Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Strawberry Gold

Rate this book
Is the gold real, or is Pat on a fool's errand?

It's January 1986, and Pat Kowalski has just turned 18, but there's no cause for celebration. His father is dying, and the local bank is foreclosing on their house. Pat talks to his senile great-grandmother, who tells him a story about a man dying in front of her in 1894. She doesn't tell him that the man – Mister Good Boots - had been carrying a suitcase worth of gold coins. These coins would be worth a fortune today – if they are still left.

But Pat's not the only person in their small Central Illinois town who needs money. Pat's classmate Vince is watching his college dream evaporate. Vince also convinced himself that Pat's family had stolen something of great value from his family in the 1920s. He's willing to do whatever it takes to right an old wrong. Vince has another advantage – Pat doesn't know Vince is looking.

The two men are trying to determine whether there's any gold left and, if so, where it is. While they look, they discover a lot about their own history, from bodies buried under an abandoned restaurant to both families' relationships with Al Capone. It's a race where the winner gets the gold, and the loser gets a bullet.

ebook

First published December 16, 2024

2 people are currently reading
3593 people want to read

About the author

Christopher Gerrib

4 books19 followers
Chris Gerrib admits to being a bit obsessed with Mars, but in a healthy way. He can quit thinking about Mars any time he wants to. He wrote three novels (so far) set on or around Mars, but promises to get out of the Solar System soon. Chris still has a day job as the IT director at a Chicago-area bank, and holds degrees in history and business from the University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University. He also served in the US Navy during the First Gulf War, and can proudly report that not one Iraqi MiG bombed Jacksonville, Florida while he was in the service. In his copious free time, Chris is a past President of and currently active in his local Rotary club.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
9 (39%)
4 stars
11 (47%)
3 stars
1 (4%)
2 stars
2 (8%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Jenny.
2,238 reviews72 followers
November 16, 2024
Strawberry Gold is an excellent historical fiction by Christoper Gerrib. In January 1968, in a small community in Illinois, eighteen-year-old Pat Kowalski realised that his family had no money. However, he discovered a suitcase worth of gold coins while interviewing his grandmother for a school project. Pat decided to look for the briefcase. However, Pat did not realise that Vincent, one of his classmates, was also looking for the gold coins. Will Pat be victorious, or will Vincent? The readers of Strawberry Gold will continue to follow Pat and Vincent to discover what happens.

Strawberry Gold is the first book I have read by Christoper Gerrib. I enjoyed it. I did engage with this book from the first page, and it continues to the end. I enjoyed how Christoper Gerrib ensures his readers understand the social issues of the period of this book and how they can affect small communities. I also love Christoper Gerrib's portrayal of his characters and how they interact throughout this book. Strawberry Gold is well-written and researched. I like Christoper Gerrib's description of the settings, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.

Strawberry Gold's readers will learn about the consequences of fraud on families and the community and about living in Illinois in 1968.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for my free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. I recommend this book.
Profile Image for Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews.
2,822 reviews192 followers
March 21, 2025
This novel combines the past and the present to uncover the truth about family, fortune, and deception.

This was an enjoyable novel, and I appreciated how the author blended the stories from the past with the present. It is all interconnected, so having that information helped me understand the stories Grand Barb was telling, along with information from the "mob" family. Patrick has a lot on his shoulders, and it doesn't help that his mother basically shuts down after his father passed away. Luckily, he has some help from his grandmother and teachers to help guide him towards the help he needs.

Patrick also has a friend, VG, who he ropes into finding this mysterious gold. Is it real? Is it a figment of Grand Barb's imagination? It takes digging to uncover the truth. And because it is set in 1986, there is no internet or easy way to find that information.

This story would not be complete without antagonists. In this case, Vince (Three Sticks because he is the 3rd) and his father. His father owns a bank, but we learn he is losing that bank. It is mindboggling the effort they go through in trying to protect assets. I am sure you can imagine, but read the book to learn the whole story. Vince (III) is not Patrick's friend. He takes after his father in more ways than one.

I will admit it was hard to keep VG and Vince separate. Vince had multiple names in the book, and I thought VG was another nickname for him. It might have been better to use another name for VG to truly keep the characters separate.

This is historical, a mystery and a little suspense all rolled into one. We give it 4 paws up.
9,375 reviews133 followers
December 15, 2024
This is a well written book with strong characters and an intriguing storyline. The author does a great job developing the story and paints her scenes perfectly. He takes you into small town life filled with action, tension and discoveries. He moves the story fluidly and delivers an interesting page turner. Loved and recommend this book!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are freely given.
Profile Image for Lyndsay Fiorentino.
132 reviews3 followers
February 22, 2025
Great story with lots of twists in the plotline and love the interconnecting stories between characters.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via voracious readers only.
Profile Image for Maryann Kafka.
850 reviews28 followers
May 21, 2025
Now in his senior year at Eastville High School, Patrick Kowalski, was ready to celebrate his eighteenth birthday, on January 17, 1986. Patrick’s life wasn’t too bad, but it took a turn for the worst on his birthday. It wasn’t suppose to start like this, as it was the most important two months of his life. Now, he was in a nursing home, with his mother as they watched over his dad. His father was stricken with Goodpasture’s syndrome, and had been in and out of the hospital for two years. He had also lost his leg, now things hadn’t gotten better. Patrick also learned they were about to have their house foreclosed on. His mother worked at the IGA the only source of their income. For Patrick he still had to go to school so he could graduate or drop out. Unfortunately, Patrick’s birthday was forgotten.

As a senior, he was doing well at school and has an Oral History Project that he started working on in January 1986. The project is about the history of Eastville and he had just the right person to talk with. He started by asking questions from his oldest living relative, Great Barb, better known as Barbara Pikus, Patricks great-grandmother. Great Barb tells him a story of when she was four or five years old, when she only spoke in Lithuanian. In May 1894, during the big railroad strike, she first met a man she called “good boots”. She remembered it was May 21, 1894, and she received a rag doll and a piece of candy from “good boots”. As Great Barb was out with her friend Bobby Cee they picked and ate strawberries. Once she filled her basket she took it home to her mother. As they saw “good boots” getting closer to their house, he didn’t look well. Her mom had her hold Luidas, her little brother, as they watched the man outside their house sway and fall face-down into the dirt. As her mom and dad searched the man for identification the only things they found were: three big gold coins and a gun. Now, at ninety-six, Great Barb still claimed to have the gun and the birthday gifts.

The more Patrick worked on his project, Great Barb tells him of the connection with his great-grandfather Michael and how he worked for Al Capone. He made wine and deliveries to speakeasy’s, collected money and hooch during the Prohibition. He also carried a gun. Her brother Luidas also made whiskey for Capone. When Patrick tries to ask his Grandmother Mary questions about what her mother, Great Barb told him, she doesn’t want to be bothered with the old tales. After all were they even true?

The more Patrick learns of this chaotic family history, he becomes curious. Could there be gold coins hidden somewhere. He makes a deal with his best friend, VG (Vince Gigante) to give him a share, if there’s any to be found. They team up and start on this twisted adventure. For both Patrick and Vince they could sure use the money to save their lives, families and the homes they are about to loose. When Patrick and VG find themselves caught up in danger the most unlikely person will come to their rescue.

Chris Gerrib brings readers a twisted story of family history and a thriller with “Strawberry Gold”. It’s a tale that comes from Patrick’s great-grandma, who is now senile and no one seems to want to believe her except for Patrick. The only support he get’s is from his best friend VG, even though they made a deal. It’s a story of revenge, deception, family secrets and discoveries.

I liked Patrick, in a way he turns out to be a hero of sorts. He also showed his maturity in a the way that he treated, Great Barb, Grandma May and his mother. He showed lot’s of determination, no matter the stumbling blocks along the way and even completed his project.

I highly recommend “Strawberry Gold” for a long twisted and chaotic historical mystery. This is not a romance and just has a snippet about being gay right before the war in 1939 - 1940. There’s also a little confusion as VG and another character both have Vince/Vincent for a first name. All-in-all it was an entertaining tale with lot’s of surprises.
Profile Image for Avira N..
Author 1 book29 followers
November 24, 2024
Gerrib’s latest is a multi-generational tale that delves into the weight of history, family bonds, and the search for hidden truths. In January 1986, Pat Kowalski, just turned 18, is racing against time to save his family’s home, fueled by his senile grandmother’s cryptic tales of lost gold. Meanwhile, Pat's former classmate Vince is also in desperate need of money and believes Pat’s family stole from his own decades ago. Vince will stop at nothing to settle the score. As they dig into their town’s dark past—Al Capone connections, buried bodies—the race for the gold turns deadly.

Patrick’s struggle to navigate adult responsibilities while his father’s illness and their financial collapse intensify is gritty and authentic. Great Barb, with her sharp wit and no-nonsense demeanor, adds a welcome spark to the story. Their tender bond is rooted in authenticity. Vince’s anxiety and entitlement is beautifully captured. The prose shifts effortlessly between historical and contemporary scenes, grounding the narrative in both time and place.

Gerrib paints a vivid picture of small-town life, balancing its harshness with its inherent humanity. His exploration of identity and moral ambiguity is equally compelling. Neither hero nor villain, the characters are complex, torn between their desires and the consequences of their actions. This tension drives the narrative, challenging readers to reflect on the ethical dilemmas they face. At its heart, this is a reflection on legacy and what it means to reckon with the past. A layered, emotionally rich story that keeps the pages turning.


Profile Image for Janalyn, the blind reviewer.
4,433 reviews135 followers
December 15, 2024
Strawberry Gold by Chris Jarrod, in the book we meet Patrick he is a senior in high school and recently lost his dad and also learned their house is being foreclosed on. It is 1986 and Patrick feels the pressure, especially due to the fact his mom is a basket case after the loss of her husband. while doing a history report about the oldest person in his family he speaks to his great grandmother who they call great Barb. She tells him plenty of outlandish tales, but one is about how she found gold that belong to a man named Mr. Goodboots. pat‘s family blows this off because not only does she have Alzheimer’s ever since his mom was little she thought great Barb to be a teller of tales but once he proves some things, she said to be true it makes him think maybe the gold is real as well. unfortunately, for Pat, the story isn’t so simple. It seems. He has more to contend with than his great grandmother‘s disease and wild stories because unbeknownst to Patrick, she also had enemies. Will Patrick find the gold and save his family home and be able to go to college? There was so much in this book there’s missing people, gangsters,, Al Capone and of course gold. I really enjoyed the story and definitely recommend it. With the exception of Patrick’s mom who was almost like a generic character I loved his grandma and great barb. This book was such a good book. It was so well written I would definitely like to thank the author‘s dad for insisting he write a mystery because I loved it!
Profile Image for Neena.
Author 1 book84 followers
November 24, 2024
Gerrib’s compelling novel plunges readers into a deadly race for lost gold that unravels lives and exposes dark truths. In 1986, 18-year-old Pat Kowalski faces a crumbling life—his father is dying, their home is on the brink of foreclosure, and a cryptic tale from his senile great-grandmother hints at a suitcase of lost gold. But Pat isn’t alone in the hunt. Vince, a classmate fueled by a family grudge, is equally determined to claim the treasure, no matter the cost.

Gerrib excels at crafting relatable characters. Barb’s resilience and sharp wit shine through even as she navigates the constraints of age and memory. Her recollections, infused with humor and pathos, provide vivid snapshots of life in 19th-century rural America. Pat’s journey through grief and reluctant maturity is relatable, while Vince’s internal conflict over familial expectations is rendered with authenticity.

The prose is engaging, and the resolution strikes a perfect balance between satisfaction and thoughtfulness. Throughout it all, the novel delves into the interplay between history and contemporary struggles, inviting readers to reflect on how the choices of one generation echo through the lives of their descendants. A poignant, character-driven story that merges the weight of history with profound emotional depth.
Profile Image for Rebel.
2,505 reviews
January 11, 2025
Chris Gerrib’s Strawberry Gold is a captivating blend of historical intrigue, family drama, and small-town rivalry. Set in the heart of Central Illinois in January 1986, this coming-of-age tale thrusts readers into a high-stakes treasure hunt that unearths long-buried secrets and tests the lengths two young men will go to reclaim their futures.
A Treasure Hunt with Real-World Stakes

Pat Kowalski is a relatable protagonist, grappling with overwhelming adversity: his father’s impending death, the looming foreclosure of their home, and the burden of adulthood at just 18 years old. When his senile great-grandmother shares a cryptic story about a mysterious man named Mister Good Boots and a cache of gold coins from 1894, Pat embarks on a desperate journey. The gold becomes more than just a symbol of financial salvation—it represents hope, legacy, and the possibility of rewriting his family’s future.
Compelling Rivalry

Opposite Pat stands Vince, a classmate whose own dreams of college are slipping away. Vince’s motivations are deeply rooted in resentment and family lore, believing Pat’s ancestors wronged his family decades ago. Gerrib masterfully intertwines Vince’s personal vendetta with the treasure hunt, adding layers of tension and unpredictability.
Historical Mysteries and Small-Town Secrets

Gerrib excels at weaving the past into the present, uncovering a treasure trove of history that connects both families to larger-than-life figures like Al Capone. The town itself becomes a character, its abandoned restaurants and whispered stories of buried bodies offering an atmospheric backdrop. Each clue leads to revelations that challenge what Pat and Vince thought they knew about their families—and themselves.
Why It Resonates

Authentic Emotion: Pat’s struggles are heartfelt and raw, drawing readers into his fight for survival and redemption.
Gripping Tension: The dual perspectives of Pat and Vince keep the narrative taut, making the race for the gold as thrilling as it is personal.
Rich Historical Layers: Gerrib’s inclusion of real-world history and its impact on the characters adds depth and a sense of authenticity to the tale.

Final Thoughts

Strawberry Gold is more than a treasure hunt—it’s a story about the weight of family legacies, the power of perseverance, and the choices that define us. Chris Gerrib’s skillful storytelling and knack for creating flawed, relatable characters make this a must-read for fans of historical mysteries and emotionally driven narratives.

Whether you’re drawn to the allure of hidden gold, the tension of small-town rivalries, or the human stories that anchor them, Strawberry Gold delivers a compelling and unforgettable journey. Highly recommended!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Alison Rose.
1,158 reviews67 followers
March 20, 2025
I'll admit the basic premise is a fun one and I liked seeing the process of it all coming together. Patrick is a good main character, felt very genuine and believable. However, this really could have used a better editor (or any editor?) and fewer POVs. TBH I think it should've only been Patrick's, but I could have done with Vince's too. There was really no reason to also get the legal aid lady's chapters and the flashback ones. They didn't really add anything other than convenient ways to get info across to the reader. Plus the whole story at times really dragged, with the school scenes and such that were mainly there for filler. Also could've done without the random homophobia.
1 review
March 26, 2025
Set in the mid-80s in southeastern Illinois, we follow high-school senior Pat Kowalski as he completes his oral history project through interviews with his great grandmother. Pat gets way more than family stories, however.

The novel clips right along as Pat experiences many twists and turns in his investigation. The novel includes pop cultural references and plenty of local history. Readers will also gain perspective on crime and poverty in the rural Midwest.

Glad I read this book and I recommend it highly.
5 reviews
Read
November 10, 2024
I received this book from the author via Voracious Readers only. I started with good intentions, but ended up having to go back a lot of times to read who I was reading about as the characters changed so much. I read about half the book and then unfortunately was quite disheartened and gave up. I don't have knowledge of the American school system, and got confused by it. I cannot say that I enjoyed the bits that I did read. I don't know what happened, and not really bothered by that.
434 reviews3 followers
December 20, 2024
Two teenagers, both desperately needing cash as they prepare to leave highschool, embark on a possible fool's errand in search of missing gold coins in a small town in Central Illinois. Throw in deception, revenge, and a senile old woman and you have an interesting mystery thriller that will keep you interested.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
312 reviews
January 6, 2025
I won a free copy through Early Reviewers at LibraryThing.com.

Patrick is a teen who's family is about to lose everything, when he stumbles on a family mystery that involves a treasure of gold coins. The problem is, he's not sure if there really is a treasure or where it could possibly be. Slowly he starts unraveling his families secrets and history and decides to look for the gold. It was a nice blend of historical fiction and mystery.
5,933 reviews41 followers
December 18, 2024
two families trying to win back some of the gold and glory of their families' pasts discover losses, power play, ties that strangle and bind, and crazy connections galore.

intense drama and action across the ages.
55 reviews
December 19, 2024
Intriguing storyline. Kept you guessing til the end. Would have preferred no bad language but read it so could do review. Enjoyed plot line and use of characters to tell fascinating story from mob days.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.