Author Joe Lee of Brandon will attend a book signing for his new novel “40 Days” from 1 p.m. until approximately 3 p.m. Saturday at Books A Million in Leigh Mall in Columbus.
In the compelling book, photojournalist Duane Key has been leading a double life, and it’s getting to him. The main character is about to turn 50, a devoted father, but a man with flaws. When a curious series of numerical cues seems to signal a countdown of some kind in Duane’s life, he increasingly feels the need to atone for past mistakes. Tension bordering on fear rises as the countdown — which begins with the number 40 — inexorably marches toward zero.
“’40 Days’ is the sixth volume of my fictional Oakdale suspense series, which is set in northeast Mississippi,” said Lee, a Mississippi State University alumnus. “It is actually a faith-based mystery; the same mayhem and chaos and crime and dysfunction of the previous volume is in place, but this book is a story of redemption and forgiveness that takes place in 40 days of real time, during the season of Lent — and culminates on Easter Sunday.”
“40 Days” unfolds in the seemingly serene fictional Mississippi community of Oakdale as we follow Duane and his “ultimate leap of faith for a man who realizes he must do better — if there’s time.”
Who will take Duane seriously if he shares his deepest fears? The priest he’s contacted? His wife? His girlfriend? His 6-year-old son, Chad? It’s a question answered only in the pages of “40 Days.”
Joe Lee was born in Jackson and graduated from Starkville High School and MSU. He has more than 1,000 non-fiction news and feature stories to his credit and writes for several Mississippi newspapers and magazines. Lee is owner and editor-in-chief of Dogwood Press. He lives in Brandon with his family.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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