The Covid Chronicles

by Stu Whitney

"I backed toward the door, shaken by all that he knew about me, the position I put myself in. My family, my reputation, my career, maybe my life, all in the hands of these people. The worst part was that I wanted the same thing they wanted and had sunk to their depths to get it."

As coronavirus rages through South Dakota, a newspaper editor blasts the Republican governor's hands-off approach while forming an ethically dubious alliance with a Democratic mayor. When the editor's son joins a potential state champion football team and militia members attack the mayor's policies, the editor is caught in the crossfire, exploring how far he can go before his own freedom is in doubt.THE COVID CHRONICLES, a debut novel by award-winning journalist Stu Whitney, examines political partisanship and pandemic fatigue, probing the question of whether America returning to normal is as appealing as it seems."Great writers raise and tell stories. Stu Whitney does very well."– Jim Abbott, former University of South Dakota president and gubernatorial candidate

133 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 10, 2021

About the author

Stu Whitney covered the Great Plains as a columnist and editor at the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Argus Leader for three decades, earning national recognition from the American Society of Newspaper Editors and the Scripps Howard Foundation. The COVID CHRONICLES is the debut novel for the Michigan State University graduate.

Reviews

[Brian Kuyper · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who was born and raised in Sioux Falls and specifically lived there during the main stretch of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the underlying struggle between the ideas of personal freedoms and the scientific data of covid shown in real life was completely accurate in this novel.

In Whitney’s first book after leaving the newspaper, I thought he did a great job creating an exciting story while still holding true to what the divide was in Sioux Falls and SD when the pandemic was in full swing. I would recommend this to anyone who has lived in the state and to others outside the state to see what my home state was going through during the pandemic.

[Beth Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Topical & Introspective story of a fall from grace in a crazy world.
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2021
So , 2020 isn’t a year anyone will easily forget. This is the tale of one man’s struggle and how a person with principals takes a wrong turn and find himself making choices he never thought he would. I always enjoy books set in someplace not often featured and South Dakota fits the bill in this story ,with the right details ,telling you the author knows his subject well. Stories of introspection always grab my attention also . I am a person who thinks “too much” . The way the author led us through the path of his thoughts was well done and well written. Topics :divisive politics, family, relationships, parenting and values and growing up. This novel has it all

[Emersyn Park · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s entertaining to read a book about my hometown and recognize characters and locations. Each descriptive scene pulled me right in, so much that sometimes I asked myself, what did I just read or what was the point of that? I enjoyed the stories about the families affected about Covid, but I’m sure glad it’s over.

[Judee Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down

Mr. Whitney is a wonderful writer. The story sounded so believable that I has to remind myself that he is not really in prison. I imagine he will continue to write and I look forward to reading his next novel.

[Ryan Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great page turner and illustration of how 2020 really was. Stu Whitney provided a great story from start to finish.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stu Whitney writes very well; hope to see another book out of him :)