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Katie Mae's Last Day
Tragedy doesn’t knock. It waits for the ordinary to open the door.
Nick never wanted to be a correctional officer, but the need to provide for his growing family put him behind the wall. When violence erupts inside, it doesn’t end when the doors close—the shockwaves reach far beyond the incident itself, shattering the lives of those closest to him.
Danny, a close friend and fellow officer, is left carrying the weight of a promise he couldn’t keep. Katie, a single mother and corrections officer, feels an old darkness clawing its way back into her life. And Kelly, her fourteen-year-old daughter, becomes caught in the quiet storm building around them all.
But the dead don’t disappear so easily. Not here. Not for them.
As unexplained moments begin to shadow their days—voices where there should be silence, figures where there should be nothing—Danny and Katie are drawn toward something they can’t name, something that knows their grief, their guilt, and their secrets.
Some hauntings come from the outside.
Some rise from within.
And some refuse to leave until the truth is finally faced.
Katie Mae’s Last Day is an unsettling, deeply human story about the unseen cost of surviving trauma, the thin boundary between memory and haunting, and the ordinary moments where everything can change—and never change back.
Katie Mae’s Last Day is a haunting exploration of the human cost of trauma—and the fragile hope that survives even when everything else is gone.
William Young, a correctional officer and Wellness Coordinator with nearly two decades of experience, is the author of three nonfiction books exploring the emotional challenges of working in corrections. In his first work of fiction, Young draws on his knowledge and experience from inside the walls to tell a story that is raw, human, and heartbreakingly real.
Nick never wanted to be a correctional officer, but the need to provide for his growing family put him behind the wall. When violence erupts inside, it doesn’t end when the doors close—the shockwaves reach far beyond the incident itself, shattering the lives of those closest to him.
Danny, a close friend and fellow officer, is left carrying the weight of a promise he couldn’t keep. Katie, a single mother and corrections officer, feels an old darkness clawing its way back into her life. And Kelly, her fourteen-year-old daughter, becomes caught in the quiet storm building around them all.
But the dead don’t disappear so easily. Not here. Not for them.
As unexplained moments begin to shadow their days—voices where there should be silence, figures where there should be nothing—Danny and Katie are drawn toward something they can’t name, something that knows their grief, their guilt, and their secrets.
Some hauntings come from the outside.
Some rise from within.
And some refuse to leave until the truth is finally faced.
Katie Mae’s Last Day is an unsettling, deeply human story about the unseen cost of surviving trauma, the thin boundary between memory and haunting, and the ordinary moments where everything can change—and never change back.
Katie Mae’s Last Day is a haunting exploration of the human cost of trauma—and the fragile hope that survives even when everything else is gone.
William Young, a correctional officer and Wellness Coordinator with nearly two decades of experience, is the author of three nonfiction books exploring the emotional challenges of working in corrections. In his first work of fiction, Young draws on his knowledge and experience from inside the walls to tell a story that is raw, human, and heartbreakingly real.
381 pages, Paperback
Published December 19, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 24, 2026
This started out great, and after 31 years in Corrections, I could relate to the characters, especially Danny. Now I said the book started out great, then it gave an unexpected, but awesome, twist that kept you hanging by the seat of your pants. I hope that you have another one in works.
April 28, 2026
I really enjoyed reading this book. As someone who has worked in Corrections for over 20 years it was very relatable. The story brought out feelings and memories of my time behind the walls and outside of them and the people who have impacted me along the way. Well done Bill!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews