Retired Chicago police officer Cal Hooper has built a quiet life in the West of Ireland, mentoring a local teenager named Trey Reddy. Their stability is threatened when Trey’s long-absent father, Johnny, returns to the village with a wealthy Londoner and a scheme to find gold hidden in the local hills. Johnny’s plan relies on manipulating his neighbors' greed, forcing Cal and his romantic partner, Lena, to navigate a landscape of community secrets and private grudges to protect Trey from her father’s reckless exploitation.
This novel is for readers who study how small-town social structures and family loyalties function under financial pressure. It appeals to those interested in the mechanics of a con and the ethical gray areas of vigilante justice within an isolated rural setting. Readers walk away with a specific understanding of how historical poverty shapes current distrust and the lengths individuals go to preserve chosen family bonds when legal systems fail to provide protection.
Balanced in tone; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2024
- Language
- EN
