RENEWALS by Gregory F. DeLaurier Interview, Review & Giveaway

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  RENEWALS by Gregory F. DeLaurier
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 276 pages
Genre:  literary fiction, amateur sleuths
Publisher:  Independently published/Gregory F. DeLaurier
Release date:   February 2025
Content Rating:  R. My book is rated R for one attempted child sexual abuse, not explicit. There is bad language throughout. 

Book Description:

When academic Richard returns to his hometown he discovers a scam that has ruined the city, he must unite his friends and family to uncover the truth, but this pits him against the scam’s architect, aging but violent drug kingpin Giacomo Duchamps, who could destroy everyone Richard loves should he fail.

Renewals captures the nature of a hardscrabble small town and those who live and struggle there, in this pitch perfect tale of corruption and renewal. It is the story of the renewal of a city but also the renewal of the lives of those who are lost or oppressed; a young woman trapped in sexual abuse and exploitation, a young ex-con searching for a better life, and others.

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Meet the Author:

Gregory F. DeLaurier is a retired university professor who has returned to his first love, fiction writing. He lives in Melrose MA, and has a daughter in her 40s who lives in Brooklyn and a 21 year old son attending Berklee College of Music. His fiction and non-fiction are widely available.

connect with the author:  facebook ~ goodreads

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Author Interview

Gregory F. DeLaurier

Renewals

Why is your novel titled Renewals?

The title refers to the two themes of the book: the renewal of a small city decimated by the exploitation of a collection of rapacious gangsters, but also the renewal of several characters who have found themselves at the bottom of life.

What was the inspiration behind your novel?

I grew up in a small working-class city in Northern New York.  It had a lively downtown where on any Saturday it would be filled with shoppers and teenagers, like me, hanging out. But in the early 1970s it all changed; ‘urban renewal’ had hit. Good old buildings were torn down, replaced by cheap look-alike structures and a brick wall was built around the whole area. Supposed to be a pedestrian mall, but noone came and the downtown died, as did the spirit of the City. This always saddened me, and I decided to write about it, and I also decided a fictional account—and I emphasize fictional—might best capture the ‘essence’ of places like my hometown.

If you could put yourself as a character in your novel, who would you be?

Richard, the main protagonist. He grew up in the City but never quite fit in. He was too different. A child of the Sixties, he had long hair, wore funny clothes like paisley bellbottoms, listened to weird loud music like Frank Zappa. Too much for a conservative little City. So he left as soon as he could, becoming a university professor. Yet he retained a love/hate relationship with his hometown. Despite everything, he knew the City better than any other place. The death of the city saddens him and he returns to the City to discover what happened.Richard is,more or less, me, though a fictionalized version.

What message are you trying to convey in your novel?

I don’t know if I am trying to send a message. My hopeis I’ve written a good read. But still there is a theme, and that is hope. Richard and his gang of new and old friends are confronted by several gangsters and their henchmen. But they persevere, and hopefully are able to bring true renewal to the City. But among his gang are characters who are lost. For instance, a sexually abused and exploited young woman who learns to find herself and her autonomy; a young ex-con who discovers he is intelligent and capable and may have a future. I truly believe people, both collectively and as individuals, are capable of change. But ittakes courage and support.

What is the last great book you’ve read?

First of all I want to acknowledge my triumvirate of great story tellers: Elmore Leonard, Robert B. Parker, George V. Higgins. Their influence is no doubt clear. However, the last great book I’ve read is Notes On An Execution by Danya Kukafka. Simply brilliant. It is the story of a serial killer told, however, by the women in his life, including his victims, often ignored in serial killer tales.Her prose flows seemingly effortlessly, and her ability to depict characters deeply is a wonder.

What advice would you give budding writer?

            Write.

 Review:

This is a great mystery and a fast read. What I liked best was the cast of characters in a small town setting. I enjoyed the character interactions so much that I read the whole book in one sitting. This book has something for everyone. The Mob, politics, and small town dynamics. This is a new to me author that I will be following for more great reads. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, all opinions are my own. 

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