CROSSING THE SAGAMORE

by Mike Bernard

High school buddies are reunited when a friend suddenly passes away. After beers and reminiscing, they form a plan to get the body and drive it home from Cleveland to Boston. Sounds crazy, but one last road trip just might be what their buddy wanted and what these middle-aged guys need. With 10 songs to a tape and 10 miles to the gallon, they fulfill an old promise and take one last road trip to give him the send-off he always wanted. They get into non-stop trouble as these grownups behave like they're still teenagers, blaring Classic Rock, cruising the highway in a '74 Bonneville, and making hilarious stops at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and an outrageous Amish strip joint. Along the way they talk about the problems in their personal lives and mistakes made along the road trip of life - and unravel surprising mysteries that propelled them all to agree to this crazy adventure. With the police, deer hunters, an ABBA-hating Security Guard and crooked Irish gangsters chasing them, they arrive at the funeral in the nick of time to keep their promise at a final heartfelt service for their old friend.

275 pages, Paperback

Published December 3, 2019

About the author

Mike Bernard is an accomplished screenwriter, playwright, and author. His diverse body of work includes seven novels and a stage musical, recognized internationally through placements in the prestigious competitions Academy Nicholl Fellowship, PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, ScreenCraft, Nantucket Film Festival, and various New York and Los Angeles screenplay competitions.

Mike's ‘midlife crisis’ writing career began when all his children and all his money went off to college - checks made out to Loyola University Maryland (x2) and Assumption College respectively. Mike’s storytelling resonates with the depth of Dennis Lehane, the wit of Nick Hornby, and the heart of Fredrik Backman, and explores compelling characters, family dynamics and humorous, heartwarming storylines.

A graduate of Providence College and Boston College High School, Mike lives on Cape Cod with his wife, Michele, where he spends summers getting schooled in Pickleball (usually by someone way older) and winters aimlessly roaming the aisles of Home Depot.

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am also from Dorchester and went to BC High, so I was very interested in Mr Bernard's fictional memoir. I was class of 1970 at the Point, so his experiences in the city were surely different from mine, but the importance of friendships, Cape Cod partying, and music that is at the heart of the book certainly resonated with me. This was a fun, quick read, but I was looking for a little more depth about what life on the streets of Dirty Dot was like, having fun but trying to stay in one piece and get somewhere in life when there were so many guys who were going nowhere and had nothing to lose. Violence was a constant that had to be carefully negotiated....knowing when to stand and when to run. My particular band of "Norsemen" was little bigger in the day, and has sadly grown smaller, but our bond was genuine and important. Well, it's a lot easier to be critic than an artist, so my compliments to my Daw-chestah brother and fellow Eagle for this interesting read...

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

No surprise Mike has another book you just can’t put down. This one brings you back to the good old days and the friendships you had with the kids you grew up with from your neighborhood. Loved it and loved all the music too!

[Mary B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Bernard has done it again! I fell in love with these friends! They never truly leave each even though their lives take very different paths. Kevin was my favorite despite the fact he never left the neighborhood. Thank you Mike for another great read!! Please keep them coming.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read! Loved the music references and reminders of my trips over the Sagamore!

[Barry Mcdonough · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fellow 1981 graduate from the Boston area, I thoroughly enjoyed Mike’s dialogue, characters and storyline. Mike’s writing style is breezy and fun. I wholeheartedly recommend picking up this book.

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid book! A little cheesy, a little corny, but can still appreciate the story. It reads like an Adam Sandler comedy. It was fun reading about a story that takes place in Boston. I thought there’d be more about the cape but I liked the book nonetheless and thought it was a sweet gesture to life long friendships