Everybody’s Out There

by Robert M. Marchese

Grayson Loveland detests his childhood home, the Hundred Acre School, a therapeutic boarding school run by Rollie, his estranged father. But after a disastrous marriage and a dark preying secret, Gray flees the Midwest and returns east only to find himself in the throes of chaos after the dead body of a local teenager has been discovered on a remote part of the school’s campus. Forced into the role of teacher and dorm staff, Gray is now living among manic depressives, misanthropes, and potential suspects in a homicide that has struck a wave of panic throughout the small New England town. Having to now reconcile his fears about the students Rollie treats as his own children, Gray must also come to terms with the gulf between him and his father. Everybody’s Out There is not simply a murder mystery, but rather a father/son story of love, loyalty, and redemption.

317 pages, Paperback

Published January 6, 2021

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grayson Loveland has grown up at the therapeutic Hundred Ace School. His father runs the boarding school for kids and for the most part ignores his son. His mother died. Gray grows up, goes to college, gets married and lives in the Midwest. When Gray and his wife find out that she is going to have a baby, they are thrilled. Later, they find that the baby will have downs symptom. Gray wants her to abort the baby but his wife doesn’t. Gray decides to go stay t his father’s school to try to understand what has happened to his marriage. Why? When Gray stays at the school, he gets his own place as his father figured he would want his own place. He will be teaching and support for one of the boy’s dormitories. He alternates with another guy who has been doing it. Later, a dead girl is discovered on campus. She is a girl that lives in town and has nothing to do with the school. Who killed her? Is it from someone from the school or from town or?

The author has written much more than a mystery, it is also about communication, understanding and loss. The interaction between characters is fascinating. I became interest in how Gray would and would not communicate with his father. It is a book, that has drama, family relationships and loss. It’s an excellent mystery too!

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[Louise Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covering the genres of mystery/thriller and family drama equally well, this is well written and touches on sensitivities relating to father and son relationships. For people looking for a good mystery, making time for the relationships and character building will only add value.