Be Home By Dinner: A Novel

In the sleepy Philly suburb of Oreland, a Catholic schoolboy, Garvey Nolan, befriends locals and becomes smitten with his neighbor, Emma O'Sullivan. Among his peers, innocent pranks escalate. Garvey embraces vandalism and trespassing with reluctance, sacrificing morality for bonded friendships. The boys explore towns by bike and car, void of their parents, with the sole covenant of returning home for dinner. A nearby private golf course becomes the ultimate playground and hideout, a stage for mischief that blurs into malice. Meanwhile, an area business tycoon, philanthropist and golf pro, Kratz Kova, weaves a sinister presence through Garvey's life. Kova's dark intentions are revealed to Garvey and progress as he enters manhood. Influenced by the healing power of music, Garvey strives to end what he has become, at the risk of losing his brotherhood. He craves an escape from Oreland with Emma, far from the stranglehold of Kova. But can he truly break free?Taking place from 1978 through 1993, "Be Home By Dinner" explores a last generation of kids that grew up without ubiquitous internet access. Void of smart phones and streaming content, they existed without daily photo capturing and social media posturing, roaming free unbeknownst to their parents, with no app to track their footsteps.

Author: Carl Franke

Publisher: Independently Published

Publication Date: Apr 19, 2019

Number of Pages: 339 pages

Language: English

Binding: Paperback

ISBN-10: 109241889X

ISBN-13: 9781092418898