Forked Head Pass

by Tom Trabulsi

High in the majestic Rocky Mountains, thirty-five-year-old carpenter Nolan Harris struggles to make a living. But when the small ski town where he lives experiences a sudden land boom and ranchers begin to sell their vast properties for future development, Nolan seizes the chance to claw his way to the top of a scrum of small construction companies to reap the enormous rewards and riches promised from this rapidly changing landscape. Along with his partner, Randall Holmscomb, a handful of fierce-minded misfit employees, and his own insatiable ambition, Nolan’s reputation begins to rise above even the forty-foot snow drifts that bury his hometown each winter. But as Nolan’s success grows, he cannot deny his personal demons that lurk just beneath the surface. His hard-earned sobriety, his business, and even the welfare of his workers are in constant jeopardy, victimized by the brutal Rocky Mountain weather and merciless pace. Eventually, when things take a turn for the worse on a harrowing build, with the life and death of his crew hanging in the balance of his every decision, Nolan must rely upon the fortitude of his men. Without each other and their boundless work ethic, they know making it home alive is no guarantee.

573 pages, Paperback

Published December 24, 2022

Reviews

[Laurie A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rugged story of men trying to make a living in the cold treacherous Rocky Mountains kept me reading nonstop until it was finished. Not often you come across a book mainly about men and their issues, working their butts off, and trying to stay alive. Meeting all kinds of people and personalities in this story, yet treating each other harshly but mostly fairly. This story made me think that there can be a way out or up for most people. It may not be fun or comfortable, but a better life or a changed life can be found. We all have demons that we try to overcome or deny, this story shows people living each day living with them. Some people can rise above and some can not. The Rocky Mountains provided a perfect tough backdrop to the rough persona of the characters. Snow, Ice, freezing temps, rocks, alcohol, drugs, love, and hate kept me on the edge of their lives.