Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Chanticleer 5 Star Book Review

Summer Girl by Linda Watkins – Coming of Age Fiction, Women’s Literature & Fiction, Romance Fiction

Visit an idyllic island off the coast of Maine, long before the days of the internet and social media, in Linda Watkins’ romance novel, Summer Girl.

Jake, a local teenage boy on Cutter Island meets Andi, who visits for the summer with her mom and stepdad. In this summer of 1965 the two hit it off almost immediately, spending every moment they can together.

But not long after they profess their love for one another, tragedy strikes, forcing them apart with little hope of ever seeing each other again.

Twenty years pass until the summer of 1985. Jake, now a successful writer, returns to Cutter Island with his wife and kids for the first time in many years. Andi also arrives with her husband and young son. Once they learn of each other’s presence on the island, all the memories of that summer long ago come flooding back. And so do the unanswered questions of what happened on that fateful night. But a different question burns in their hearts and demands to be answered. Does first love, true love, ever really die?

Watkins’ writing flows elegantly.

Andi and Jake look back on their past with nostalgia, heartbreak, and regret. Cutter Island and the characters on it feel immediately familiar, like old friends in a place we’d like to visit. This summer vacation on a quiet island community off the coast of Maine, with all the fresh seafood at an arm’s reach, comes to life. Past and present in Summer Girl take place in a time before the internet became ingrained into everyday life. Readers can take a momentary break to disconnect and truly get lost in the story.

Jake and Andi show their impressive amount of depth, and accurately portray the simple naivete of youth during the fateful summer in which they meet. Their romance stays grounded and realistic. Watkins’ beautiful writing paints a picture of inexperienced teenagers with honesty and vulnerability that makes their parting even more emotional.

Summer Girl tells a story of love against all odds.

True love leaves an infinite effect on someone’s life, for better or for worse. This story stands on love, hope, and perseverance. Accept the invitation to the remote Cutter Island and smell the mouthwatering preparations of the summer night’s lobster bake. Keep an eye out for Jake and Andi among the hungry locals and vacationers.

Summer Girl by Linda Watkins won 1st Place in the 2018 CIBA Somerset Book Awards for contemporary literary novels.

November 15, 2021
The LONG DESERT ROAD by Alex Sirotkin – Literary, Romantic Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

Alex Sirotkin’s debut novel, The Long Desert Road, navigates the emotional arcs of life in contrast with the greater expanse of the cosmos. Here a young woman must face her addictions while the people around her try to move beyond her backlash.

We meet Henry Spinoza, a 44-year-old quirky science writer. He ponders his life as half over, looks for the right woman, and wonders if there isn’t more to existence.

For twenty years, Henry, a science writer, has been researching a non-fiction book on the universe that he intends to write. Henry’s feeling “bored, boring, and budget-conscious…the trifecta of gloom,” as he puts it. But in the middle of this ennui, his sister-in-law invites him to dinner, along with her divorced friend, Isabel Dalton, an attorney, and “the setup is afoot.”

Meanwhile, Isabel deals with a family crisis. Her daughter Lauren, newly out of rehab, gets into a severe accident with tragic consequences. Determined to stop enabling Lauren, Isabel places her in the Dusty Palms rehab facility for an extended 6-month stay. Lauren struggles through detox and nightmares, therapy sessions and medications, self-destructive escapades, and mother/daughter communications. Lauren’s thinking, actions, and attitude would justify Henry’s subsequent observation that she’s “just your average, somewhat immature, impulsive bipolar twenty two year old with a history of serious trauma, drugs, alcohol and jail.”

In an effortless blend of conversation, humor, and questioning, Henry and Isabel slowly begin to bond.

Their relationship blossoms from sushi dinners and casual banter. Henry’s fascinating diatribes about the cosmos and Isabel’s sharing of her daughter’s cunning, manipulative ways deepen their connection. When Lauren’s sudden, unexpected release from rehab threatens to derail the merging couple’s dream trip to Chile (coinciding with Henry’s last bit of research), Henry convinces Isabel that they should bring Lauren along. Amidst the desolate beauty of the hot Atacama Desert, with an infinite sea of stars and planets shining down upon them, these characters find common ground, coming to terms with their inner struggles.

Sirotkin tells a story richly layered with well-defined characters, an informative narrative, and genuine, probing dialogue. While the characters initially appear in their own chapters, their lives soon become entwined. Multiple subplots quickly move the action forward. The story uncovers a variety of personal and family issues that help these characters recognize their pitfalls. Henry’s enthrallment with the cosmos contrasts Isabel’s frustration and concern for Lauren. Finally, Lauren begins to question her own self-destructive impulses.

Clearly, much research went into this work.

The story’s focus on addiction reflects Sirotkin’s personal experience with a similar family situation. He creatively places this sense of concern within the framework of a scientific perspective. Sirotkin keeps the science complex but understandable. Henry’s enthusiasm about the wonders of the sky spreads to the reader. Atop a mountain observatory, Henry shines as a brilliant researcher who openly recognizes that scientific principles don’t necessarily conflict with faith in God in the search for truth.

The Long Desert Road thoughtfully explores family, friends, relationships, love, loss, and addiction. More importantly, it reveals the minute significance of these intertwining stories within the vast complexity of our star-studded universe. Highly recommended.

Alex Sirotkin’s The Long Desert Road was the 2021 Grand Prize Winner for the Chatelaine Awards.

November 5, 2021
FROM NICHOLAS to CHRISTMAS by Kyle Poehls – Mythology and Folklore, Christmas Lore, Children’s Holiday Books

This delightful three-part story told in simple rhyming verse, takes us back to the origins of Christmas before the emergence of Santa Claus.

With a creative premise, From Nicholas to Christmas by Kyle Poehls brings the spirit of the holiday to life, in a town filled with despair. One man’s actions set off a wave of happiness and joy in giving to those less fortunate.

Here we meet Nicholas, his wife Carol, and their two children, Holly and Timmy. These youngsters help their father in the wintery woods. One day, they ask to bring the outdoors in by setting up a pine tree in the house and decorating it with toys. First, the loving family gives thanks for all their blessings and soon decides to help those in need.

Nicholas travels in his sleigh to a nearby town, where he encounters a young girl named Mary. While helping this seemingly destitute child, Nicholas notes her kindness to return a found bag of coins. She explains, “I was taught not to take even though I am poor.” Back in his workshop, he discovers a glass snow globe where a vision of Mary’s family suddenly appears. With heartfelt concern, he wishes them a good life.

Nicholas prepares for another journey and takes a special bag of gifts to Mary.

Though delighted and thankful for his generosity, Mary kindly passes the gifts along to others. She then relates a story of her own magical experience whereupon awakening, she found her room filled with food, clothes, and coins. Nicholas considers the surprising blessing a true miracle. As Mary receives more gifts, she continues to give them away, and in a pay-it-forward moment, others begin to join in the giving and sharing. Her actions lead a once darkened town into the light to ignite the true holiday spirit.

Artful illustrations by Diego capture a close-knit family and the warmth of home.

Small oval renderings lend an old-fashioned Currier and Ives appeal as if offering readers a glimpse into this wonderful world. Whether a moonlit cabin on a winter’s night, Nicholas gently repairing Mary’s beloved yarn-haired doll or showcasing a peek inside a magical crystal ball, the images become a reminder of what the holiday season is truly about.

A feel-good story with a message for all ages, this new take on the holiday’s origins with all its heartfelt intentions and charm may turn the reading of From Nicholas to Christmas into a new family tradition. One of our favorites!

November 1, 2021
JUST DIE by E. Alan Fleischauer – International Mystery & Crime, Occult Horror, Thriller & Suspense

E. Alan Fleischauer’s lead character holds the power of life and death in his fingertips in the new crime thriller, Just Die.

How would you react to holding the fate of the living in your bare hand? Recovering from his own near-death experience, retired financial advisor Jake Silver attempts to understand his new powers after a stint in the hospital. When he points his bare finger and utters well-worn words, the object of his attention instantly dies.

With great power comes great responsibility. Now that Jake has this power, how will he decide to use it? And what repercussions come with his decision?

Happy to be home after a stroke, Jake celebrates a second chance at life with his fiancée Beth. He’s also made a new friend from the hospital. This man, Omar, turns out to be an idolized NFL Super Bowl winner, and he joins in Jake’s celebration.

Despite Jake’s gratitude for being home, life’s annoyances can still rub him the wrong way. When he flashes a familiar gesture at any living thing, it dies. It dawns on him that he’s the cause of the deadly results. When a particular bike rider crosses a path near Jake’s home, he suffers this ultimate, lethal punishment. An overreaction? Keep reading to find out more.

The biker’s death brings on a police investigation, exploring motive, means, and opportunity.

Witnesses come forward with motives of their own. Both Jake and his beloved Beth are questioned as witnesses – and then as suspects. How can Jake answer the cops? Concerns grow over whether this stress will force an end to the couple’s engagement, bring them closer together than ever, or put one or both behind bars.

Omar shares a provocative idea with Jake.

After seeing firsthand his friend’s extreme power, Omar shares a story with him. An all-too-familiar tale of justice denied – and the impact upon Omar’s family moves Jake. He sees that it’s within his new power to deliver justice by a covert plan to kill a freed criminal. Will Jake intentionally take on the role of judge and jury to execute what he thinks is the rightful outcome?

In the meantime, the police investigation heats up.

Jake’s power may no longer be a secret. Someone wants this power used for the benefit of the nation and tells an influential official. Now Jake faces more potential danger and critical decisions as the government has designs on his powers. Where will Jake turn? His retired life, gratefully saved in the hospital, has been interrupted by the thriller life of a hired gun.

An action-packed paranormal thriller, Just Die challenges readers with questions about the quality of life, shades of morality, and personal loyalty.

E. Alan Fleischauer masterfully creates relatable characters, including the human frailties shouldered by an NFL star. No one is immune from the limits of being human when tackling bigger-than-life issues. Fleischauer handily delivers a paranormal thriller destined to garner the attention it so rightly deserves. How will it all end? Who will survive the threats and the investigations, and who will just die? Readers, get ready for one thrill ride of a novel. This one will keep you up at night! Just Die won 1st Place in the 2020 CIBAs for Paranormal Fiction.

October 27, 2021
WRITING IS MURDER: An Emlyn Goode Mystery by Susan Lynn Solomon – Cozy Mystery, Paranormal Mystery Series, Women Sleuth

A perfect seasonal read, Susan L. Solomon’s mystery, Writing is Murder: An Emlyn Goode Mystery delivers a witty, intuitive red-headed writer who has many connections in her community, a handsome police detective-maybe-lover, a mouthy cat who keeps her grounded, and a Wiccan BFF whom she can trust with her most profound concerns. And, of course, magical abilities inherited from her ancestor, Salem’s legendary accused witch Sarah Goode, adds layers of mystique.

When Roger Frey interrupts Emlyn Goode battling her recalcitrant muse, she can’t be upset. Roger, aka Police Detective Roger Frey, her next-door neighbor and sometimes sleep-over boyfriend, stumbles on the hunt for coffee, a good-morning kiss, and a sympathetic ear, in that order. He’s bored at work and wants to complain.

She’s heard it all before. But soon, she sees something remarkable.

When Emlyn goes to her writers group, she experiences an out-of-body experience that takes her back in time. She travels across to the Crystal Beach amusement park, across the lake in Canada, where modern-day condominiums grow. There, she glimpses two couples, one unfamiliar to her, the other, her parents. Before she can process what she sees, one of Em’s writing cohorts jerks her away from the action, asking her a question.

The group takes a break, and Emlyn has a curious talk with Daniel Bennett, the newest writer in the group. Daniel shares with her a copy of an old document he found in his deceased grandfather’s possessions. She catches only a glimpse of it before Daniel gets spooked and puts it away – but she won’t forget.

The mystery sparks to life.

A few days later, on Halloween night, Em joins her writing cohorts for a ghost hunt. Their good fun turns to horror when they discover Daniel’s murdered body in an empty, historic home. Emlyn, to her dismay, might be implicated.

Susan Solomon skillfully uses a prologue to set Writing is Murder’s theme and mood. She introduces the reader to “perhaps one of the most haunted areas in the country,” relates the legend of an ancient Tuscarora curse and seemingly related murders, and includes accurate descriptions of historical places and events in western New York State. All this pulls the reader into the story and keeps them there.

As the story progresses, Emlyn realizes that the past and present must somehow converge before solving the murder. Thanks to Emlyn’s unique gifts, along with her friend Rebecca Nurse’s witchy knowledge and advice, she might do just that.

Writing is Murder: An Emlyn Goode Mystery will entertain readers who love their mysteries with a bit of paranormal in the mix. The plot twists and turns to satisfy even the most ardent sleuths. In addition, the burgeoning romance coupled with sometimes glib banter, and the notion that potions and spells may really work, highlight the characters’ charm.

Susan Lynn Solomon’s Writing is Murder: An Emlyn Goode Mystery won 1st Place in the 2019 CIBA Mystery & Mayhem Book Awards for Cozy and Not So Cozy reads.

October 25, 2021
TEVYE The MAGICAL THEATER CAT (Introduction to Community Theater) by Peggy Sullivan, M.Ed., Counseling – Children’s Performing Arts Fiction, Children’s Drama Books, Children’s Community Theater Books

An ordinary gray tabby discovers the behind-the-scenes magic of community theater in Peggy Sullivan’s, Tevye the Magical Theater Cat: Introduction to Community Theater.

Sullivan builds a straightforward, simple narrative on the foundation of a true story. ‘Cat’ the furry neighborhood wanderer happens upon a work-in-progress stage production at the local theater. She follows her curiosity, touring through the box office, the heavily curtained stage, a sound and lighting booth, and a group of gathering musicians.

Amidst the extraordinary wonders of a welcoming environment, the intrigued feline also finds a family of her own.

Cat takes special interest in the neighborhood cast who don wardrobes and makeup to undergo magical transformations. Any readers familiar with classic stage and screen productions will quickly recognize this community presentation as a rendition of the ever-popular “Fiddler on the Roof.” As the play unfolds, Cat decides to adopt the name of the central character who sings about his life and family. These local thespians – and the play itself – ignite Cat’s own longing for a sense of connection.

Sullivan’s inviting illustrations feature clean lines and bright and colorful imagery.

The sweet and longing expressions of the inquisitive Cat compliment the star-studded backdrops that highlight the harmony of cast and crew. A stellar ensemble performance grows from the bonding community effort. This kind of magic proves available for everyone, including our four-footed, furry friends.

As a licensed mental health counselor and cat lover herself, Sullivan has written and illustrated a series of books with life lessons from a cat’s point of view. She draws on her experience and expertise to charm and teach her audience. This entertaining story features the emotional relatability and connection to humankind that those feline creatures offer.

In a heartfelt effort of community spirit, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to local community theaters. Tevye the Magical Theater Cat introduces local theater to young children, emphasizing the joy and magic of community and family.

A sweet, imaginative tale, with an earnestly shared message. Highly recommended!

Tevye the Magical Theater Cat by Peggy Sullivan, M.Ed. won 1st Place in the CIBA 2018 Little Peeps Book Awards for Early Readers.

October 22, 2021
COLOMBIAN BETRAYAL: A Bruce & Smith Thriller: Book 1 by Randall Krzak – Suspense Action, International Mystery & Crime Fiction, Terrorism Thrillers

Randall Krzak opens Pandora’s box on the world of Columbian cartels and Islamic terrorists in his latest thriller, Colombia Betrayal: A Bruce and Smith Thriller, Book 1.

On the first page of Krzak’s thriller, we are thrust into the dangerous world of a wealthy family, straddling the legitimate world of hotels and sugar cane fields and the illegitimate world of drugs and violence. Krzak places us in Medellin, Columbia, with the patriarch of the Zapata family, Jesus Pedro Zapata, on his way to a luncheon at his country club. With his eldest son by his side, he is ambushed and killed in a fiery explosion.

With her father and older brother murdered, Olivia Perfecta Moreno’s life is turned upside down, as she becomes the heir to the family fortune and businesses. She is determined to take charge, but she has large shoes to fill and a target on her back. With her son, Alonzo, her useless husband, Pedro, and her bodyguard Ramon on her side, she begins the change of power. But Krzak shows us the cracks in her armor, and we soon realize that Olivia shouldn’t be trusting any of the people she trusts most.

In a CIA office in Langley, Virginia, Agent AJ Bruce receives her next assignment.

Robert Lintstone, head of the counter-terrorism division, introduces Colonel Javier Smith, the advisor for the mission. A loner, she finds Smith attractive, but she refuses to be impressed by his Silver Eagles.

Lintstone informs them:

“There are indications the Islamic State is attempting to gain a foothold in our territory. They’ve already infiltrated a number of countries around the world. We’re trying to ascertain the validity of the intel before we make a move.”

This intel takes AJ and Javier to Columbia, where their search for the terrorists becomes embroiled with the Zapata families’ drug operations.

AJ and Javier dodge bullets and try to stop the terrorists before crossing the Mexican border into the US.

In a surprising twist of fate, Olivia ends up in the hands of Lintstone. Alonzo tries to rescue his kidnapped sisters as AJ and Javier unravel the whereabouts of the terrorists, saving Olivia’s daughters in the process. Olivia tries to escape captivity in Gitmo, and Krzak keeps us enthralled as we turn page after page to find out what will happen next.

Fans of Jack Slater and Barry Eisler will love this first installment of the Bruce and Smith series.

Krzak’s deft world-building skills and masterful orchestration of terrorists, CIA operatives, and the Columbia drug cartel will have readers panting for more. Since 2017, Krzak has cranked out six award-winning military and political thrillers, and this latest contribution sparkles as well. Uniquely qualified to build the worlds we find in Columbia Betrayal, Krzak’s experience as an Army veteran and a civil servant living abroad inform his rich, detailed description of the terrain and the architecture – right down to the weaponry used in the covert operations he describes in detail. Readers can’t help but be sucked into his page-turning stories.

Readers can follow AJ and Javier as they embark on their next assignment and thrilling adventure in book two, Revenge.

Colombian Betrayal won 1st Place in the CIBA 2020 Global Thrillers Book Awards for High Stakes Thrillers.

October 20, 2021
PLAGUE by C.C. Humphreys – Historical Thriller, Medical Thriller, Serial Killers

Captain William Coke lives as a thief with a conscience, in C.C. Humphrey’s historical thriller, Plague. Never loading his pistol with anything more than powder, he carefully selects his victims from the wealthy and the pompous. But he soon walks into crimes far more horrific than robbery.

Captain Coke and Dickon, a rescued street urchin, never expected to find their marks slaughtered on the road to London. Coke has never seen a killing like this, not even on the battlefield fighting to restore his king to the throne in the English Civil War. Pitman, a thief-taker, is likewise shocked by the brutality of the murders supposedly committed by the highwayman he has come to see as a gentleman bandit. Now, Pitman will stop at nothing to find Coke, who has become known as the Monstrous Coke after the notorious murder.

As the murders continue, the victims piling up, Pitman and Coke begin to realize that this criminal doesn’t just kill, but kills with religious symbolism. The two eventually team up to find the murderer. When the killer brutalizes and murders an actor, his wife and fellow actress, Sarah, becomes an ally of the men who are chasing him.

The would-be detectives face yet another obstacle when the Black Plague breaks out across the poverty-stricken parts of London. These unlikely heroes must now dodge not only the law, but a serial killer, a deadly illness, and a heretical cult who search for that which will take them from the gutters to the palace.

Coke, Sarah, and Pitman contrast one another, each with a well-developed character. Captain Coke first meets Sarah when he is fulfilling a pledge to visit and check on Lucy, the sister of his closest friend Quentin, a fellow soldier who was killed nearly twenty years prior. When Lucy finds herself unmarried and pregnant, Coke doesn’t hesitate to help her even though it means putting himself in harm’s way.

He has also taken in Dickon, a boy with both physical and mental disabilities, and will kill if need be to protect him. Coke is a criminal, but also a kind and gentle man. Pitman uses his remarkable abilities to stay ahead of his time with his crime scene investigations, and no one catches more thieves than him. As a constable, he must shut up the homes of plague victims with their families inside – infected or not – causing great distress to the big-hearted Pitman. In his kindness, he can see the impossibility of Coke committing the terrible murders, and though the two fought on opposing sides in the war and now live on either side of the law, they develop an easy friendship, trusting each other with their very lives.

Sarah Chalker owes much of her success as an actress to the protection of her husband, John. As childhood sweethearts, she and John have fought their way from the gutters of St. Giles to a place in the Duke’s Company, a theatre group frequented by Charles II himself. When John is killed, the sheer brutality of his murder drives Sarah on to find the vicious killer. She doesn’t hesitate to join with Coke and Pitman even though the search will put her in grave danger without the advantage of her male counterparts.

Religion plays a huge role in the novel.

On the heels of the English Civil War and the Restoration, London in 1665 is full of unrest. With the Act of Uniformity and the Act of Conventicles keeping dissenters from practicing anything other than the “accepted” Church of England within the city, all who choose to worship differently must do so in secret. This need for secrecy provokes many to violence, including the Fifth Monarchists, who seek to bring about the Apocalypse and the coming of Jesus.

With the year 1666 fast approaching, the Fifth Monarchists find the end times in every facet of the city. From its sprawling corruption to its massive poverty, London yearns for its brand of justice and a crescendo to the devil’s time. Among these “Saints” the serial killer hides, committing his atrocities in the name of his religion. The religious symbolism connected to verses in Revelation truly takes this thriller into the realm of the sinister. Chapters from the murderer’s point of view show this obsession for Apocalyptic cleansing of the sinful falseness of London. This obsession contrasts sharply with Pitman’s own faith. Pitman, a Quaker and therefore a dissenter himself, uses his religion and beliefs to practice strength and kindness. The near-complete lack of religion in the other characters keenly expresses the duality of the novel.

Plague takes the reader on a thrilling ride through the gritty parts of seventeenth-century London, and readers of history and mystery alike will enjoy its shocking twist ending.

October 18, 2021
ONE LONDON DAY by C.C. Humphreys – Technothrillers, Serial Killers, Contemporary Urban Fiction

A good thriller should be like the best-boxed chocolate sampler: the ones that not only offer you a great variety of tastes but allow you to sample and resample the chocolates you’ve discovered.

C.C. Humphreys’ noir thriller One London Day resembles that box of chocolates. The story takes you from delicious to delicious bits, round and round, until you have sampled everything and everyone once, twice, or even three times until you understand the full impact of this brilliantly dark – based on a true story thriller.

It begins, deceptively, with Mr. Phipps, who has a taste for the dark side of life. He’s a handsomely compensated and frequently used assassin. The first victim on this day will be Joseph Severin, a well-heeled real estate manager, married, and prominent member of London’s Jewish community. Severin keeps a double set of books in handwritten form—no computers, please—for a financial group which calls itself the Shadows, a name picked from comic books. The Shadows, a well-to-do collection of white-collar men, fund various illegal enterprises, the details of which Severin cleverly encodes in his books. When the Shadows discover Severin dabbling in their investments, it becomes clear; the bookkeeper knows too much. The Shadows move Severin from the credit side of the ledger to the debit side, so to speak. Goodbye, Mr. Severin.

Meanwhile, Severin meets a stunning woman named Lottie.

She’s a beautiful, sexy, for-hire pianist, and Severin impulsively offers a month’s free rent in one of his unoccupied flats. Of course, the offer comes with fringe benefits if only Severin can get over the fact that he’s about to break his marriage vows.

Lottie, of course, has her own story. She’s been dating a rising young black actor, Patrick, whom she loves. But Patrick loves kinky sex and arranges for a Russian hooker, Sonya, to join him and Lottie for a delicious threesome. Despite the pleasures of the moment, Lottie can’t stop thinking about Severin.

Sonya’s a highly paid hooker in London who needs to raise enough money for her daughter’s much-needed operation back in Moscow. She’s almost raised enough money to leave the escort business altogether and take care of her daughter.

Enter Bernard, who lost his wife and hires Sonja to hold and comfort him, not for sex. There’s somewhat of a complication here because Bernard is a member of the Shadows. Sebastien, another one of the Shadows, also craves an evening with Sonya.

The Shadows want Mr. Severin removed, but they need to recover Severin’s incriminating accounting books. Enter Mr. Phipps, who must collect the books that seem to have wound up with Lottie. However, recovering the books may not be as easy as he thinks.

C.C. Humphreys develops his story like a game of Mousetrap, requiring readers to pay close attention to every detail.

Characters and plot points circle, again and again, each time adding to a fuller picture of what happened on this one day. Greed and comeuppance play out in today’s London from someone who knows it well. Humphreys’ craftsmanship is unmistakable.

Read One London Day if you enjoy present-day noir thrillers. Read it if you enjoy well-crafted writing. Read it if you want a few hours of fun entertainment. But above all, just read it. You won’t be disappointed.

October 15, 2021
JERKWATER by Jamie Zerndt – Native American Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Ethnic & Regional Fiction

Three friends in Mercer, Wisconsin find ways to deal with their problems amid a racist town in Jamie Zerndt’s Jerkwater.

Shawna Reynolds’ life changed when her white stepdad murdered her Ojibwa mother. Now living with her Naan (grandmother), Shawna surrounds herself with those who make her feel most comfortable. Besides Naan, she clings to her horse Seven, her behind-the-scenes Ojibwa boyfriend Elmer, and two white friends: Kay O’Brien and her son Douglas. But racial tension cuts through the town of Mercer itself, galvanized by a fight over fishing rights.

Soon after the death of her husband Norm, sixty-four-year-old Kay O’Brien learns that she nears the late stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Norm’s sudden demise shocks her and Douglas to the point that she withholds her recent diagnosis from him. Kay has a few church-lady friends, but feels closest to Shawna, spending time together drinking foul-tasting Manhattans. Shawna divulges that she’s been accepted into veterinary school, and in turn, Kay discloses her Alzheimer’s.

Douglas, who blames himself for his father’s death, takes over his dad’s unstable car repair business more out of guilt than aptitude. However, amongst the apparent doom and gloom of their lives, Shawna connects with animals, Douglas develops his art, and Kay still has enough wits about her to create positive change.

The three friends share something vital: they understand pain.

Each one struggles with their own unresolved issues: Shawna, anger over her mother’s death; Kay, health problems and the loss of her husband; and Douglas, caught between guilt and his desire to be an artist.

Jenna, a newbie who runs a hippish coffee house in town, takes an immediate interest in Douglas and his artwork. In the meantime, Kay discovers Norm’s poems written to a secret French love. But this upsetting news gets lost in the “Alzheimer” translation. She believes herself to be the secret love and takes off on Seven, babbling in nonsensical French. Although the situation is nothing less than strange, the friends have no idea that this bizarre moment will initiate a flurry of unforgettable and life-changing events.

Raconteur extraordinaire Jamie Zerndt produces a witty yet moving story of friendship.

Alternating his latest novel between three third-person narratives, Zerndt weaves in the local information about the Ojibwa and their constant fight with racist fishing rights in the highly-populated white town of Mercer, Wisconsin. Zerndt paints a convincing and visceral picture of emotion through his principal cast on many levels: low self-esteem, depression (leading to alcoholism), anger, and fear. His characters stay grounded, unremarkable, and relatable, especially Kay who struggles with the fact that she has no control of her mental state – something the older generation dreads.

Undoubtedly, sadness abounds from one page onward. But so does humor, love, and tenderness.

The humor arrives in darkness and sarcasm, as the characters face death and hate coming from a town dripping in racism. Sometimes, you have to laugh at pain in its face, and that’s precisely what Shawna, Kay, and Douglas do. Love unfolds awkwardly as an escape for Shawna and as a revelation for Douglas. Religion also comes into play as Kay bounces her thoughts of God between her relationship to the Catholic church, the church ladies she chums with, and a hippish priest who offers his services in an unorthodox way.

While chapters close on cliffhangers and tension builds with each character, Zerndt offers very little in the way of clues to the story’s apex. Instead, he uses the element of surprise, which allows readers to experience the depths of Shawna, Douglas, and Kay in ways they may not think possible.

Kudos to Zerndt for a brilliant literary work! Jerkwater is an absorbing read from beginning to end.

Jamie Zerndt’s Jerkwater won 1st Place in the 2019 CIBA Somerset Book Awards for Contemporary and Literary Novels.

October 8, 2021