From the author of the archeological thriller Elisha's Bones
comes a story closer to home and family. When struggling author CJ Baxter returns to his hometown for his grandfather's funeral, he faces a ruthless brother who's making a bid for the Senate, and must deal with a family bent on getting him elected. The family is not thrilled about CJ's veiled exposition of their lives in his writing, and the secret he tries to expose will either be the death of a political career, or of CJ. Hoesel weaves deep psychological insight into the characters and paints lovely scenes that meander through upstate New York's Adirondack Mountains, creating a great winter read for those who enjoy a slower paced telling of an intricate few days of life in a complex family struggle. Hoesel has substantial writing talent and writes about authentic family issues wrapped in a suspenseful plot. (Feb.)