So Many Things To Bury by Chris Orlet

A master of working-class noir returns with this stunning tale of one man's struggle against fate and circumstance in an America that’s left him behind.

Al Heidorn is a working stiff, a Korean War vet and recently divorced father of three whose life is unraveling from decades of drinking and neglect. Now Al is determined to start over and put things right. But that's easier said than done. Rather than get his life on track Al makes a tragic decision that seems likely to haunt him for the rest of his days. Will he find redemption or will he squander the only thing that he has yet to lose—his young daughter's love and life?

Critical Acclaim for So Many Things To Bury
"(So Many Things to Bury) is a REALLY good novel. Nothing I love more than a story about a loser who is driven by circumstance to find a heretofore hidden higher gear." Jim Thomsen, The Killing Rain: Left Coast Crime Anthology

"There's not anything good about Al Heidorns's life. Falling apart at the seams, Al's just not boy scout material. Heidorn has no where to go but six feet under. Chris Orlet's story is filled with top-notch witty prose and humor until the reality of Heidorn's choices leaves no one laughing. High fives for Orlet, a worthy author, who makes it clear some people continually make bad decisions." —Wil A. Emerson, bestselling short story author

REVIEWS
“What I’ve been waiting for for years. Finally a worthy successor to James Crumley and Newton Thornburg and Kem Nunn, the 1970’s godfathers of true noir’s long-needed revival. ” Jonathan Ashley, author of South of Cincinnati, Out of Mercy, and The Cost of Doing Business

“Classic noir! A Taste of Shotgun features craven characters creating carnage and feckless fuckwits failing and flaming out fantastically. Fuck yeah." Jedidiah Ayres, author of Peckerwood

“Often very funny, and true to the “noir” tradition in that its central characters are terminal screw-ups who get themselves deeper and deeper into horrible fixes. The more they try to dig themselves out, the worse it gets.” Rory Costello, Hard Sentences: Crime Fiction Inspired by Alcatraz

“White trash noir at its finest. Dirt balls, criminals, and other assorted living train wrecks doing crazy stupid things, and it is funny as well. What is there not to love? I look forward to other titles by this author.” Jim Thomsen, The Killing Rain: Left Coast Crime Anthology

“Often very funny, and true to the “noir” tradition in that its central characters are terminal screw ups who get themselves deeper and deeper into horrible fixes. The more they try to dig themselves out, the worse it gets. Benefits from its setting in redneck Illinois, with realistic descriptions of how the local economy has been hollowed out. Also benefits from the exclusion of the very played-out theme of meth.” David Nemeth, Unlawful Acts