Long Black Veil

More about the book

On a warm August night in 1980, six college students break into the crumbling Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, seeking adventure. Among them are a pianist, a painter, and a teacher, brimming with potential. However, they soon realize they are trapped—and not alone. As they become lost and separated, the night spirals into tragedy, leaving lasting repercussions on the survivors. As they attempt to move on, it becomes evident that their harrowing experience has irrevocably altered their lives. Decades later, new evidence emerges, prompting a determined detective to charge one of the friends—celebrity chef Jon Casey—with murder. Only Judith Carrigan, an old friend, can vouch for his innocence. Yet, she harbors long-held secrets that could jeopardize her career as a travel writer and her family life with her fireman husband and teenage son. Helping Casey could shatter the life she has painstakingly built and the woman she has become. In a narrative that shifts between 1980 and the present, this atmospheric thriller delves into the complexities of identity, loyalty, and love, challenging the boundaries of living a single life amidst the shadows of the past. Readers will celebrate Boylan's powerful return to fiction.