In September 1963, nine-year-old Patrick McGrath awakens one night to a loud bang in his south St. Louis County home. Frightened by the noise, he creeps into the dark hallway and opens the door to his parents’ room. He sees his mother lying in a pool of blood, dead of a gunshot wound. He is later told that she committed suicide.
The incident leaves a deep psychological scar, and Patrick’s life is never the same. He suppresses his memory of that night for most of his adult life until, against his will, he is forced to confront the truth of it. Through hypnotherapy sessions, he discovers that his mother’s death was not a suicide. It was murder.
With the help of one of the original detectives on the case, Patrick tries to find the real killer forty years after the fact. The pulsating search does more than unravel a murder mystery; it becomes a journey of self-discovery for Patrick. His notions of fate, free will, and the true nature of existence are transformed.
Funny, bittersweet, and shocking, The Last Days of Summer is a vivid remembrance of one man’s painful and poignant childhood, and how he comes to terms with it in middle age.
About the Author: Tim Fleming grew up in St. Louis County, in the very place and time where the story’s main action takes place. His previous works include two historical novels, a nonfiction book, and two short stories.
