Renewals

When academic Richard returns to his hometown he discovers a scam that has ruined the city, he must unite his friends and family to uncover the truth, but this pits him against the scam's architect, aging but violent drug kingpin Giacomo Duchamps, who could destroy everyone Richard loves should he fail.

Renewals captures the nature of a hardscrabble small town and those who live and struggle there, in this pitch perfect tale of corruption and renewal. It is the story not only of the renewal of a city but of people as well--a sexually abused young woman seeking autonomy, a young ex-con seeking redemption, and others.

Gregory F. Delaurier is a retired college professor, who has returned to his first love, fiction writing. He lives in Melrose, Massachusetts. He has two grown children, a daughter in her 40s and a son in his early 20s (it's a long story). Renewals is his first novel.