The Sunlight Through the Clouds: A Novel

by M. William Phelps

On a cold evening just before Christmas, after eighty-two-year-old curmudgeon André Furlong makes the disturbing decision to kill his wife, a series of unfortunate events and a chance encounter with an insightful stranger change the course of this World War II vet’s life. Set against the blue-collar, post-WWII cultural diversity of Hartford, Connecticut’s south end, an aging and dwindling immigrant community, The Sunlight Through the Clouds settles into an authentic and frank story of a man’s dead marriage alive only out of habit. The dark humor found in the daily existence of André’s life and how he cynically views the world provide a unique backdrop for his diabolical mission. As André shuns the world, confining himself to his apartment, sketching his deadly plan, a tragedy occurs. Then André uncovers a devastating secret about his wife—a secret that will upend André’s miserable existence. Suddenly, a man who’s had every decision made for him is forced to make a choice that could change everything.

"One of America’s finest ... crime writers.” —Vincent Bugliosi, #1 NY Times bestselling author

“I’m known for my true crime books,” author M. William Phelps says. “I write nonfiction focused on serial killers and murderers. This novel is no doubt a major departure in that respect, and yet there are elements of my day job stamped all over it.”

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 20, 2022

About the author

Crime, murder and serial killer expert, creator/producer/writer and former host of the Investigation Discovery series DARK MINDS, acclaimed, award-winning investigative journalist M. William Phelps is the New York Times best-selling author of 30 books and winner of the 2013 Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award and the 2008 New England Book Festival Award. A highly sought-after pundit, Phelps has made over 100 media-related television appearances: Early Show, The Today Show, The View, Fox & Friends, truTV, Discovery Channel, Fox News Channel, Good Morning America, TLC, BIO, History, Oxygen, OWN, on top of over 100 additional media appearances: USA Radio Network, Catholic Radio, Mancow, Wall Street Journal Radio, Zac Daniel, Ave Maria Radio, Catholic Channel, EWTN Radio, ABC News Radio, and many more.

Phelps is also a member of the Multidisciplinary Collaborative on Sexual Crime and Violence (MCSCV), also known as the Atypical Homicide Research Group (AHRG) at Northeastern University, maintained by NU alumni Enzo Yaksic.

Phelps is one of the regular and recurring experts frequently appearing on two long-running series, Deadly Women and Snapped. Radio America calls Phelps “the nation’s leading authority on the mind of the female murderer,” and TV Rage says, “M. William Phelps dares to tread where few others will: into the mind of a killer.” A respected journalist, beyond his book writing Phelps has written for numerous publications—including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant—and consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter.

Phelps grew up in East Hartford, CT, moved to Vernon, CT, at age 12, where he lived for 25 years. He now lives in a reclusive Connecticut farming community north of Hartford.

Beyond crime, Phelps has also written several history books, including the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy, THE DEVIL’S ROOMING HOUSE, THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND, MURDER, NEW ENGLAND, and more.

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d give this 2 1/2 stars. It started out okay but it was so depressing and the characters were all very unlikable. I wish I wouldn’t have stick with it!