James Shaw

The Banks of the Red Cedar James Shaw

It's 1980, and Detroit area native Mark Nelson, who played college football, is now coaching basketball as part of his high school teaching job. His fiancée, Elaine, and his friend, Tom from high school are in medical school at Michigan State University. Mark encounters some problems coaching as well as some problems in the community. He also has problems with Elaine and their engagement is in jeopardy. Someone very close to Mark dies and the district attorney believes he has evidence to prosecute Mark. Mark is arrested and put in county prison awaiting his hearing. While Mark is trying to persevere being incarcerated, an attorney, Harry Block, is hired by a friend's mentor to help him. Harry solicits the help of one of his long-term friends, Bob Spicer, to do a lot of the investigation. They work to get the charges dropped and Mark released. Readers of other James Shaw books will know a lot about Mark from his college days in I'm So Glad and many other characters from The Baseball Bat, Defensive End, and Throw a Good Pass. There are new characters too with their own individual quirks. The reader gets a look into medical school, graduate school of mathematics, teaching, coaching basketball, tennis, softball, badminton, working at a sporting goods store, family problems, relationship problems, and life in county prison. The author beautifully incorporates love stories, overcoming life struggles, with a murder mystery.