Publisher's Synopsis
On the day of her father's memorial, Hannah MacAllister hears of her sister's attempted suicide. Still shaken by the funeral, she must travel to Los Angeles to deal with Rebecca's condition. What she finds is Rebecca on life support, not expected to survive. Once a promising actress, her life and career had been in slow decline for years. The only clue to Rebecca's desperate act is a cryptic message: Everything would have been fine if not for Little Bear Creek! The place her father and his family escaped life as dirt poor sharecroppers. In her search, Hannah discovers the truth hidden from her and her siblings by a father hell-bent on denying his own tumultuous past.
Praise for Little Bear Creek:Secret of Little Bear Creek: As inferred by the title, it's the three-generational story of pain and escape. After a dramatic incident, Hannah Bradley attempts to track her family history as a means of understanding. Her therapist suggests she take a journey to discover her family's origins. To find out why her Grandfather abruptly moved the family to Michigan, then her father migrated to California, completely cutting himself off from the family he left behind. As a psychiatrist, I thought this story captured exactly what I do with patients during a psychic archaeological dig. The goal is not to find someone to blame, but to see patterns in the past so those patterns can be recognized in the present - and then managed differently. Matthews's insights are remarkable!
- Don Houts - Men Reading Book Blog Review Matthews generally grabs us with his thrillers and mysteries. Though Little Bear Creek does have thrills and mystery, the reader becomes immersed in a tale of emotional strife and a journey to know oneself. Prepare yourself, this is a bumpy ride, and when you read the last line, I will suspect that you will reflect on your own life and take stock in who you are and where you came from. This is a must-read!
-Andrew McAllister - Amazon best-selling author of Unauthorized Access The latest novel by Thomas K. Matthews, Secret of Little Bear Creek, takes the reader on a journey from California to Michigan to Alabama revealing family secrets that run through three generations. Matthews skillfully keeps the reader engaged with his tight plot and fully-formed characters. The satisfactory conclusion may cause readers to wonder what mysteries might be lurking within their own families. Well done, Matthews!
- Katherine Jervik-Pageturners Book Club When a book title begins with the word "Secret" you know it has a chance at being really good. As you turn page by page, slowly, but surely, the secret reveals itself. This was a great story, one that I couldn't put down. And how hard it must have been to write in the voices of 'the South', but it was so descriptive and painted a great story. This is the first of a three-book series, and I can't wait for the second in the Secret Series!
- San Diego Publishers & Writers Association I've been a fan of Mr. Matthews for years. Normally he writes about murder, mayhem, and madness... and he still does in Little Bear Creek. Not in the thrilling and desperate actions of his earlier novels, but through a heart-wrenching and beautifully written Southern narrative that will have you wondering what lurks in the history of one's own family."
- San Diego Book Reviews
