Last Train to Stratton

by Stephen Terrell

In America’s dark days following the Vietnam War and Watergate, Zach Carlson is a deeply cynical Chicago crime beat reporter, making his living by the adage “if it bleeds, it leads.” He is as emotionally detached from those around him as he is from the blood and death he covers daily. When Zach’s life in Chicago shatters, he moves to a small Indiana town to run a weekly newspaper, seeking to lose himself in the mundane dullness of small-town America. Instead of tranquility, Zach finds a town trying to cope with its own fear, anxiety and anger. The railroads, which have provided the town’s economic lifeblood, are leaving, and with it most of the town’s jobs. Violence, drugs and crime are seeping into the bucolic community. When Stratton suffers its first murder in decades, Zach’s investigation uncovers secrets that tear away the town’s veneer of innocence and force Zach to face the still-open wounds that eviscerated his life.

"Stephen Terrell’s Last Train to Stratton sneaks up on you and yanks you in. The writing is as sensitive as it is tough, and the unforgettable characters are as familiar as they are fresh. Simply put, Last Train to Stratton is a gripping, heartfelt read that will stay with you long after you finish it."

— Janis Thornton, author of the Elmwood Confidential Series and Too Good a Girl

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2019

Reviews

[Claire Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Stephen at a book signing in my town back in November. He was really nice and gifted me his book, which I finally got around to reading!

I thoroughly enjoyed it! I liked the straight to the point writing style and the different timelines.

[Tony Perona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Terrell does a great job of keeping the reader interested in what happened in 1973 that would have caused the main character, Zach Carlson, to leave working for a big-city Chicago newspaper where he was highly regarded for small town Stratton, Indiana, where is the editor of a weekly newspaper. To do this, he is telling two stories at once. The first is his experiences in 1975 in Stratton, which are varied and, at times, a hilarious contrast to what he was used to in Chicago. The second, which is parsed out over the length of the book, is what took place in 1973. That narrative is also interesting and involves the woman of his dreams, Kate Billings. Toward the end of the book the two stories collide through the involvement of a second woman, Emma, who is savvy enough in the ways of love to know Zach isn't in love with her, though he cares for her. The real catalyst for change, though, is a story he ends up covering when a crime occurs while he is doing a ride along with one of Stratton's police officers at night.

All in all, I was impressed with the quality of Terrell's writing. The book is self-published though Terrell's writing is far above what you might expect from that. However, the book itself had some formatting issues and the occasional typo that reminded me of its publishing pedigree. I say that NOT as a reason for you to avoid the book--in fact, I recommend the book--but rather to make you aware going in that I found it to be an issue at times. Not often, but it was there.

[Crystal Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the 1970s and former big city reporter, Zack Carlson, fresh from a personal tragedy, arrives in the town of Stratton as the new editor of the local newspaper. Stratton, Indiana is an insignificant place in the middle of nowhere, and as expected, Carlson is a fish out of water, but what could have been a predictable tale turns into a well crafted story of small town intrigue that culminates into an unpredictable climax. In LAST TRAIN to STRATTON, Stephen Terrell weaves a compelling story with skillful insight, and a satisfying conclusion. LAST TRAIN to STRATTON, is a novel that I do recommend.

[Hawthorn Mineart · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1975, Chicago crime reporter Zach Carlson leaves the big city when his world is turned upside down. He takes a job as an editor for a small paper in small town Stratton, Indiana, hoping for peace from the crime and violence he left behind. He discovers that though things are not as fast-paced as the life he left, the trouble people find in Stratton is just as real. Wars, drugs, prejudice, gas prices and the economy may be national problems, but they they come to call on small towns as well. Terrell gives us a window into 1970s Chicago, rural Indiana and human nature in this engaging and empathetic story.

[Vic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Steve's books and have enjoyed all of them. However, this one is my favorite. It is just a good story about believable people. Steve does a freat job developing the nuances of the characters, so that all seem to be folks that you have known or met sometime in your life.

If you are looking for a good story, this is it.