Beneath the Lights

It's perfectly normal for a 19-year-old to be captivated by a beautiful young girl. But it's a bit unusual if he's never met her and she's been dead for more than a decade. In the Summer of 1978, Chad Anderson takes a construction job at a local amusement park. It is there he learns of Evelyn Welsh, a 16-year-old girl brutally murdered at the park thirteen years earlier. Although her killer was arrested and confessed to the crime, he has refused to reveal his motive or where he disposed of her body. Over the course of the summer, Chad's interest in the case develops into an obsession as he pursues the truth about Evelyn and tries to locate her remains. But he soon learns she may not have been as innocent as everyone has been led to believe. He also discovers the truth can be painful...and dangerous. Beneath the Lights is the literary equivalent of a Ramones song of the time period: fast-paced, tight, and compelling. The story is told from Chad's point of view interspersed with flashbacks that gradually reveal the details surrounding Evelyn's fate. As both narratives converge, Chad realizes he's uncovered a secret meant to stay buried for years. Finally, but no less important, it is a coming-of-age story that explores the themes of sacrifice and redemption. --- "This mystery paints a vivid picture of life in a small town and the danger and darkness that lurks even in the most benign of settings." - Jennifer Dornbush (Author of The Coroner, Secret Remains, and Forensic Speak)