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Lost & Found Cafe: A Sam Dawson Mystery
On a day-trip to photograph a forgotten cemetery in eastern Wyoming, Sam Dawson and his daughter Sidney stop for lunch at an isolated cafe with no name in the least populated place in America. Each of the five people in the cafe has a story to tell. Each reveals the haunting secrets in their lives that will overshadow the reality of two murders and the threat of a violent storm—all of which collide on this single afternoon.
The mysterious dishwasher seeks revenge against the man who has destroyed his life. The glib and sarcastic waitress has found temporary refuge from an abusive husband. The attractive woman customer is in search of the father who raised then abandoned her. Sam is at a crossroads both in his career and personal life yet continues to fall victim to his emotions and insatiable curiosity. Sidney is losing her vision, hearing, and opportunity for a personal relationship that even her wealth and legal training cannot correct.
As in his other award-winning novels, Steven W. Horn perfectly blends humor with pathos and poignancy to probe the depths of human character and the boundaries people will bend or break to protect their secrets and the people they love.
The mysterious dishwasher seeks revenge against the man who has destroyed his life. The glib and sarcastic waitress has found temporary refuge from an abusive husband. The attractive woman customer is in search of the father who raised then abandoned her. Sam is at a crossroads both in his career and personal life yet continues to fall victim to his emotions and insatiable curiosity. Sidney is losing her vision, hearing, and opportunity for a personal relationship that even her wealth and legal training cannot correct.
As in his other award-winning novels, Steven W. Horn perfectly blends humor with pathos and poignancy to probe the depths of human character and the boundaries people will bend or break to protect their secrets and the people they love.
328 pages, Hardcover
Published July 10, 2025
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 14, 2025
Lost & Found Cafe: A Sam Dawson Mystery (Hardcover)
by Steven W Horn
Steven Horn must have dug deep to bring this series to an eventual end. As a reader of the series I hope he finds a way to find more stories with Sam, and Sydney. The book looks at the nature of war, the regret of war issues, and the need to find responsibility of the past. The individual lives of five people find themselves on a crossroad. This train of no escape is compounded over and over as each revelation of the past lives of these five strangers. Their history shows the nature of politics and governance of the government bring into question the individuals need for peace and representation.
The Dawson series shows how the Vietnam war has affected its soldiers. The politics of that time twisted the nature of war of that time left many of the men whom fought with regret. Horn shows how the past can affect us and overcoming it is the hardest part. I am sad to see the series hinting its end.
by Steven W Horn
Steven Horn must have dug deep to bring this series to an eventual end. As a reader of the series I hope he finds a way to find more stories with Sam, and Sydney. The book looks at the nature of war, the regret of war issues, and the need to find responsibility of the past. The individual lives of five people find themselves on a crossroad. This train of no escape is compounded over and over as each revelation of the past lives of these five strangers. Their history shows the nature of politics and governance of the government bring into question the individuals need for peace and representation.
The Dawson series shows how the Vietnam war has affected its soldiers. The politics of that time twisted the nature of war of that time left many of the men whom fought with regret. Horn shows how the past can affect us and overcoming it is the hardest part. I am sad to see the series hinting its end.
August 16, 2025
It is very rare that you come upon a book that is so well written, so full of detail and just so good that you never want it to end. Lost & Found Cafe is that book. From the beginning, I knew that I was not going to be able to put it down until it was done.
The author brings out the human spirit and feelings - happiness, sadness, despair like no one else. This may be Horn's best book ever. Quite honestly, I don't see how he can top it.
If you are looking for an intriguing read, please pick this one up. It is a perfect read.
The author brings out the human spirit and feelings - happiness, sadness, despair like no one else. This may be Horn's best book ever. Quite honestly, I don't see how he can top it.
If you are looking for an intriguing read, please pick this one up. It is a perfect read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews