A thoughtful, character-driven mystery…
After a group of children die in a terrible car crash, a troubled assistant school superintendent seeking redemption finds himself entangled in a murder investigation. When four fifth graders die in a terrible accident during a school camping trip, everyone is shaken. Soon, it becomes apparent the boys were high on a hallucinogen. Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks is assigned by the school board to look into the matter. Hoping to redeem a fatal mistake from his past, Ken grasps the opportunity and begins to look into the matter, unaware his quest will put his own life in danger and of those he loves. The novel is as much about the mystery of who is the real culprit behind the horrific scenario as it’s a character-driven story focusing on the protagonists and their rich, complex life stories. Overbeck also explores a host of complex issues, including schools drug culture, bullying adolescent angst, family dynamics, guilt, and redemption. The plotting is tight, and the central mystery keeps readers engaged as it unfolds through a smoothly paced narrative. This page-turning puzzle will keep readers guessing until the very end.
Cruel Lessons (Lessons in Peril Book 1)
Randy Overbeck
Wild Rose Press
Pub date October 11, 2023
ISBN 978-1509252138
Price $20.99 (USD) Paperback, $3.99 Kindle edition
