Uncle Francis

Francis Lynwood Burke called himself "Burke" and was a small town sensation. Born to a privileged family, and while in his 40s still living in his father's house, he wrote the society page for the local newspaper, wore a James Dean haircut and the latest outrageous fashions, and drove his three favorite lovers (Gina, Jeanie, and Paul) around town in a pink Cadillac. On Sundays, after he drove his family's part-time cook home, he joined a wealthy older widow at her estate, but spent Wednesday evenings with the wife of the man who owned the newspaper he worked for. Then, in October 1966, he was gone.At age 29, Katie Sharen Hobarth returns to the intimidating mansion that was home to her when she was a shy 14-year-old with a hopeless crush on her charismatic Uncle Francis. She hopes to move past her failed attempts at an education, a job she didn't care about, and a marriage that couldn't last, and gain the courage to reconnect with family and friends, face losses and fears, and find herself.In March of 1982 Detective Cyril Bennington is facing a retirement he isn't sure he's ready for, even though he knows it's time. His beloved wife passed away decades ago and his mother two years ago, so except for his two pet cats, Cy will be home alone. But he won't be idle. One unsolved case from over 15 years ago still haunts him, and he cannot let it go. A man disappeared and was never found, alive or dead. His family, his friends, his numerous lovers, his co-workers and boss, in fact, everyone around town and beyond, who Bennington and his detective partner spoke to, had no idea why or how he would leave or where he could have gone. And none of them has seen or heard from him since late October of 1966. The unsolved missing persons case of Francis Lynwood Burke.