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WHAT WE LEFT BEHIND
He came home to bury his sister.
Instead, he uncovered a lie.
Hank Clayton has spent a lifetime trying to escape the mountain town of Hockett. But when his estranged sister plunges to her death from the notorious Stanley Hollow Bridge, he is forced back home to face the family, memories, and people he left behind.
The verdict is simple: suicide.
Hank isn’t convinced.
A cryptic note left on his car shatters the official story. As Hank digs into his sister’s final days, he discovers a woman he barely knew: secret relationships, unfinished dreams, and questions no one seems eager to answer.
The police are certain. The coroner is dismissive. The locals are reluctant to talk.
But someone wanted Hank to know the truth.
And someone else is determined to keep it buried.
What We Left Behind is book one in the Hockett Mystery series.
My Story
Joel Austin grew up beneath the sweltering sun of California’s Central Valley, where the small towns and landscapes of his childhood would later inspire his fiction, including his debut novel, Happenstance.
He holds master’s degrees in History and International Relations and spent time studying in London and working in West Africa before settling in Colorado.
Writing began as a hobby, but became something more serious after the birth of his daughter—an ironic time to take up a pursuit best done in peace and quiet. These days, Joel balances writing with his day job, family, and an ever-growing collection of other interests. When he can get away, he’s happiest on a river. When he can’t, he’s usually writing late into the night after the rest of the house has gone to sleep.
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