Bobby's Trace (Kindle Edition)

by Edward C. Patterson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Do ghosts mourn the living? Perry Chaplin is in mourning for his life partner, Bobby - a time of stress, notwithstanding. The more he drifts, the more he becomes unhinged until he's one room short of a rubber one. "Get a grip, Perry." So he takes his chances on a blind date, which further plunges him along the nightmare highway. He gets an unsought lesson in life-after-death that turns his bereavement into a horrific adventure. Come peek through Perry Chaplin's mysterious window. See what there is to see. Enter Our Lady of Perpetual Grace, where the holy water boils and the confessionals whisper. What lurks in the rectory's attic? What lies beneath the surface of life and death? What comes in Bobby's - in Bobby's trace? Do ghosts mourn the living? Perry Chaplin knows. Will you?

Review from Rainbow Reviews:

"Perry suffers unending grief at the untimely loss of his lover, who isn't quite as gone away as Perry believes.

Bobby's gone: bright, sparkly, creative, lovable, never-miss-a-trick Bobby, and Perry, Bobby's survivor, cannot cope. He's not sure whether the odd experiences he's encountering, which constantly remind him of his loss, are positive or negative. He just knows the grieving won't end.

Some experiences aren't accountable for by the natural laws of physics, and while those around Perry scoff and attribute them to troublemakers, deep down Perry knows better. His beloved is still reaching out to him in love. However, the living seem able to still anger the dead, and a deceased spirit can wreak job havoc for a computer programmer. Poor Perry: trapped between the unyielding, unforgiving rock of grief and the hard place of exorcism of a spirit whom he loved in life.

A subtle and wry humor never detracts from the intensity of the characterizations, which rather unfold like the peeling of an onion to reveal unexpected layers and depths. The characters belong in the category of "more here than meets the eye at first" and indeed, so does this story, which left me happy I had chosen to read it. I was also left with a quote that quite blew my mind and provoked thought:

"The fiction is never gone when you're in the closet." What an encouragement to do as Socrates recommended and be true to ourselves!"

About the Author

Edward C. Patterson has been writing novels, short fiction, poetry and drama his entire life, always seeking the emotional core of any story he tells. With his eighth novel, The Jade Owl, he combines an imaginative touch with his life long devotion to China and its history. He has earned an MA in Chinese History from Brooklyn College with further post graduate work at Columbia University. A native of Brooklyn, NY, he has spent four decades as a soldier in the corporate world gaining insight into the human condition. He won the 1999 New Jersey Minority Achievement Award for his work in corporate diversity. Blending world travel experiences with a passion for story telling, his adventures continue as he works to permeate his reader's souls from an indelible wellspring.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 125 KB
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: CreateSpace; 1 edition (February 19, 2008)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00150Z5HC
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #76,510 in Kindle Store (See Bestsellers in Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars M. Night Shyamalan Beware, May 30, 2008

By	Timothy Mulder (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Grief is a terribly destructive thing.
Grieving while being haunted by your dead lover... who won't let you get laid, or even date... well that's just no fun.
Bobby's Trace is a hauntingly beautiful exposition of one man's failing sanity in the face of prolonged grief. Touching and terribly heart wrenching.
Added to the mix is a mysterious ghostly twist... I don't want to give the plot away... making this trip through pain a psychologically straining thriller that M Night Shyamalan would be proud of.
Re-read it twice to more fully appreciate the subtleties.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Impressive, May 30, 2008

By	L. Langston (Surprise, AZ) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Mr. Patterson has mastered the challenge of bringing his characters to life. I had no difficulty visualizing the characters and events, which allows the reader to forget they are reading a book, and immersed myself fully in the story. I was a tad disappointed that it was so short, and I believe the author could easily write a prequel and/or a sequel; however, the brevity in no way hinders what the story is meant to convey.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Book's a Keeper!, August 19, 2008

By	Esmerelda Luv "Esme" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

Once again Patterson proves to be a master when it comes to bringing out the emotional side of the characters, the subject matter, and the overall feel of the story.

Perry is emotionally distraught over the passing of his beloved Bobby. Bobby is still 'present' and is reaching out to communicate with Perry. Perry makes an attempt to get on with his life and goes on his first date since the funeral. Bobby tags along...and there is no putting this book down until the last page is reached.

Patterson has a way of including the reader in every thought, emotion and experience the characters have. At times it was hard to determine which emotion had priority, laugh hysterically or cry uncontrollably. When I finished the book, I was tempted to re-read it just to experience it all over again. This was a great book, a joy to read, and one I'll want to visit again.