Release Date: May 16, 2023
About The Book:
The suspicious death of an elderly widow on the grounds of the HomePort Estate sends shock waves through the seaside resort of Provincetown.
Wrongly accused of the murder, beloved entertainer Helena Handbasket forsakes her oceanside mansion and goes undercover to track down those responsible. Aided by her chosen family, she uses her comic genius and extraordinary talent for impersonation to navigate a maze of deception and greed that includes a museum break-in, thefts of iconic artwork, and some shady liaisons. As the investigation gains momentum, the past increasingly influences the present, exposing hidden secrets and imperiling Helena’s well-heeled existence.
Set amid Cape Cod’s natural beauty and vibrant summer season, this captivating sequel to The HomePort Journals unfolds against the backdrop of a small town struggling to balance its newfound celebrity with a cherished way of life.
About The Author:
A. C. Burch’s debut novel was the award-winning The HomePort Journals. He is also the author of a short story collection entitled A Book of Revelations.
His first decade as a Provincetown resident was spent living in a condominium where drama reigned supreme (see the short story, Even in Death in A Book of Revelations). In 1997, he bought an 1881 Cape in dire need of renovation and has been working on it ever since. The prior owner, whose family owned the property for 92 years, described it as haunted by the ghost of her grandmother, who was born, lived, and died in the house. Any odd occurrence is always attributed to “Bridey,” who was said to have regularly chased painter Charles Hawthorne and his students off her dune-top property. No doubt, the spectral denizens of HomePort owe their presence to her example.
An avid sailor, photographer, and gardener, A.C. seldom goes anywhere without his adorable—if demanding—Golden Retriever, Dori, known to her devoted fanbase as #DoritheWonderDog. https://acburch.com/
Social Media:
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/ACBurchWritings
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acburchauthor/
Book Blurbs:
“Helena finds herself at the center of a murder case as strange as the Cape has ever seen, one involving stolen art, secret lovers, and some grade-A impersonating. . . Burch summons Provincetown’s eclectic, art-and-barnacles ethos with an eye for detail and plenty of campy humor. . . the plot becomes secondary to the peculiar spell Burch weaves with Helena and her milieu.”-Kirkus Reviews
“A remarkable story of love, loss, and the enduring power of friendship. Burch draws his characters deftly, and the mystery he embeds at the center of the story is tantalizing and satisfying. A gem of a book!”-Jeannette de Beauvoir Author, Asylum, The Sydney Riley Mysteries
“Burch blends the pulse of P-Town today—its washashores, its legendary showgirls, its summer people, its onion layers of secrets—with fascinating considerations of its history and highlight-worthy toasts to its beauty. . . The mystery charms and surprises, but the novel’s deeper joy is its enticing depiction of a town and its people proudly out of the mainstream—the prose, plot, and dialogue gush and bubble like champagne uncorked. Readers who start with this entry will feel invited right in, though the first novel in the series, HomePort Journals, is also recommended.” -BookLife by Publisher’s Weekly – Editor’s Pick
“Though marketed as an LGBTQ novel, the tale’s pathos and heartfelt communal spirit will endear Helena, Butch (Helena’s spouse), and Helena’s many friends and associates to mainstream readers as well.” “In many ways, the tale is a timely tribute to the resilient, connecting spirit of drag performance and a push against the current political storm of misunderstanding and hatred.” -Kate Robinson, US Review of Books – Recommended Review
“Through immense pressure, moments of loss, and questions about identity and belonging, Helena is a brilliant protagonist that is always changing and growing, and importantly, always thinking ahead. In The Distance Between Us, Burch has crafted an intricate yet heartfelt page-turner that leaves readers engaged to the last.” -Genevieve Hartman – Independent Book Review
“Whether she’s mired in personal, political, or social conundrums, there’s one thing Helena profiles and represents—the powerful heartbeat of a community at odds with growing fame and its impact on individual ways of life.” – Diane Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, MidWest Book Review
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