Judge Jordan Carpenter, married to beautiful Diane, has it all: a successful career, the prestige, the mansion, and more money than he could ever need. Despite the idyllic family life as shown to the outside world, a family secret from the past causes Diane and Jordan to fight constantly, and he finds approbation in the arms of other women. Their younger son has Down Syndrome, but is dearly loved by the whole family. But, in Evenings and Mournings by Rick Maloy, life can change in an instant. One road accident late at night, while a storm raged, has far-reaching consequences. At the pinnacle of success, it is a long way down. Jordan fears for his son Wyatt, with his friends, who failed to stop after running over the daughter of a local family. The Carpenter family devises a way to cover up the crime. They are not aware that Sergeant Len Mosely and partner Detective Connie Dalton are on the case. However, a judge has connections in high places, so maybe the accident that left Torre Califano disabled can be covered up, and life can go on as before.

Please read Evenings and Mournings by Rick Maloy as a reminder that, however you plan and organize your life, nothing is certain. Fate can step in, and one accident can change everything. Events totally out of your control can redefine your life. The author brought all the characters in the story to life; in turn, I had sympathy for them one moment and condemnation the next. It’s a roller coaster of a read, moving at a swift pace from one family, that of the judge, to the farming traders nearby, whose eldest daughter was run over. The reader can’t help but feel they are real people in a real crisis, one they cannot ignore. The excitement continues to the end with a secret revealed and a few shocks along the way, leaving you to wonder if both families can rebuild their lives or will perfect lives lie in ruins. A great read and highly recommended.

Evenings and Mournings by Rick Maloy is a fast-paced read examining the cascading difficulties of attempting to cover up a crime and how deception tears apart relationships and family bonds. Jordan Carpenter has reached the pinnacle of success, or so it appears. A successful trial lawyer, now appointed to the Federal Bench, with a beautiful wife, a gorgeous home amongst the elite, and two boys, all is rosy from the outside. Inside their house, though, it is a different story. Jordan’s wife gave him the freedom to seek comfort from other women outside their marriage, as she had none left to give him. Instead, her life was committed to raising the eldest son, Wyatt, and their youngest, Kevin, who has Down syndrome. When Wyatt returns home one evening and confesses that he caused the hit-and-run accident of three young girls on the news, the parents swing into action to save their son’s future. 

Evenings and Mournings is a taut journey into a world where those with wealth and power attempt to influence the system to achieve their ends. Author Rick Maloy has created realistic and identifiable characters in this suspenseful narrative. The idea that there is a different justice system for the wealthy and elite is certainly not a new one, but the author injects great characterization and interpersonal dynamics that lift it above the simple plot line. I truly appreciated the insights the characters gave when considering the value and happiness of Kevin’s narrow, simple, but ultimately happy life as compared to their own complicated lives, full of angst and difficulties. What struck me most was the author’s willingness to expose the hypocrisy of many of the lead characters and to lead them completely down their roads of self-destruction without seeking the chance of redemption. It takes courage for an author to portray a character as irredeemable, and Maloy was prepared to do so. This story will give readers pause for thought and reflection, which is always an excellent result for an author. I enjoyed this story and highly recommend it.