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One Town's Son: A Journey Home to Find the Truth
In the rolling hills of a small Kentucky town, a mystery emerged in the summer of 2004.
What started out as a festive reunion for former classmates would turn tragic in the morning light. When Scotty Martin’s unconscious body was discovered the following day, the inquiry surrounding his demise would set off a maelstrom of implications, suspicions, and small town gossip.
Was it an accident? Or was it something more sinister?
No one could say...or would say.
Five years later, author Kevin Troxall would travel back to his hometown to investigate the case that had tormented a family and rattled a community. While on the hunt to find the truth of what happened that night, he finds himself on a journey that brings him face to face with his own past.
This is the story of what he found.
What started out as a festive reunion for former classmates would turn tragic in the morning light. When Scotty Martin’s unconscious body was discovered the following day, the inquiry surrounding his demise would set off a maelstrom of implications, suspicions, and small town gossip.
Was it an accident? Or was it something more sinister?
No one could say...or would say.
Five years later, author Kevin Troxall would travel back to his hometown to investigate the case that had tormented a family and rattled a community. While on the hunt to find the truth of what happened that night, he finds himself on a journey that brings him face to face with his own past.
This is the story of what he found.
243 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 22, 2017
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 4, 2017
Enjoyed the author's writing style in the beginning and near the end. In between was a retelling of the "facts" of the case. A retelling of reports, interviews etc. Made the writing, I think of some necessity, somewhat different stylistically - and less enjoyable - but all in all a good book.
That said - the book hints strongly and repeatedly that Scotty was killed for making sexual advances at four "jocks" from the "rich and powerful" families of Glasgow. I think the author allows his own homosexuality to lend a bias to this argument - he even brings in the Matthew Shepard story. And that the family just won't accept the possibility that this was an accident - they seem to feel they must "blame" someone. Based on the information from the book - there is no evidence that this is was a murder. He seems to have died by a single injury to his head. He wasn't beaten up. No one heard him yell if he had been attacked by a group of "jocks". It's a shame there was no toxicology report done. What I did read was that there was a lot of beer drinking going on at the reunion and meth use by Scotty. That the area where he died was poorly lit and a fall there would be fairly easy. What was he doing there? Who knows? But based on what this book presents, an accident seems to be the most likely answer. Yes - the investigation was handled poorly. But that is also, unfortunately, typical of this area.
I think this book is also a chance for the author and Scotty's family to knock Glasgow and some of its families. The author definitely seems to have a chip on his shoulder about the city having grown up here as a gay youth. I've lived in Glasgow for 15 years since I moved here after meeting my wife, who is a native. I'm not a native. I don't give a rat's ass about who are the powerful families and such. In fact, I'm sure I've probably offended some of them in my years here. LOL There ARE certain families in this town that think they run it - but that's just like any other small town. In that category, Glasgow is nothing special. And I think everyone involved with this book needs to be open about their bias against Glasgow and recognize the slant it makes in this book
My biggest question from this book is this - why would Scotty want to go to the reunion and hang out with those people he wasn't part of in high school? I've never gone to any of my high school reunions because I've kept in touch all these years with the people I cared about. The reunions were for the popular folks and jocks that I wasn't a part of then - and sure don't want to be a part of now. And if I did go to one, I wouldn't hang out at the cabin of people who taunted me in high school.
I didn't know Scotty or any of his family. And I am sorry he died that night. But maybe, just maybe, it WAS an accident and didn't have to do with a "rich and powerful families" conspiracy and being gay. Maybe it was just an accident.
That said - the book hints strongly and repeatedly that Scotty was killed for making sexual advances at four "jocks" from the "rich and powerful" families of Glasgow. I think the author allows his own homosexuality to lend a bias to this argument - he even brings in the Matthew Shepard story. And that the family just won't accept the possibility that this was an accident - they seem to feel they must "blame" someone. Based on the information from the book - there is no evidence that this is was a murder. He seems to have died by a single injury to his head. He wasn't beaten up. No one heard him yell if he had been attacked by a group of "jocks". It's a shame there was no toxicology report done. What I did read was that there was a lot of beer drinking going on at the reunion and meth use by Scotty. That the area where he died was poorly lit and a fall there would be fairly easy. What was he doing there? Who knows? But based on what this book presents, an accident seems to be the most likely answer. Yes - the investigation was handled poorly. But that is also, unfortunately, typical of this area.
I think this book is also a chance for the author and Scotty's family to knock Glasgow and some of its families. The author definitely seems to have a chip on his shoulder about the city having grown up here as a gay youth. I've lived in Glasgow for 15 years since I moved here after meeting my wife, who is a native. I'm not a native. I don't give a rat's ass about who are the powerful families and such. In fact, I'm sure I've probably offended some of them in my years here. LOL There ARE certain families in this town that think they run it - but that's just like any other small town. In that category, Glasgow is nothing special. And I think everyone involved with this book needs to be open about their bias against Glasgow and recognize the slant it makes in this book
My biggest question from this book is this - why would Scotty want to go to the reunion and hang out with those people he wasn't part of in high school? I've never gone to any of my high school reunions because I've kept in touch all these years with the people I cared about. The reunions were for the popular folks and jocks that I wasn't a part of then - and sure don't want to be a part of now. And if I did go to one, I wouldn't hang out at the cabin of people who taunted me in high school.
I didn't know Scotty or any of his family. And I am sorry he died that night. But maybe, just maybe, it WAS an accident and didn't have to do with a "rich and powerful families" conspiracy and being gay. Maybe it was just an accident.
Displaying 1 of 1 review