Reviewed by Tidal

TITLE: Miller’s Creek 

AUTHOR: R.G. Green

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 175 pages

BLURB:

Seventy-five years ago in the rural town of Miller’s Creek, Jacob Palmer massacred his family. Sixty years later, thirteen-year-old Jesse Ellis watched his best friend Geoff Meyers commit accidental murder in the cemetery where Palmer was buried when a childish prank went horribly wrong. Unable to cope, Geoff made a tragic decision, leaving Jesse to face the judgmental town and his own nightmares alone. Jesse and his family fled the tragedy, hoping to leave the past behind.

Fifteen years later, Jesse is hoping for his big break as a journalist for the Attingwood Journal. Then the anniversary of Palmer’s killing spree leads Jesse’s boss to assign him to the story, and Jesse reluctantly returns to Miller’s Creek, dreading the horrors he left there.

What he finds instead is gorgeous Dustin Weaver, a man with a past uncannily similar to his own. As Dustin helps Jesse put his demons into perspective, Jesse uncovers information that may prove Palmer was more than a vicious murderer. In the end, Jesse sees both the possibility to right an old wrong and the chance to gain the future and the man he wants—but only if he can finally lay his past to rest.

REVIEW:

I love this book. On the 60^th Anniversary of the Jacob Palmer massacre, two teen age boys go out looking for adventure and accidents cause the death of an innocent man. Plagued by guilt Geoff takes the only option he sees. Jesse and his family are left to bear the shame and scandal. The Ellis family is run out of town not physically but they certainly feel that way and no one is ever the same. Each are sent off to their own individual exiles.

Jesse, after years of therapy and hard work, is studying journalism. He finds a job at the Attingwood Journal. He is forced to revisit the past on the 75^th. Anniversary of the Jacob Palmer massacre, it also marks the 15^th year anniversary of that faithful night that changed everyone’s lives forever. Jesse does not want to do the story but he is forced by threat of blacklist. It has been long enough and he is perhaps not ready but is willing to face his demons.

He arrives back to Miller’s Creek and it does not take long to stir up old memories and wake up long dead ghosts. Jesse meets Dustin Weaver and they find they have very much in common. Jesse meets Dustin at the gas station as he is a few miles from town. He wonders if he will meet the mysterious stranger again. Fate does intervene. They are drawn together in a chance meeting in town and something casual turns to friendship. Dustin offers Jesse the support and courage to find the strength that has been dormant for so long. Dustin does not save him but helps him find himself. That friendship grows into love.

Doing the research on the Jacob Palmer story he soon realizes that there were many secrets that were buried; those secrets also have a direct impact on the tragic accident of 15 years ago.

I love the plot twists in this story. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. My heart was pounding in my chest and I kept thinking in the back of my mind, “They are not going to go there are they?” And they did right over the cliff like it was Thelma and Louise!

Sometimes looking back we remember only the good things or the bad, but this story Jesse looks and finds the truth lies somewhere in between and in the process he finds himself and so much more. This is a difficult review to write because there is so much complexity and twists that I want the reader to discover these gems for themselves. The action and story is so full, emotional, and high speed.

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

ARe