Everyone Dies Famous
by Len Joy
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Aug 01 2020 | Archive Date Sep 28 2020
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Description
As a tornado threatens their town, a stubborn old man who has lost his son teams up with a troubled young soldier to deliver a jukebox to the wealthy developer having an affair with the soldier's wife.
It's July 2003 and the small town of Maple Springs, Missouri is suffering through a month-long drought. Dancer Stonemason, a long-forgotten hometown hero still grieving over the death of his oldest son, is moving into town to live with his more dependable younger son. He hires Wayne Mesirow, an Iraq war veteran, to help him liquidate his late son's business.
The heat wave breaks and the skies darken. Dancer tries to settle an old score while Wayne discovers the true cost of his wife's indifference and turns his thoughts to revenge. When the tornado hits Maple Springs, only one of the men will make it out alive.
Everyone Dies Famous is a story from the heartland about the uncommon lives of everyday people - the choices they make, how they live their lives, and how they die.
"This is an incredibly well written book.The dialogue is compelling and I felt like I knew each and every character." - NetGalley review
". . . Len Joy is a master at pacing, and he moves us along --- urging us to turn the pages faster and faster. Each short chapter is time-stamped, and the action takes place in an intense fourteen hours, increasing with the building of a massive storm front. . . " LiteratureLust Book Blog
"I was captivated from the first page and stayed like that throughout the rest of the book. You want to know what happens next. All the characters are relatable in some way and you miss them when the book is done. Len Joy leaves you wanting more." - NetGalley review
". . . Beautifully written and full of emotion. . . " - The Bookwormery
"Great book. Riveting story with characters worth caring about and rooting for. I read this in one sitting---the pages turned themselves." - Verified reviewer
Advance Praise
"...a striking depiction of small-town America at the dawn of the 21st century." - KIRKUS Reviews
"In the realistic small-town novel Everyone Dies Famous, citizens struggle to cope with their pasts and adapt to the future... a focused novel about regret and redemption." - FOREWORD REVIEWS
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781945448720 |
| PRICE | $16.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 280 |
Featured Reviews
Elaine C, Reviewer
An interesting story that traces a rather dysfunctional family through the years. There are flashbacks and it all culminates in a way you don’t expect
Cristie U, Bookseller
This skillfully written story about the choices made by people in the heartland and the aftermath is a great read. The characters are well-developed and the story moves at the perfect pace.
Rekha R, Reviewer
Absolutely brilliant story about uncommon lives of everyday people. A purely character-driven story that blows your mind! Len Joy's storytelling is marvelous, keeps the reader hooked on to the story until the end. Highly recommended!
Monika P, Reviewer
In Maple Springs, Missouri some people live in their past glories, trying their best to adapt to the future. This is a purely character driven novel about regret and redemption, with a heart for veterans. Joy is a talented writer, most of the character driven, emotional novels move slowly; but not this one. I read it in two days!
Thank you BQB publishing, Netgalley and Len Joy for the arc. This is my own opinion.
Susan H, Reviewer
When I read this story I was unaware that there had been a previous book about these characters but it didn’t spoil the enjoyment of this story. The story begins at the end after tragedy has struck the small town of Maple Springs, then drops back to fill in the pieces. The story centres around Dancer Stonemason and the events that brought him back to this town and how his decisions that day change the course of other peoples lives as the day goes on.
I liked the laidback pace of the town and getting to know the people. It is weird because knowing at the beginning of the story that some people die feels terribly sad but at that point, I didn’t know those people, by the end I do and the feelings are so much deeper. The author brings this town to life, the way they live, the pace and the hidden hurts that have festered for years because of lack of communication. The things that matter in life.
The author created a perfect atmospheric build-up throughout the book, with the last few chapters being both intense with the characters and the elements. It certainly brought out true heroes and heart in my mouth moments.
If there were any lessons to be learned by this book it is never to take anything or anyone for granted, because you never know if you will see that person again.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
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