Dodging and Burning

A Mystery

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Pub Date Mar 06 2018 | Archive Date Feb 28 2018

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Description

*Nominated for 2019 Barry, Lambda Literary, Strand, Macavity, and Anthony Awards* A lurid crime scene photo of a beautiful woman arrives on mystery writer Bunny Prescott's doorstep with no return address—and it's not the first time she's seen it. The reemergence of the photo, taken fifty-five years earlier, sets her on a journey to reconstruct the vicious summer that changed her life. In the summer of 1945, Ceola Bliss is a lonely twelve-year-old tomboy, mourning the loss of her brother, Robbie, who was declared missing in the Pacific. She tries to piece together his life by rereading his favorite pulp detective story “A Date with Death” and spending time with his best friend, Jay Greenwood, in Royal Oak, VA. One unforgettable August day, Jay leads Ceola and Bunny to a stretch of woods where he found a dead woman, but when they arrive, the body is gone. They soon discover a local woman named Lily Vellum is missing and begin to piece together the threads of her murder, starting with the photograph Jay took of her abandoned body. As Ceola gets swept up playing girl detective, Bunny becomes increasingly skeptical of Jay, and begins her own investigation into the connection between Jay and Lily. She discovers a series of clues that place doubt on Jay’s story about the photograph. She journeys to Washington, D.C., where she is forced to confront the brutal truth about her dear friend—a discovery that triggers a series of events that will bring tragedy to Jay and decades of estrangement between her and Ceola.

*Nominated for 2019 Barry, Lambda Literary, Strand, Macavity, and Anthony Awards* A lurid crime scene photo of a beautiful woman arrives on mystery writer Bunny Prescott's doorstep with no return...


A Note From the Publisher

LibraryReads nominations due 1/20 and IndieNext nominations due by 1/3.

LibraryReads nominations due 1/20 and IndieNext nominations due by 1/3.


Advance Praise

“A photograph of a dead girl prompts some savvy amateur detective work in post-World War II Virginia, but Dodging and Burning ultimately explores deeper mysteries as well: about who we are, who we want to be, and how the bonds of friendship—and of betrayal—can tie people together forever. Copenhaver’s first novel also focuses on storytelling, on the stories we tell others, and ourselves, to survive, all of it brilliantly interwoven, with twists mounting even in the final pages. A superior debut—suspenseful, substantial.” - Art Taylor, Agatha Award–winning author of On The Road with Del & Louise

“Set in 1945, Dodging and Burning is a striking and important debut illuminating the twin traumas of war and repressed sexual identity. A beautifully rendered literary mystery centered around a missing girl and a WWIII photographer’s journey toward adulthood and self-acceptance, the novel keeps you guessing until the very end.” - Aline Ohanesian, author of 'Orhan’s Inheritance'

“Dodging and Burning is a beautifully rendered coming of age story, a compelling exploration of a young man’s struggle with his sexual identity amid the evils of war, and an impeccably executed crime novel that keeps you guessing and ultimately strikes a deep and resounding emotional cord.” - Ayelet Waldman, author of 'Love & Treasure' and 'A Really Good Day'

“The level of detail in [Copenhaver’s] novel Dodging and Burning displays in full measure the demanding research required to uncover the hidden history of a community marginalized and rendered virtually invisible for much of the 20th century.” - Katherine V. Forrest, author of The Kate Delafield Mystery Series.

“John Copenhaver's bold mystery confronts the consequences of love and war with unflinching candor. The characters may twist themselves up in lies, but the writing never does, offering a piercing glimpse into small town taboos. This novel flirts with and ultimately subverts the expectations of pulp fiction to create something wholly original—David Lynch meets Harper Lee while she's having drinks with Truman Capote. Nothing is as expected in this America of the 1940s when men were expected to be men and women were expected to be wives. Dodging and Burning is a memorable, brilliant debut.” - Erica Wright, author of 'The Red Chameleon' and 'The Granite Moth'

“I'm a big fan of John Copenhaver's elegant work. He's a sophisticated stylist who can break your heart right before he turns devilish. Highly recommended.” - Luis Alberto Urrea, author of 'Into the Beautiful North' and 'The Water Museum'

“An astonishing piece of writing, Dodging and Burning is a lyrical, compelling, and deeply moving book. A highly original and accomplished novel from a significant talent, it captures its period with elegance and simplicity, and a deftness of touch that brings a tear to the eye. The characters are deeply human in their weaknesses, their loves, and the unfolding tragedy of their lives. It is a book of depth and beauty, surely a classic, to be read and re-read. John Copenhaver is a master storyteller, a confident and gifted writer and this, his first novel, is a clever, brilliant, beautiful work. I cannot praise it enough.” - E. S. Thomson, author of 'Beloved Poison' and 'Dark Asylum'

“A photograph of a dead girl prompts some savvy amateur detective work in post-World War II Virginia, but Dodging and Burning ultimately explores deeper mysteries as well: about who we are, who we...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781681776590
PRICE $25.95 (USD)
PAGES 288

Average rating from 2 members