Small Town Sins by Ken Jaworowski, is the story of a town, Locksburg, PA. A mining/steal town That is on the brink of something. Either the final nail will be put in the coffin or something is going to get this town out of the dumps. Something has to change, things can’t continue the way they have. Because trouble lurks around every corner and you have to be pretty smart to avoid. The story follows 3 different people from the town. Nathan a volunteer fireman, who finds a pile of money in a burning building. He saves the man in the building but takes the money and hides it. A nurse named Callie whose patient is ready to pass, who she is taking care of. Finally, Andy a ex heroin addict, who has just lost his wife and daughter, on the brink of relapse and yet finds himself hunting down a predator. Eventually the money changes everything in Nathan’s life and not for the better. Callie, is ready to lose her job over promising her patient once last wish. A wish that could ruin her life but make her patient die in peace. Andy, is hell bent on taking down the predator that he almost forgets his own problems. This was such a rich story. It had so much depth..the characters are just trying to live their best lives. Each trying to make their way, with the least amount of trouble. Their stores start to intertwine and things don’t seem to be looking good. The writing was excellent and I was surprised about the twists and turns it took. Can Nathan, Callie and Andy make their circumstances right or will they be victims of this way ward town? You will have to read to see how it ends. The narrators did an excellent job narrating this story. Kudos to Chris Ciulla, Jennifer Blom and John Pirhalla for a job well done. This was a 4 1/2 star listen for me. I want to thank Netgalley, MacMillan Audio and the author, for my copy for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure to listen and review this book.

Ken Jaworowski's "Small Town Sins" presents a familiar setting with a narrative that, while decent, lacks the depth to stand out in the crowded genre. The small-town backdrop is vividly portrayed, yet the characters often feel clichéd, making it challenging to fully invest in their stories. Jaworowski's writing is competent but doesn't offer the freshness or originality that distinguishes exceptional works. The pacing, at times, feels uneven, hindering the overall flow of the novel. While "Small Town Sins" may appeal to those seeking a straightforward, uncomplicated read, it falls short of delivering the depth and complexity necessary to leave a lasting impression, earning it a three-star rating.

In Small Town Sins, Ken Jaworowski weaves together three tales of sin from one small town. Each plotline builds a unique brand of grittiness and discomfort as the lead characters make decisions they know to be unwise, yet they cannot stop themselves from moving down these dark paths. This struck me as an intriguing premise, but as can happen with stories that have parallel plotlines, it's hard not to find that you want more of one story (for me, Andy) and less of others (Callie and Nathan).

However, for me, rotating each chapter between the three stories arrested the momentum of each story on its own. Rather than building suspense as with an ad break on television, this structure tore down the dark, driving energy that Jaworowski so clearly hoped to achieve for each of the three characters' arcs. For this reason, I think Small Town Sins would have been more successful as a collection of three separate novellas with a unifying introduction. I would be curious to read how this author handles a more traditional novel format with one primary plotline.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance audio copy of this book!

What a powerful debut! I listened to the audio format and thought that it was so good. I love a full narration cast which really helps to immerse the reader into the story.

*many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

This started off strong for me - the writing style is easy to read and the characters are all really well developed. Toward the middle it began to lag though and I found I had a hard time focusing on the audiobook. I picked up the physical book from the library and switched between the two formats to finish it out.

The atmosphere here is really well done; you definitely get the vibe of the small town and the almost claustrophobic feeling of knowing everything about everyone. I kept waiting for the separate storylines to mesh together and wrap everything up, but the ending was abrupt and left the reader to decide for themselves what to make of all the loose ends. The characters and the vivid setting really were well done, but the plot (especially the ending) didn’t work as well for me. Both of the narrators did an excellent job on the audiobook. If you like gritty crime stories and don’t mind an ambiguous ending you should give this one a try!

Thanks @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the ALC!

This was a sad read but I loved that each one of them had their come to Jesus moment and took care of their business. This was my 1st read by Ken Jaworowski but def won't be my last!

I listened to the audiobook for Small Town Sins and enjoyed the story and format. This book is a mystery set in Pennsylvania told from 3 different point of views. It certainly has trigger warnings so if you are impacted, I suggest looking into those before reading. I recommend this for readers of small town mystery, family drama, and multiple pov stories.

Small Town Sins is a pack of dynamite in a small package. I love short novels that can keep you turning the pages. The author creates a trio of interesting characters you grow to care about and become further intrigued as it goes along. The story was interesting, gripping, and had me on my toes. I wish I had gotten a bit more of Nathan, Andy, and Callie's backstory and what occurred to them after the conclusion. But, I don't regret this one.

The audiobook is well-performed by the cast of narrators and definitely worth checking out.

"I hope she wasn't hiding too much sadness behind the smile."

Small Town Sins by provocative debut author Ken Jaworowski doesn't hide human emotions. The sadness, the poignancy, the guilt, the grief, the paranoia, the happiness from the simple, "...it's always the little things," that makes us smile through constant tragedy are all there for the three main characters of this intense drama thriller.

Middle aged factory worker, volunteer firefighter, Nathan hates his life, his job, and struggling with bills every month. When he finds bags of money in a burning home his decisions will be destructive not just for him.

Nurse Callie has mostly known only the cruelty of humankind. Born disfigured with a cleft lip that painful surgeries only made worse she still has her dreams and a good heart. It's not surprising when she risks everything to help a dying patient's one dream come true.

Then there is Andy. I had to stop listening for a while after his personal tragedy. It was just too sad, too unfair, just plain wrong. Andy, a recovering addict, feels lost and is ready to end it all but when he discovers the secret of a despicable priest he only feels the need for vengeance before leaving this life.

How the three narrators Chris Ciulla, Jennifer Blum, and John Pirhalla immersed themselves into these complex compelling characters is a testament to their immense talent. I believed Nathan's desperation, Callie's unfathomable compassion and Andy's painful anger.

If this gritty, atmospheric often dark drama is what this writer can do with his debut novel I can't imagine the thrills us book lovers are in for with his future work.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from MacMillan Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Oh what an interesting book! MacMillan Audio kindly granted me access to the audiobook and I downloaded it and listened to it in a day. Small Town Sins does a lot of jumping around. This book tells the stories of several folks living in a small town. Jaworowski focuses on three characters, Nathan, Andy, and Callie. Each of the characters is flawed, burdened, and hiding secrets. I gravitated most to Callie and Andy's storylines. It's a quick read and you have to be comfortable with things feeling a tad disjointed at times, but it's a solid read!

Locksburg, Pennsylvania is the small home town of three unique individuals, Nathan, Andy and Callie. Each one has secrets to hide. Nathan stole money, Andy is after a serial predator and Callie is just wanting to make a young girl’s dream come true.

Lord have mercy, just about everyone in this town is committing one felony or another, for one reason or another. I love the story for each character and don’t think you won’t question whether you will commit each of these crimes. It is like a moral compass. This is an emotional and sensitive read which brings many questions into your focus. And these characters…they will stick with you!

The novel has quite a few moving parts, but the way the audiobook if formatted, it is easily followed and BOY did I enjoy it. I love it when an audiobook has more than one narrator. This book has Chris Ciulla, Jennifer Blom and John Pirhalla as the narration team and they are superb.

Need a just a poignant, good story…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This is a debut novel for this author, and it is a good one! If not a bit strange…
The story basically revolves around 3, no actually 4 people.

1. Nathan, a firefighter, who hears a call for a burning building while he’s off duty, and realizes he is close by…and goes to it…and into it, by himself. He finds a guy inside, literally ON FIRE…and drags him to safety.
But…he also finds a stash inside the house and hides it. The question is, will this bring him peace and joy as he hopes…or misery??

2. Paula is a nurse at the local small town hospital. She is well liked, and like most nurses, overworked…. She has a great relationship with the main doc at the hospital, as well as the other nurses. She is married to Nathan. And she is not happy with what he has done…

3. Andy is a young guy who WAS a drug addict, with his wife, until she got pregnant and decided to stay clean for the baby. And so did he. And they did! And their baby girl was born….but there were problems. The three of them stuck together thru thick and thin and rallied around their daughter! To the surprise of everyone in town! Until one day his life completely and irrevocably changed. Now the question is…what will he do? He is faced with daunting decisions…

4. Callie is also a nurse and is loved by many. But she has a noticeable defect, that she chooses to cover with a mask, since Covid emerged. She was picked on and stared at her whole life…but finds solace in helping others thru nursing. She meets one patient in particular, that seems to really get to her…and she wants to do whatever she can to help this patient, before it’s too late…

In the chapters that follow, a picture is painted for each of the characters, and you’ll see life from their POV’s…Be it good, bad or ugly….

The whole book has a definite small town vibe, complete with the shanty town feel and druggies and bad areas, as well as the camaraderie, and the ‘everyone knows everyone else feel’ you can only find in a unique place like this!

I loved the theory of the book…but did not like how it ended. I feel like we were all just left in the dark…in so many ways…
I look forward to seeing what this author does in the future!

That being said…3 1/2 stars for me!
Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC of the audiobook.

This book is dark. This book is depressing. This book will not leave you feeling good about anything. The story is of one sad and dying town and three of it’s residents. One got a teenager pregnant (when he was a teen) and then jumps to a sad adulthood. Another is a nurse who works with the first guys wife and feels lonely and lost. The third is a man who fought drug abuse for the family he loses. They are all slightly intertwined. The author was good at elliciting emotion, but I feel awful after reading this.

Book Title: Small Town Sins
Author: Ken Jaworowski
Genre: Suspense, Thriller, Gen Fiction
Release Day: August 1, 2023
Format: Audio Book
Rating: Storyline 3.5⭐️ Narration 5⭐️

Synopsis: Ken Jaworowski’s Small Town Sins is a gripping Rust Belt thriller that captures the characters of a down-and-out Pennsylvania town, revealing their troubled pasts and the crimes that could cost them their lives.

In Locksburg, Pennsylvania, a former coal and steel town whose best days seem long past, five thousand residents have toughed it out, and have reasons for both worry and hope as this neglected place teeters between decay and renewal. For some of them, their biggest troubles have just arrived.

After years of just scraping by, three restless souls have their lives upended: Nathan, a volunteer fireman who uncovers a secret stash of money in a burning building and takes it; Callie, a nurse whose tender patient may not have long to live, despite the girl’s fundamentalist parents’ ardent beliefs; and Andy, a recovering heroin addict who undertakes a nightmare mission to hunt down and stop a serial predator.

Before long, Nathan’s stolen riches threaten to destroy everyone around him as he tries to cover his haphazard trail of lies. Callie risks her career to grant her young patient a final, and likely illegal, wish. And Andy’s hunger for vigilante justice becomes a fierce obsession that may end in violence.

As their stories barrel toward unexpected ends, Nathan, Callie, and Andy struggle to endure—or escape. They each face their pasts and gamble on their futures, and confront the underside of their rough Rust Belt town. Riveting, evocative, and unforgettable, Small Town Sins is a debut novel that marks the arrival of a major new talent.

My Thoughts: This was a little disappointing as everything that really happens has already been laid out in the synopsis. I thought the three lives would intertwine and I had so many theories. I was however completely wrong and none connect and also all are left open. No specific conclusions but left for your own interpretation. It was a huge let down to Mr and I was left wanting answers.

The narration was top notch and I loved that there was two narrators, both male and female.

Thank you to MacmillanAudio and NetGalley for this advanced listening copy for my honest review.

This is Jarowoski’s debut novel and it's hard to believe. It's so good.

We arrive in Lockesburg, Pennsylvania, once a thriving coal town, now a struggling nowhere tow; we focus on the lives of the story’s three main characters: Nathan, Callie, and Andy, are all from the small-town with successful lives with sins from their past. We follow along as Nathan, a firefighter that wrestles with what to do with a find he had while rescuing a man in a burning building; Callie, a dedicated nurse who connects with a terminally ill young woman; and Andy, a recovering drug addict who is struggling to be a good father to his child.

Each of them and their families contemplate decisions that could change their futures, and the decisions they make, right or wrong, have far-reaching consequences. This was a classic story where "actions have consequences."

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the performance of each narrator. Ensemble casting in audiobooks is the best, and it was a good listen.

Ken Jaworowski, a New York Times culture editor and playwright, delivers a smashing knock-out debut literary/crime thriller, SMALL TOWN SINS — Soulful, intense, lyrical, darkly funny, and deeply entertaining, with quirky, highly creative characters.

DAZZLING! The author has cleverly created a cast of well-developed, relatable, sympathetic characters all desperate to escape their dead-end life and past—mixed with despair, heartbreak, struggles, regrets, mistakes, heart, and humor for a highly satisfying, addictive read.

Set in the gripping Rust Belt, a town of 5K, where everyone knows everyone's business in Locksburg, Pennsylvania, a former coal and steel town where everyone wants a way out of this depressing dead-end town. How do they escape their environment?

Crossing moral lines, how far will these restless and desperate souls go for greed, money, and a better life? Will they keep repeating their patterns and crimes or learn from their mistakes? There are no do-overs here.

However, be careful what you wish for, as it may be worse than what you have. This slow depressing town has never seen so much action and DANGER!

Told from alternating three POVs:
NATHAN, CALLIE, and ANDY

NATHAN: Nathan was trapped by a young girl years ago with blackmail. She says she is pregnant and needs money for an abortion. To dig himself out, he stole from his family, and then due to his misdeeds, the innocent people in his life died. Now years later, he still lives in this same dead-end town and meets Paula, a caring nurse, and they marry.

They built a big house and want children. No luck after 15 years and tons of money spent on specialists. Paula is always cheerful, but Nathan is negative. He thinks he has finally won the lottery and a way out of this dead-end town for a better life when he uncovers a stash of money in a burning building as a volunteer fireman. Nathan takes it and hides it at home. He thinks it is drug money, so who will miss it? His wife is totally against it and wants him to turn it over to the police, and will have nothing to do with it. The burn victim is at her hospital.

Karma comes back to bite again when the same girl who blackmailed him is back like Eve with an apple tempting like a femme fatale. He falls for her tricks again. However, in the end, this will be the worst tragedy of his life. Nothing is as it appears. The money is not what he thought, and he will lose the love of his life. Once again, tragedy due to his mistakes. (this is a good one).


ANDY: Andy was a former heroin addict, as well as his wife, Katie. They have each done bad things for drugs to escape their miserable lives. However, their lives change when Katie finds out she is pregnant, and they both quit cold turkey—no more drugs.

Their beautiful baby girl, Angie, is born with Downs Syndrome. They loved and cared for her, but one day it was too late, and they knew her heart would not last. Now Katie and Angie are gone from Andy's life. He wants to end his life to be with them, but someone stops him. From here, the detective gives him a name of a priest to help. However, the priest is a pedophile, and Andy has found a briefcase full of child porn. He is determined to take this guy down after seeing a photo of a child with Downs Syndrome, among other innocent children. However, his plan of revenge does not go the way he planned. I loved Andy, Katie, and Angie!


CALLIE: Then we come to Callie. Your heart will go out to Callie and her patient, Gabriella. Callie, a nurse, has had a tough life. She is sarcastic and funny (I love her dark humor). She has lived with disfigurement daily from a craniofacial disorder she was born with—a cleft palate and harelip with operation complications. She has no dates or life, and everyone looks at her like a freak. She liked it when everyone wore masks during the pandemic so they could not see her scars. She has little patience with whinny patients.

Her life changes when a young girl, Gabriella, is brought to the hospital by her father. She is dying, and he could have been helped, but the dad thinks religion will heal and does not give her the medicine or treatments. The doctor said to keep her father away.

Callie develops a friendship and close bond with Gabriella during her time at the hospital. She wants to see the ocean before she dies—her last wish. The parents will not now allow it. So Callie decides to kidnap her from the hospital, and they both can see the ocean simultaneously. If she gets caught, she could lose her license.

However, the trip did not go as expected. She offers someone a ride, and they steal Gabriella's medicine. From there, it is one disaster after another, with bad at every turn. However, in the process, they go to a bar to pick up something from someone offering to help, and she meets a man without an arm. He does not care about Callie's scars. They dance. Gabriella and Callie turn into partners in crime for a Thelma and Louise WILD ride road trip. I love these two!


As all their stories collide, Nathan, Callie, and Andy struggle to endure—or escape. They must face their pasts, gamble on their futures, and confront the underbelly of this depressing town. I LOVED THIS BOOK! What a wild adventure.

Ken Jaworowski is an author to watch! I loved his back story and how he came to write this story. Thank you for persevering! A HIT. I cannot wait to see what comes next! I will be anxiously awaiting. SMALL TOWN SINS checks all the boxes.

Fans of authors (a mix of) Dan Chaon, Fredrik Backman, David Joy, Elizabeth Berg, Joyce Maynard, Allen Eskens, William Kent Krueger, and Karen Katchur's The Greedy Three will find much to like here!

I could see a mini-TV series with these memorable, quirky characters. Creative, heartwarming, witty, and bingeworthy! I enjoyed the writing style with cliffhanger chapters, so not each story is written separately, keeping you on the edge of your seat in suspense!

The highly emotional themes and topics could be ripped from today's headlines of small rural towns—from opioid abuse, depression, suicide, religion, child abuse, pedophile priests, murder, addiction, poor neighborhoods, corruption, and more. (economic, social, moral)

AUDIOBOOK: The audiobook was fantastic! I enjoyed listening and reading; the audiobook was superb! I heard in one sitting and then re-listened again weeks later. The narrators, Chris Ciulla, Jennifer Blom, and John Pirhalla, were perfectly matched for the characters/voices. I highly recommend the audiobook.

A home run out of the gate! OK, you have figured out I loved this book. A must-read! Get this stunning literary thriller set in a rural small town, rich in character, captivating, heartfelt, and infused with dark humor on your TBR list.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for an ALC and Henry Holt and Co. for an ARC via NetGalley for an honest opinion. I loved both so much that I purchased the hardcover copy for my home library!

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Day: Aug 1, 2023
Aug 2023 Must-Read Books

DNF at 15% truly the most dreary and depressing story I’ve ever read. There wasn’t an ounce of happiness in the story.. each storyline was more sad than the last, however the narrator was fantastic

I could not stop listening to this one--very fast paced and engrossing story! The female narrator was great--the males were lacking for me, but I still enjoyed this one. Things kept getting crazier and crazier, and even though it got pretty far-fetched, I was hooked to find out what would happen. Will 100% check out more books by this author in the future.

This was an amazing debut! This story was well-formed, raw and gritty, and full of nuance and life lessons for the characters and beyond. It didn't take long to get sucked into this story and it was atmospheric, as you felt the small town hopelessness, or maybe that was me because I get it. I live in Small Town Tennessee, not exactly the land of opportunity these days.

Locksburg, Pennsylvania is a dead-end town that used to be great.. before the closing of the coal and steel facilities that brought wealth to their neck of the woods. This is a classic American hurdle that is often forgotten, as it's more interesting to the masses to talk about other things.

Many of those left behind are quite bitter. Their lives just didn't turn out how they expected, still suffering the consequences of things from decades ago. Time moves differently when you're in a small town and some of their struggles are ironic.

We directly follow three residents in particular and their lives intersect in strange and interesting ways. Nathan, a volunteer fire fighter who hits it rich unexpectedly. Callie, a nurse whose terminal patient is making her consider different things existentially, and finally, Andy, who brings probably the wildest and saddest story of the 3, but as addicts often do, he lurks on the outskirts.

Each of them have something to say and it isn't always comfortable but it's necessary to hear. The time has finally come to grapple with the past they've never truly left behind and danger is beyond every corner because, as most of us know, nothing is a secret for long in a small town.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review. This is a new author to keep an eye out for. I can't wait to see what he has in store. I listened to the audio and the narration was fantastic.

Locksburg, Pennsylvania, once a thriving steel and coal community, has crumbled into an impoverished town. Now, the remaining 5000 residents do what they can to scrape by. Small Town Sins revolves around the lives of Nathan, Callie, and Andy, and how their lives change drastically in one day, one hour, and with one decision.

This story was so raw and emotional. I devoured it in one day. It covers subjects of addiction, recovery, death, poverty, abuse, and infidelity. The characters were amazingly written and they felt so real! Although their stories overlap minimally, there is a cohesion that comes from their ties to Locksburg.

Let’s talk characters — I had a soft spot for Andy, with all of the immense hardships he went through. He reached sobriety to give his daughter as good and stable a life that he could offer. Andy’s relationships with his wife and daughter were so heartwarming. He was not the stereotypical substance addict you see in most novels (manipulative and deceitful), which was really refreshing.

Though I wound up despising him, Nathan was a great character. His constant justification of all of his horribly selfish decisions being “FOR” his wife made me loathe him. Nathan went from a respectable husband to an abusive and greedy monster. That transition was masterfully done.

Callie was also great — her story felt so relatable. I thought her narration was more lighthearted than Andy and Nathan’s, even though it still dealt with somber subject matter. It was always a welcome break from the bleakness when Callie’s chapters began.

I’m giving Small Town Sins 4.5 stars. I was so desperate for a little more closure at the end, but it was still highly impactful. Ken Jaworowski did an incredible job with this story, as did the team that narrated the audiobook (Chris Ciulla, Jennifer Blom and John Pirhalla). I will be on the lookout for more from Jaworowski in the future. If you enjoy immersive, gritty, small-town thriller, you must pick this one up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced reading copy!