Reflections - The Solace of Denim

The Solace of Denim

Kathy Otten’s historical fiction novels engage my mind and heart. At Writer’s Road Trip #11, her only new novel on the author table was the young adult mystery, The Solace of Denim. Aimee Eddy, standing beside me, had been at feedback sessions when Kathy submitted chapters to the group. “It’s kind of a ghost story but not really,” Aimee said. ”The character puts on a jacket and sees things his dead friend saw.”

The book blurb didn’t entice me either: “Horrific domestic crime” . . . “bouncing around in the foster care system” . . . “only friend Luke is murdered.” Since Kathy is a gifted storyteller, I bought the novel despite the blurb and Aimee’s ghost story summary. The first chapter sent me into a despair as bad as Joey’s. I didn’t want to read any more. Things had to get worse---that’s how novels go.

But Kathy had written, ‘Enjoy your time with Joey, Luke & Marek,” when she signed my copy. Enjoy? Kathy wasn’t crazy. I winced and read the first sentence in chapter two.

Fifteen-year-old Joey trusted no one, not even himself. Though he felt no one liked him, some characters did. Benny, a preschooler at the foster home, adored Joey. Cody, the dog belonging to Joey’s murdered friend Luke, romped when he saw Joey. Detective Marek, Luke’s grieving father, scared Joey but also treated him with respect.

The novel twists and turns as Joey’s foster parents increasingly react against the teenager who won’t talk, doesn’t obey, and gets in trouble. Authorities assume Joey is at fault while polite, wealthy students are not.

By mid novel, the story swirled through my head night and day. Joey faces inner demons and outer danger to solve Luke’s murder and find a loving home.

Kathy’s YA mystery engaged my mind and heart.

A Book Store Review

Engages the Mind and Tugs at the Heart

Trusting no one, not even himself, foster teen Joey’s only hope is to solve his friend’s murder. The denim jacket assists. Kathy Otten’s fast paced mystery engages the mind and tugs at the heart. As soon as I finished the last page, I wanted to start on page one and read it again. Though Otten writes the story for young adults, any mystery reading adult would enjoy the novel, especially those who know teenagers in foster care.