The Tarnished Son
Domestic Suspense
Setting – Wisconsin
Independently Published (‎ July 23, 2024)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 324 pages

Synopsis

“This is a nice, quiet town with good people. Things like that don’t happen around here.”

But they do.

In THE TARNISHED SON, a tourist’s death, an alluring young teacher, a father’s carnal desires, and a stepdaughter’s vendetta ultimately destroy a village dynasty.

The respected Clark family has governed Williams Bay since 1837. On a hot August day, seventeen-year-old Liam causes a tragic boating accident. What happens next—infidelity, drugs, theft, and more—deepens long-hidden cracks in the family’s façade, exposing their secrets and tarnishing their golden image.

Meet the family:
William Sr., the grandfather who rules the family and the village with an iron fist
Hank, the father who lets temptations lead him on a path of self-destruction
Liam, the shining son who gets away with everything
Rose, the stepdaughter who has had enough and pushes the whole house down

Grab some popcorn and watch the destruction unfold in Elizabeth McKenna’s unpredictable family drama!

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Guest Post

The storyline in The Tarnished Son was inspired by Alex Murdaugh, a South Carolina attorney: “A fourth-generation son, affluent lawyer Richard Alexander “Alex” Murdaugh, secretly led a life of crime that included acts of fraud, corruption, embezzlement, theft, and drug offenses spanning decades and involving dozens of victims, many who were disadvantaged. The crimes culminated in 2021 when Alex murdered his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, using multiple guns at close range.”

After reading a few articles, I thought, you can’t make stuff like this up. Someone will turn Murdaugh’s life into a book and Netflix series (which they did).

One of the articles I read had an interview with a resident who was shocked that such crimes could happen in their small community. I thought about the rumor mill of Williams Bay, where I live, and started writing The Tarnished Son.

My novel begins with an accidental drowning (a common occurrence on Geneva Lake, unfortunately). The aftermath becomes the first unraveled thread in a carefully woven family tapestry. The Clark family has governed Williams Bay since its inception, and William Sr. isn’t going to let anything tarnish their golden legacy. But what happens next—infidelity, drugs, theft, and more—deepens long-hidden cracks in the family’s façade.

My family moved to Williams Bay over twenty-five years ago. After living in big cities such as Milwaukee and Chicago, I experienced culture shock in the picturesque lake-side village of two thousand residents. Where was the shopping mall? The movie theater? The public transit system?

Besides the absence of some amenities I was used to, I realized that, unlike where I had lived previously, everyone knew everyone. My girls would come home from school and tell me the latest happenings and rumors. It became apparent I needed to keep my mouth shut about my business and everyone else’s business unless I wanted it spread around town.

To be clear, though, the shenanigans in The Tarnished Son didn’t actually happen. The village hasn’t been run by one family over the decades, and the superintendent of the school system isn’t having affairs and isn’t a drug addict. But I know a neighbor who lost his family, law license, and reputation after his drug addictions derailed his enviable life. I would say to that resident from the Murdaugh article that people do bad things whether they live in a big city or a small town.

I hope you will pick up a copy of my latest novel, and if you enjoy it, please leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. As an independent author with a practically nonexistent marketing budget, reviews and word-of-mouth are invaluable to me. Thank you and take care.

About the Author

Elizabeth McKenna’s love of books reaches back to her childhood, where her tastes ranged from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to Stephen King’s horror stories.

Her novels reflect her mercurial temperament and include romances, mysteries, and suspense. Some are “clean,” and some are “naughty,” so she has a book for your every mood.

Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband and Sidney, the rescue dog from Tennessee. When she isn’t writing, reading, or walking the dog that never tires, she’s sleeping.

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