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The Curious Trial of Josiah Wren: An Honest Deception from Carroway Island
344 pages, Hardcover
Published June 16, 2026
About the author
Robert Gill Jr.
11 books53 followersCARROWAY ISLAND — A LITERARY WORLD
Carroway Island is a fictional Chesapeake Bay community where history, folklore, and everyday life blend into a single continuous story. It is a place shaped by tide and tradition, where watermen, families, and long-held island customs define both the landscape and the people who call it home.
Across novels, chronicles, almanacs, cookbooks, and island guides, the Carroway Island series explores a world of interconnected stories—some humorous, some reflective, and some shaped by the moral complexities of small communities. Each book reveals a different aspect of the island and the lives of those who inhabit it.
From maritime traditions and local legends to island histories and coastal life, these stories are rooted in place. Carroway Island is not just a setting, but a shared world of memory, identity, and narrative continuity.
Readers are invited to explore the island in any order.
Robert Gill Jr. is an author and publisher whose work focuses on coastal communities, maritime traditions, and the lived experience of place.
He writes both fiction and nonfiction, often exploring how ordinary lives carry unexpected depth and meaning. His work spans historical and literary fiction, food science, and practical knowledge, unified by an interest in how people shape—and are shaped by—the worlds they inhabit.
He lives in New Jersey with his wife and continues to write stories grounded in history, atmosphere, and community life.
Carroway Island is a fictional Chesapeake Bay community where history, folklore, and everyday life blend into a single continuous story. It is a place shaped by tide and tradition, where watermen, families, and long-held island customs define both the landscape and the people who call it home.
Across novels, chronicles, almanacs, cookbooks, and island guides, the Carroway Island series explores a world of interconnected stories—some humorous, some reflective, and some shaped by the moral complexities of small communities. Each book reveals a different aspect of the island and the lives of those who inhabit it.
From maritime traditions and local legends to island histories and coastal life, these stories are rooted in place. Carroway Island is not just a setting, but a shared world of memory, identity, and narrative continuity.
Readers are invited to explore the island in any order.
Robert Gill Jr. is an author and publisher whose work focuses on coastal communities, maritime traditions, and the lived experience of place.
He writes both fiction and nonfiction, often exploring how ordinary lives carry unexpected depth and meaning. His work spans historical and literary fiction, food science, and practical knowledge, unified by an interest in how people shape—and are shaped by—the worlds they inhabit.
He lives in New Jersey with his wife and continues to write stories grounded in history, atmosphere, and community life.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 22, 2026
A story filled with dark humor and social satire set on the fictional island of Carroway. It shows what human behavior is like when there are half-truths and people invent stories to suit their own interests, often using false information. It’s interesting to see how people act when they believe they’re right and have the right to act as judges, even when they don’t really understand what’s going on themselves. Makes you think. Recommended.
June 25, 2026
The Curious Trial of Josiah Wren is a clever, charming, and thought-provoking read. The small-town setting is rich with atmosphere, and the story does a wonderful job showing how rumors and assumptions can take on a life of their own. With memorable characters, subtle humor, and an engaging plot, this is an enjoyable novel that stays with you long after the final page. Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews