The Dead Father's Guide to Sex and Marriage
John Scott Shepherd
Downtown, Jul 2004
ISBN: 0743466268

Incumbent Cleveland Mayor Joseph Way Sr. is battling challenger Lester Ratcovic in a dirty campaign. Joseph's son Assistant DA Joe Jr. is a popular local figure for having been a former college football star and being influential in bringing the return of professional football to the city. Sr. constantly reminds the Dog Pound of his son's sports accomplishments.

The Way approach to politics shared by both men is self-righteousness in public, but playing dirty when they can get away with it. The break occurs when teenager Jenni Sanchez tells Jr. that Ratcovic sexually harassed her. Jr. gets her to go public without involving the Ways and sinking the enemy's campaign. Not long afterward, someone beats the girl to death. Joe does not look back with any remorse as she served her purpose until he learns that his role model Sr. has had a longtime affair having caught his dad in the act. The next day Joseph Sr. dies. As he works on the eulogy, Joe Jr. knows the statue has fallen from the pedestal and ponders if ignorance is truly bliss.

John Scoot Shepherd leaves it to the reader to decide how to respond whether to know or not to know is the question. Neither Joe is a likable character and though Jr. undergoes a values cleansing; still the audience will want both to receive their comeuppance. Though very philosophical and at times deep, the tale lacks action as the audience follows the mental war going on inside Jr. who if he wants to go from heir apparent to the throne will need to conceal his father's sins.

Harriet Klausner