The Underworld: A Novel

Small town life is hard to leave behind, no matter how hard one tries to rid themselves of it. David is a college student in Missoula who lives in a mining town and dreams of escaping a workingman’s existence. His family works in the local mine, and he is carrying on an affair with his former piano teacher. Ann Malloy is married to a miner who she seldom sees and is trying to start a family, but she also sees an exit sign whenever her mind wanders. Lyle is a hard working man with money in the bank but no love in his life, and his downtime consists of benders and visits to the local brothel. All three have their lives changed irrevocably when an accident at the mine kills ninety-one people, family included, and Lyle is trapped with a co-worker. The feelings engendered in the wake of the disaster left vary from sadness to loneliness to even a modicum of freedom. The one thing that unites the three characters is that life will never be the same.

The Underworld is a gripping tale of soul searching where the characters are flawed but believable. They each seek a new path to happiness, not knowing where it leads, but they are determined in their journey. An all around engrossing tale.