Tom Gnagey

Faint Justice Tom Gnagey

1947. Small town, Midwest. Fifteen-year-old Pete's father is the local, well-respected, prosecuting attorney by day and an alcohol induced abusive father by night. The boy has turned elsewhere for adult, male, companionship. He found it in a cabin in the woods in the form of a sage, reclusive, handyman, his father's age. For some, unspoken reason, his father disapproves. Pete sees his role at home as protecting his mother and handicapped sister, thinking if he weren't there, they would become his father's targets. As a school project, Pete researches the recent history of Mason Crossing - his small town - and discovers secrets that turn his world upside down. He presents his findings in a school report that will destroy his father. The novel is a no-holds-barred study of raw emotions, swaddled in hate, love, and the seemingly unresolvable angst of adolescence. A weak mother, a best friend, and a budding romance help Pete put his life into perspective. (To properly tell the story, the depiction of violence was necessary. Intended for adults and young adults).