Tom Gnagey

The Troubling Relocation of Scotty Atherton Tom Gnagey

A disquieting mystery for grown-ups who have not fully set aside the frightening reality of monsters under their beds. In 1880, Pennsylvania, nine-year-old Scotty Atherton, finds himself alone in the world after his parents are killed by highwaymen. Having no close relatives, he is relocated to his delusional, great uncle's mansion, where he must begin a new life among strangers. He soon learns somebody is out to do him in - most likely because he is the only heir to his uncle's vast fortune. Could it be the cook, the housekeeper, the butler, the stable man, the gardener, or the yet to arrive private tutor? Not knowing who his would-be killer might be, he believes he dares not trust any of the new adults in his life, so he sets out to take care of things himself. Scotty is bright, resourceful, and not shy about pointing out the absurdities of life and the adults who propagate them. His takes on his circumstances are frequently humorous, even as he lives moment by moment in abject terror. Written in the first person by the youngster, but strictly for adults.