Free: An American Novel

Abandoned by a selfish mother and with no father to speak of, Free has become increasingly reclusive and driven by the hope of reinventing herself in college, far away from nowhere, Texas. She is quickly outed as the only witness to the unsolved murder, dragged into the spotlight against her will, unearthing years of secrets, lies, and regrets. When her mother breezes back into town, Free is faced with years of repressed rage and the truth of who she is. The only way to stop the chaos is for Free to tell the truth, but Freedom isn't talking.

Carlos Jackson is a young reporter looking for his big break and a chance to stop covering small stories in dusty towns. When he arrives in the sleepy city of Jolivette, Texas, to cover yet another high school football story, he runs headlong into a web of murder, mystery, corruption, and racial tension - with Free at its center. The details are just juicy enough to catapult Carlos' career if he plays his cards right. As the pressure mounts and the story unfolds, his feelings for the main suspect spiral beyond his control. Carlos has to decide how far he is willing to go to chase fame- and how many people he is willing to hurt along the way.

Two love stories, a generation apart, unfold under the shadow of a gruesome murder, leaving the reader riveted to every page. A modern mystery filled with love, loss, revenge, and redemption.