Crab Cake & Pepper
by Frank Weaver, Jr.
Reviewed by Aaron Paul Lazar
Author of the LeGarde Mystery Series
Crab Cake & Pepper is more than a folksy yarn about a boy and his dog. It digs deeply into a ten-year-old boy's psyche and brings us along for the ride of a lifetime, replete with family, a struggling friendship, rousing adventures, and a surplus of belly laughs.
Set in the rural backwoods of Pennsylvania in April,1951, Crab Cake & Pepper sings with the love of nature and family. Jack "Pepper" Whelan Jr., one of five children, anticipates the opening of trout season with the glee found only in childhood. Along with his best friend, a bright, spirited border collie named Crab Cake, Pepper prepares for the big day by digging for nightcrawlers with the help of his mom's soapy dishwater, and paying off his siblings to do his early morning barn chores. He's ready to rise at dawn to beat the other anglers to his secret fishing hole, where he hopes to land the legendary monster trout named Ol' Uncle Louie.
Meanwhile, recently escaped convicts, "Crazy Eyes" Zitoulleo and "Tattoo" MacGrew, navigate toward the same fishing hole. Tipped off in prison, the bumbling duo overhears a tale of a metal box filled with stolen loot that rests at the bottom of the cold stream. To make matters worse, Pepper runs into Thursy Patterson, a boy with whom he's shared an uneasy friendship. Thursy is quick to anger and ready to fight with little provocation. When he asks Pepper to join him for the big fishing event, Pepper squirms, unwilling to reveal his choice fishing spot.
A series of unfortunate events propel Pepper, Thursy, and Crab Cake into the midst of a manhunt, particularly after they witness the attempted drowning of a game warden. Their luck deteriorates as the boys are kidnapped by the desperate villains. These experiences draw Pepper and Thursy closer, where true friendship glimmers. Meanwhile, Crab Cake is bitten by a copperhead. The canine's life hangs in the balance for days, threatening in the backdrop during the final thrilling fight between the foul buffoons and the plucky boys.
Mr. Weaver has a knack for creating believable, humorous, and endearing characters. His grasp of the backwoods dialect is adroitly captured. Childhood memories will float to the surface of readers' minds as they follow through the woods and fields while the delightful border collie frolics in the background. The scenes between the boy and his dog are beautifully portrayed and emotive. When Crab Cake nears death, emotions not unlike those felt during Lassie Come Home will clog the throat of the most sophisticated reader.
Crab Cake & Pepper offers universal appeal for the adventure of a lifetime. Children of all ages will enjoy the ride.
***
Aaron Paul Lazar is the author of the LeGarde Mystery Series. Double Forte' is an absorbing tale of love, intrigue, and murder. Upstaged, number two, is available through his website www.legardemysteries.com or Amazon.com, etc. Lush and delicious, it'll leave readers breathless! Contact Aaron at gusandcamille@yahoo.com
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Comments: 8
Heidi - please let me know if you enjoyed it. I know Lad would enjoy hearing from you, too. Although he's an established writer and has published many times in many forms, he's been ill this year and I know connecting with readers would brighten his days! Thank you!
Warm Front
Thanks for your thoughts.
Let's not use this as a vehicle for publisher discussions. Let's just stick to the literary merits of the work, okay? It's a great read independent of any other issues.
I'm going to send you a note offline to respond and share my own experiences regarding this issue.
Thanks for understanding!
Thanks, Lisa. I enjoy reviewing books that I love. It would be hard the other way around - I just politely don't accept them if I read the first page and say, "not for me."