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The One Red Brick: An Outer Banks of North Carolina Mystery
This isn’t a standard murder mystery. Like so many murders, these were ignited by a love story. Unlike so many murders, these took over eighty years to get closure. Needless to say, though it must be said anyway, it’s a story I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
Sheriff Maurea Sandifer
Currituck County, North Carolina
2011
And so begins the tragic history of three young people—all born on the same night during a snow storm in 1908—all born to completely different circumstances that will influence their lives with three irreversible endings.
Chester Pinkham, born in Corolla, North Carolina, in humble surroundings, must live with a deformed hand and forehead. Maurea Applewhite, born in a mansion in Richmond, Virginia, must live with the worst excuse for a mother she could ever have. Known simply as Mirlande, also born in Corolla in humble surroundings, she must live with an aunt from Haiti, who practices the mysterious art of voodoo.
When the lives of these three babies, then children, then adults, collide like a hurricane against the Outer Banks, two people will die in the boathouse of Corolla Island, now called the Whalehead Club, and one of the three will be blamed. But who is really to blame? The terrible mother? The evil Aunt? Or is passion and jealousy at fault?
It takes four generations of Currituck County sheriffs—as well as one final death—before the truth is revealed. Even then, Sheriff Maurea Sandifer isn’t sure what the truth is, but she knows its secret lies with The One Red Brick.
Sheriff Maurea Sandifer
Currituck County, North Carolina
2011
And so begins the tragic history of three young people—all born on the same night during a snow storm in 1908—all born to completely different circumstances that will influence their lives with three irreversible endings.
Chester Pinkham, born in Corolla, North Carolina, in humble surroundings, must live with a deformed hand and forehead. Maurea Applewhite, born in a mansion in Richmond, Virginia, must live with the worst excuse for a mother she could ever have. Known simply as Mirlande, also born in Corolla in humble surroundings, she must live with an aunt from Haiti, who practices the mysterious art of voodoo.
When the lives of these three babies, then children, then adults, collide like a hurricane against the Outer Banks, two people will die in the boathouse of Corolla Island, now called the Whalehead Club, and one of the three will be blamed. But who is really to blame? The terrible mother? The evil Aunt? Or is passion and jealousy at fault?
It takes four generations of Currituck County sheriffs—as well as one final death—before the truth is revealed. Even then, Sheriff Maurea Sandifer isn’t sure what the truth is, but she knows its secret lies with The One Red Brick.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2024
About the author
J. Willis Sanders
93 books28 followersJ. Willis Sanders lives in southern Virginia, with his wife and several stringed, musical instruments.
With over twenty books completed and more on the way, he enjoys crafting intriguing characters with equally intriguing conflicts to overcome.
His first idea for a novel, The Coincidence of Hope, is a ghostly World War II era historical that takes place mostly in the Midwestern United States, which utilizes some little-known facts about German POW camps there at the time. It’s the first of a three-book series, in which characters from the first continue their lives.
Although he loves history, he has written several contemporary novels as well, and some include interesting paranormal twists, both with and without religious themes.
He also loves the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and he has written several novels within different time frames based on the area, what he calls his Outer Banks of North Carolina Series.
For his Amish novels, some, such as his Amish Holiday Series, have inspirational messages, while some, such as the Eliza Gray and Clara Engelman Series, tend toward romance.
For another inspirational novel, readers may enjoy The Essence of Emmaline Strong. In it, the main character, an accomplished musician on the same instruments as the author, must struggle to regain her faith after a series of personal tragedies.
Other hobbies include reading (of course), vegetable gardening, playing music with friends, and songwriting, some of which are in a few of his novels.
To follow his work, search the internet with “J. Willis Sanders” on Amazon and Facebook. To visit his website, search with “J. Willis Sanders Wix.”
With over twenty books completed and more on the way, he enjoys crafting intriguing characters with equally intriguing conflicts to overcome.
His first idea for a novel, The Coincidence of Hope, is a ghostly World War II era historical that takes place mostly in the Midwestern United States, which utilizes some little-known facts about German POW camps there at the time. It’s the first of a three-book series, in which characters from the first continue their lives.
Although he loves history, he has written several contemporary novels as well, and some include interesting paranormal twists, both with and without religious themes.
He also loves the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and he has written several novels within different time frames based on the area, what he calls his Outer Banks of North Carolina Series.
For his Amish novels, some, such as his Amish Holiday Series, have inspirational messages, while some, such as the Eliza Gray and Clara Engelman Series, tend toward romance.
For another inspirational novel, readers may enjoy The Essence of Emmaline Strong. In it, the main character, an accomplished musician on the same instruments as the author, must struggle to regain her faith after a series of personal tragedies.
Other hobbies include reading (of course), vegetable gardening, playing music with friends, and songwriting, some of which are in a few of his novels.
To follow his work, search the internet with “J. Willis Sanders” on Amazon and Facebook. To visit his website, search with “J. Willis Sanders Wix.”
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 11, 2024
I was given the chance to read The One Red Brick by J Willis Sanders! Was not required to leave a review! I really loved the story of Chester, his devotion to his parents and the two friends in his life! He went through a lot in his lifetime! He held strong in his belief and his love for his friends!
April 22, 2024
Wow wow wow!!!! My head is spinning. I did not expect some of these twists. J. Willis Sanders is a master of his craft. He is able to write about the beauty of the world and the evil in it. This reads as a dateline account, so at first I wasn’t sure if it was true or not. Chester Pinkham was born with a deformed hand and forehead but was raised in a home filled with love. He becomes friends with Maurea and Mirlande, two VERY different girls. I appreciate how Chester believed in his friends and relied on his strong faith. This story will stay with you long after you finish it.
Many thanks to the author for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Many thanks to the author for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
April 12, 2024
I was given the chance to read The One Red Brick by J Willis Sanders! Was not required to leave a review! I really loved the story of Chester, his devotion to his parents and the two friends in his life! He went through a lot in his lifetime! He held strong in his belief and his love for his friends!
April 12, 2024
In the beginning I felt as if I was in the middle of a amazing game of Clue where with every move or in this case turn of the page I was looking at or for the one clue that would bring this whole story to a climax and solve this mystery.
In this book the author takes you through the lives of three friends and their families whose lives intertwine in a way that will both shock you and amaze you, it’s a story of unconditional love, of extreme narcissism, and sorted secrets.
As I read this book and was deeper into their lives it brought forth many feelings, one of which was how with one step, turn or word our life can take a complete u turn that could be almost impossible to come back from.
We meet many people through out our life and each one touches our life in ways we may or may not ever know, but if our character is ingrained into us and we hold true to our moral code each meeting with another will produce the kind of character that Chester had, he was a man that was dealt a tough hand right from birth, however he used that hand to form a life that would always stand strong, loving, and unconditional. His ability to look beyond the outside and into the soul of others made him a character we all could take a page from.
This book reads like no other you will read, it’s deep, twisted and loving, it’s pages will pull you into its mystery and will take your breath away, and in the end you will never look at a red brick in the same way again.
I was gifted a copy of this book but was not required to leave a review, I’m happy in this case that I could not only leave a review but one that I really hope will have you all excited to pick up a copy and enjoy it as much as I did.
Happy reading.
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January 11, 2026I am acquainted with the author; therefore, as is my policy, I leave no rating or review.
Some mystery, introspective, multiple POV, historical fiction spanning childhood through adulthood through elder years, and include a splash of Rushdie's Midnight Children.
Some mystery, introspective, multiple POV, historical fiction spanning childhood through adulthood through elder years, and include a splash of Rushdie's Midnight Children.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews