The Crows' Omen

by Jerry Potocnik

From the pages of history comes a tale inspired by the Gilded Age. Sawyer is a young lawyer just starting in his career. His brother, Ian, is still haunted by demons long after their father was killed by evil forces. Against the backdrop of a contentious workers’ strike, the men struggle to regain the relationship they once had as children. The story is anchored by a group of remarkable characters, including Lucius, the boys’ godfather, who long ago made a promise to protect them the only way he knows how. When a sinister force takes aim at the young lawyer, Lucius jumps into action, calling on his dark and dangerous past to keep him safe. The Crows’ Omen is an enjoyable blend of suspense, intrigue and deception, with intermittent departures into high courtroom drama and a captivating mystery which follows a terrible explosion. If you like historical fiction, or a page-turning adventure, this story grips from the first page and won't let go.

461 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 23, 2025

About the author

Jerry Potocnik is an attorney in the Kansas City area, where he lives with his family. He was raised on a farm in Southeastern Kansas. He attended undergraduate school at the University of Kansas and majored in History and Art History. Afterward, he received his juris doctorate at the University of Kansas School of Law. The Crows' Omen is his first novel.

Reviews

[Jim Elswick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended.
My wife read The Crow's Omen, loved it, and told me I had to read it, too. I absolutely agree with her enthusiasm. Mr. Potocnik's novel was a true page turner for me; I could not get to the next page fast enough. Well researched, great characters, a thrilling plot, and great writing, I simply could not stop reading. Self published but needs to be available to a much larger market. (Hint to any publishers!!)

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never would have thought I’d see my hometown of Chicopee, Kansas mentioned in a book.

Potocnik definitely did his research - his attention to detail and knowledge of the SEK coal fields are unmistakable.

The narrative itself was just OK - character development and the overall plot and payoff left quite a bit to be desired. Hopefully he keeps at it - I’ll definitely check out the sequel when it comes.