to skip school until he is referred to a reading counselor who figures it out. Jake is dyslexic, as is the counselor, and this may mean he is, in fact, more intelligent than average, as well as unusually intuitive.

Intuition begins to seep into Jake’s life as he spends time in the attic arranging the Christmas ornaments, wishing it could be “Christmas forever” for himself, and for everyone. One of the decorations is a porcelain figure of an old bearded man, Ebenezer, who holds a mysterious, unreadable scroll. Deciphering the scroll’s message will lead Jake into a world of psychic visions, ultimately leading to his conviction that his father is alive. Jake’s mother, who has built a sentiment-laden shrine to her lost love, holds on to the last shreds of hope even as her soldier husband is officially presumed dead. Together, she and Jake will learn the surprising truth.

Author Clausen (Prairie Son) has an excellent grasp of the emotive power of the past to awaken the reader to timeless influences. In this story, the Ebenezer ornament said to be 100 years old, links old customs with a child’s search for peace and reassurance in the present. As the boy travels through time with the ancient sage, he becomes stronger, better able to face his current struggles.

Clausen writes with authority about these two subjects, dyslexia and its effects on the mind, and “The Forgotten War” in Korea, where thousands of American soldiers remain unaccounted for to this day. He also links the earnest, childlike wishes of Jake to find solace and create solutions to the pervasive sadness of a mother mourning her husband while doing her best to support and encourage their only child.

The novel begins and ends in a present-day framework in which we learn that Jake has incorporated his childhood adventures into an adult striving to expand the “forever Christmas” concept to a broader spectrum.

Plausible fantasy with a clear connection to our national past composed by a practiced wordsmith, My Christmas Attic can be appreciated as a classic seasonal saga with a cinematic quality that speaks of broader possibilities.

May 9, 2019
PRAIRIE SON by Dennis M. Clausen – Early 20th-Century Orphans, Family Drama, Biographies & Memoirs

Lloyd Augustine Clausen has but one early memory of his real mother, in which she hugs him tightly displaying a deep love for him. Everything that follows is chaos and fear. He is handed over to an orphanage and by the time he is four or five years old, Lloyd knows two things: his adoptive Pa and Ma do not love him, and his role on the farm is to shut up and do as he is told. He takes Pa’s lunch pail out to him daily and tries to stay out of Ma’s way. For her part, Ma simply ignores him unless he does even the smallest thing wrong, inciting her evil temper.

Had it not been for the daring protection of the farm’s two dogs, Buster and Minnie, Lloyd might well have been seriously injured or even killed by his adoptive mother. For example, one day he trips and falls down, breaking some eggs. Unconcerned whether or not he is hurt, Ma attacks him with a frying pan, only to be stopped by Buster. Another time, when Pa is in town playing cards, his Ma has a mysterious visitor come to the farm. When she locks Lloyd in the cellar, a place of total darkness, Buster finds a way to get his nose into the small space and offer comfort. Buster and Minnie, in fact, behave more like parents than the ones with whom he’s stuck.

A friendly, mostly silent farmhand stays for a while and teaches Lloyd the art of machine repair and other skills needed to tend the farm, as Pa is increasingly lackluster in that regard. When the Great Depression hits, the family is often on the verge of starvation.

Lloyd’s bright moments come when he spends time with a fellow orphan, Delores, condemned like him to be tricked, spat on and called “bastard” by the other, un-adopted children. A wandering cowboy once offers him a ride on his horse. Gypsies make him a fishing pole. And occasionally, neighbors, seeing the boy’s plight, step in to assure that Ma and Pa treat him better.

Despite his terrible existence, Lloyd sometimes finds inspiration in the world of nature or the random kindness of others. As Lloyd grows older, he begins to research his past and through a series of serendipitous events, begins to find the answers he seeks.

In 1979, author Dennis Clausen learned that his father Lloyd, who had been a distant but loving figure for him, was dying of cancer. He encouraged his father to write his memoir. The old man’s words, painfully written out on a few notepads, displayed a great talent for storytelling. Those words form the basis of this luminous coming-of-age saga of sorrow upon sorrow and the will of one little boy to keep looking for a better way.

Bleak scenes of a weeks-long blizzard, a plague quarantine, and a tornado worthy of The Wizard of Oz provide lowering drama, as if the boy’s personal woes – being socked around by Ma, belted by Pa, and almost thrashed by school children until a local bully took his side – were not severe and frustrating enough. The direct effects of the Depression and then, rumors of World War II through the tinny voice of Roosevelt on the radio, fill out the historical picture. And, happily, the book’s ending is a kind of victory for the tough, lonely fighter.

Clausen has skillfully woven his father’s handwritten pages into a riveting story worthy of Steinbeck, a cinematic setting redolent of fundamental American community values, and a paean of hope for all orphaned children.

March 27, 2019