DEAD RECKONING
Book One in the Canaan's Crossing Southern Mystery Series
By Steffan Oxenrider
Marketing Executive
"Beautifully written by a well seasoned soul. There’s something so genuine and real about this author’s content. DEAD RECKONING is immersive and has such a warm essence with nostalgic flavor. A definite must read."
-Jen Figueroa-
Richmond Hill, Ga
On a moonlit night in November of 1973 commercial fisherman Captain Alonzo Smith and his first mate striker Bones pull up a dead body in their shrimp net in southern Blanding County, GA just south of Savannah. Thus begins a colorful tale of intrigue, thick Southern culture, beguiling characters, misguided trust, and mystery in the small coastal Georgia town of Canaan’s Crossing. Narrow creeks, marshes, swamps, and small hammock islands dot the landscape of this picturesque, historic hamlet, rife with Native American, Revolutionary, and Civil War history. Canaan’s Crossing holds secrets, sordid tales, and the ghosts of many residents, both temporary and permanent.
From the local shrimpers who see an opportunity to get into the “import” business as a sideline, to the enterprising local characters, many have motives and all have their own particular interests at heart. The personalities of the locals and their “schemes” perpetuate an environment that is sometimes hazy, quirky, with folks unsure at times where reality begins and ends, and the locals aren’t shy about telling their stories at the corner stores where they congregate.
Reviews
DEAD RECKONING is a brilliant debut novel. Oxenrider’s prose is as engrossing as his well-developed characters; rich, vibrant, and satisfying. This fast-paced series opener will leave you at once content and desperate for the next book in the series. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!
Justin B. Long, author of The Adventures of the Horse Doctor’s Husband
Books by Steffan Oxenrider
Dead Reckoning
By Steffan Oxenrider
Island Casualty: The Wild Heron's Cry
By Steffan Oxenrider
Native Echoes
By Steffan Oxenrider
About the Author
Steffan writes inspired fiction and non-fiction within multiple formats: novel, screenplay, poetry, short story, and essays. He’s currently based out of Georgia. His themes include cultural pursuits and how diverse groups interact, spirituality & faith, the paranormal, mysticism, self-discovery, and even hints of "magical realism" among others. He enjoys exploring the unknown and stresses in his writings via colorful characters and settings that there are possibilities beyond what we envision on the surface of our everyday lives. His characters are uniquely portrayed with a southern charm, but at the same time very mindful of an all-encompassing worldview, including players from all walks of life.
