#literaryfiction

She had no clue what was coming. To be betrayed by her husband and best friend. But life doesn’t end there and she need to find a way to move on. If she could speak to them, she would say they have exploded her heart, released firecrackers through her senses. She wishes she could call the police, the ambulance, the fire brigade, to arrest and anaesthetise and waterboard the bastards.

Las Vegas, 1982. Brady Wilks, a teenage transplant from the Midwest, navigates life in the dusty suburban outskirts of an aberrant 24-hour town built by the Mob. Outcast as a newcomer, Brady forges a brotherly bond with an older teenage neighbor, Mick, and his friend, Brett. But when Brett unexpectedly moves away, Mick invites a new kid into their pack, squeezing out the last remnants of their childhood in favor of a new world laced with cartel-supplied drugs and the deal of a lifetime.

Shackled to a controlling boyfriend by gold bracelets locked on her wrists, will she ever learn to live on her own terms? Chicago, 1984. Glory Bishop wishes to feel safe in love. Rescued by her unwanted fiancé from her abusive mother’s violence, the seventeen-year-old warily moves into his wealthy mom’s luxurious house to get away. Overwhelmed and confused by the kindness and grace her host shows, Glory struggles to know how to behave.

"Shadows and Reflections" is a collection of short stories, dominated by both physical and emotional struggles. Protagonists are in turn confronted with the painful loss of a loved one, a cruel twist of justice, and suicidal thoughts. An archaeological enigma, a haunting memory, and an emergency at sea also lurk within the pages of this book.