English | 128 pages | The History Press (June 17, 2014) | 1626195153 | EPUB | 4.54 Mb

Jealousy. Rage. Murder. Injury. Disruption. Abandonment. Incarceration. Accommodation. Patience. Forgiveness. Redemption. In this work by author Paul Hoch, all of the words listed previously figure significantly in the narrative. It reads like a novel, but the events and the people involved are real. The author tells a tale that could happen in any small town in America. This type of story is often familiar to local citizenry if the people involved are from the upper echelons of society. But the people in this narrative are working class citizens who likely were not known by many of the people in the community and the struggles of their lives were largely unknown by other than those directly involved. This book brings their difficult circumstances to light. The story and the unfortunate events that continue to follow the two main characters for many years after the initial tragic murder are explored in detail throughout the book. The extensive research done by the author to fully develop the story is impressive. An unusual aspect of this work is that the setting of the story and the times in which it occurred play an important role in the book. The reader, if from Carlisle, will recognize the places and events of the town during the middle of the twentieth century. If not from Carlisle, the reader will come to know the town very well.
Paul Hoch is well-known in the town and surrounding community. He has been a successful businessman and has served as a leader in a variety of institutions in the Carlisle area. A native of the area, he has a unique perspective on the events that play out in this narrative. Paul Hoch, the writer, is also well-known, although this is his first "published" work. For two years he contributed a column to the local newspaper, The Carlisle Sentinel. The column entitled "Walk Around Town," described various places and events in the history of the community. Well-received and remembered by the readership, the articles were compiled in 2008 and published by the Cumberland County Historical Society in a single volume entitled "Carlisle History and Lore." He has also written for the Society's annual Journal. This work will provide the local community with an opportunity to read Paul's first book-length endeavor. Readers from outside the local area will be introduced to the town, a unique time in twentieth-century history, and a rewarding and well-told true story.
The opportunity to read and provide input on an early draft of this book was greatly appreciated. It was a story that I did not know even after working for eleven years as a librarian at the Cumberland County Historical Society. The unusual aspect of having the town and its familiar locations play a role in the book is intriguing and enlightening. One of the most rewarding parts of the story is the way both main characters are able to rise above the tragedy and bring real meaning to their lives. The use of original photographs of the main characters and of the town from the original time provide significant enhancement to the telling of these events.