Reunion at Red Paint Bay, George Harrar
Reunion at Red Paint Bay, George Harrar
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Reunion at Red Paint Bay

Author: George Harrar

Narrator: Richard Waterhouse

Unabridged: 6 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/29/2013

Synopsis

Nothing much happens in the small town of Red Paint, the "Friendliest Town in Maine." It's the kind of place where everyone knows your name, a romantic night out might include meatloaf, and carnivals still hold a kind of magical wonder. Simon Howe, once a promising reporter in Portland, Maine, is the last person anyone would have expected to move back to his childhood home to raise a family. He's owner and editor of the local paper, husband to a hard wife who can't help but play therapist to the family's problems, and father to a son who seems to be growing up far too quickly. Yet, Simon's quiet existence dramatically changes when he starts receiving threatening messages from an anonymous sender. As Simon tries to identify his stalker, he must also struggle to keep his life and family together as secrets from his past threaten to destroy everything he has built.

About George Harrar

George Harrar has written short stories and novels for all ages. His short stories have appeared in a dozen literary magazines and The 5:22 won the Carson McCullers Prize and was selected for the 1999 edition of Best American Short Stories. He graduated from New York University and worked as a journalist for many years, writing and editing for several newspapers and magazines. He lives now in Wayland, Massachusetts, with his wife, Linda.

About Richard Waterhouse

Richard Waterhouse is an actor, teacher, director, and producer who is featured in the Hallmark Christmas classic Moonlight and Mistletoe and the independent feature Karl Rove, I Love You. He lives with his partner in Newbury, Vermont.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Anna on January 06, 2014

The feminist in me had a very difficult time with this book. As the story progresses, it's increasingly obvious that a man wrote this book, and that man seems to have something of an agenda as this novel progresses. Young men do stupid and thoughtless things, but grown men should grow beyond rationa......more

Goodreads review by Linda K. Savor on October 02, 2019

Hated the ending!! Will not look for any more of this author's books. Not my of type of fiction when you don't know how the main character turned out .........more

Goodreads review by Robert on May 30, 2013

George Harrar, Reunion at Red Paint Bay (Other Press, 2013) Full disclosure: this book was provided to me free of charge by Amazon Vine. I finished reading this book just before the turn of the new year, and here it is late April and I'm just starting to write a review of it; I've never really been ab......more

Goodreads review by Rachel on March 06, 2025

This went in a strange and intriguing direction.......more

Goodreads review by Martha on February 28, 2013

I had mixed feelings about this story. It made me feel very uncomfortable from the start, though I wasn't sure why. I think it's because the characters are so believable and they're not all that likeable. As the story progresses and Simon and Amy are stalked by a man who is clearly not sure what he......more

Quotes

“George Harrar tells a remarkable story about a newspaperman who struggles to tell the truth, feeling reluctant to bear the consequences, a story of human failure and hard redemption. The writing, razor-sharp and wildly insightful, creates characters who seem to jump off the page—becoming people we know, people we are. Read this book, each page mysterious and compelling, hiding within it the deep core of being human.” Elizabeth Cox, author of The Slow Moon

“Harrar tackles some big issues here, notably vengeance, guilt, and absolution, with the underlying question of when sex becomes rape. But messages aside, this is tightly written psychological suspense.” Booklist

“Harrar skillfully echoes Alfred Hitchcock’s theme about how a seemingly innocent man can be sucked into a disturbing vortex of forces that lie just below the surface of ‘normal’ life.” Kirkus Reviews

“This is a gripping thriller, utterly convincing and alarming, as people struggle to justify past deeds, weigh the costs of the truth, and decide that maybe a half-lie is just as good.” Morning Sentinel (Waterville, ME)

“More than a conventional mystery or thriller, Reunion at Red Paint Bay lays bare the consequences of guilt, denial, and moral absolutism. The novel can be read on several levels, but it devolves into a book tailored to spur readers into examining the limits of responsibility for one’s actions.” Huntington News

“George Harrar’s incisive look at the soft-focus lens through which we view our respective pasts.” BookPage

“Harrar’s novel...is an intriguing and provocative take on some standard themes of contemporary fiction…Reunion at Red Paint Bay is well written even if it invites controversy and criticism. It is a memorable work that could spur some heated debate.” Metapsychology

“Secrets can haunt us. In George Harrar’s novel Reunion at Red Paint Bay, secrets hunt us down for revenge.” Interview Magazine

“The finale is unexpected and well earned, fostering intriguing paths for each of the main characters, well past the last page. It’s the opposite of tying up all the loose ends into a shiny bow. For this kind of story, that is a welcome gift.” WBUR Boston

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