River of Heaven
by Lee Martin
Samuel Brady is a closeted gay man in his declining years. His greatest ambition is to go to his grave
with the secret of what happened on the night in Rat Town when he was a teenager and Dewey Finn died
on the railroad tracks. So far, Sammy has done a stellar job of maintaining a life of solitude, living in the
small town of St. Gilead, Illinois with his Basset Hound, Stump. But when his next-door-neighbor, Arthur,
becomes a widower, he also becomes a bit of a pest. Before he knows it, Sammy finds that he likes
Arthur’s company, and the two of them become buddies. Once the door is opened, people begin to step
into Sammy’s life at an alarming rate. In spite of his resistance, he finds comfort and joy in the company of
others. And he finds that the secret that wanted to be kept also wants to be told. All of the characters in
Lee Martin’s novel, River of Heaven, are vulnerable and likeable. But, then, readers are introduced to all
of the characters through Sammy’s narration, and Sammy is a decidedly vulnerable and likeable character
himself. When Sammy’s moody brother shows up midway through the story, bearing his own dark secrets,
he also brings with him love and good intentions. The journey to the end of the tale and the telling of the
secrets takes some unexpected turns but will leave the reader feeling that sweetness and love can be found
at times when it is not sought.
"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams..."
Arthur O'Shaughnessy