Book Review: It All Started Down at the Stewarts

By Joe Medler

Frank is a retiree who regularly meets a group of friends for coffee. A chance to get out of the house and keep up with friends. Frank becomes suspicious when his friend Dale announces one day that his wife Doris has passed away. Frank decides his friend’s behavior doesn’t see quite right for a man who has lost his wife after likely five decades of marriage. He begins trying to piece the whole thing together with his wife, Molly. But the truth is not what he expected.

This is a work of short fiction that will leave you wanting more, in the best possible way. Medler crafts his mystery skillfully, building to a well timed plot twist. The relationship between Dale and Frank is well developed. And you can feel the long history in the love between Frank and his wife, Molly. The ending is written in a beautifully, heartwarming way. This is my first book by Medler and I look forward to reading more by him.

---