The Dredge

January 29, 2024
In this accomplished debut mystery, Flaherty revitalizes the familiar trope of old secrets threatening to resurface with sinewy prose and well-tooled suspense. In the present, plans are underway to dredge Gibbs Pond in Macoun, Conn., after a yearslong silt buildup. Developer Lily Rowe, who’s leading the project, hopes it will increase property values in the area, but also fears new light may be shed on dark secrets from her family’s past. Her father, Abe Rowe, physically abused his wife and children, including Lily’s brother, Ray, whose resulting behavioral issues—including violence and classroom disobedience—led the neighborhood to label him a dangerous pariah. Abe and Ray both disappeared in 1993, not long after the death of Eli Casey, who once tried to intervene and protect Abe’s wife, Bonnie, from her husband’s violent outbursts. Casey’s sons, Cale and Ambrose, who knew Lily growing up, have concerns of their own about what violent secrets the dredging might expose, leading Cale to return to Connecticut from Hawaii so he can convene with Ambrose. The past and present unfold gradually from the vantage points of Flaherty’s well-drawn leads, keeping readers on a knife’s edge as the full scope of each character’s history clicks into place. Admirers of Eli Cranor’s Ozark Dogs will be riveted. Agent: Duvall Osteen, United Talent Agency.

September 13, 2024

Flaherty debuts with a gripping tale of two estranged brothers whose grim secret is destined to come to light. After Cale and Ambrose Casey lost their father, their family fell apart. Cale left their hometown of Macoun, CT, for Hawaii to become a big-shot real estate mogul, while Ambrose stayed and worked construction. They have no contact for decades until news that Gibbs Pond, the locus of the family's secrets, is about to be dredged. Developer Lily Rowe, who has secrets of her own, is the project lead. The three reunite in Connecticut, with Casey trying to stop the dredging of the pond and Lily trying to keep the project going. David Bendena narrates capably, offering affecting character portraits. Lily has a chip on her shoulder and is confused and determined. Cale is guilty over leaving his brother but is desperate not to lose his lifestyle. Ambrose is weary of shouldering the burden of the past. The characters' conflicting emotions are captured with nuance, making listeners care for these damaged people. VERDICT A promising debut paired with a deft narrator make this an enjoyable and satisfying listening experience for suspense fans.--B. Allison Gray

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