The Blackening of Flesh

What happens when you find out the house you grew up in is a private graveyard? Jared Dix is an awkward high school graduate who makes his first friend in a college student named Monica, who knows more about his house than he does: it's where Al Capone wiped out the Cerutti Mob the evening of Easter in 1930.

The discovery is unsettling for Jared, but as he and Monica find out more details about the massacre, he learns what it feels like to be accepted, hoping beyond hope that their friendship might turn into something more. But when his family starts acting strangely, he starts to wonder if he's imagining it, or if the killings that happened in his house have cast a longer shadow than he realized.

"... a masterful blend of ghost story, gangster tale, and coming of age story all wrapped within a frightening, surreal cocoon of horror. Larsen's writing is superb. Vivid characters, sharp details, and interesting historical facts are all intertwined within an intricate plot full of surprise twists. Can Jared save his family in time? You'll be turning the pages as fast as you can to find out. I loved it!"

- J. Michael Major, Lovey Award-winning author of ONE MAN'S CASTLE

"A well-realized story made more compulsively readable by the very relatable protagonist. Chris Larsen is a writer to watch."

- Susie Moloney, author of A DRY SPELL and THE DWELLING