The Gandy Dancer - Paperback

by Jeff Andrews (Author)

"It has it all...mystery, romance, history, love and hate."

His career is on the rocks. His ex-wife is demanding more money. A woman he can't even remember accuses him of fathering her child. Newspaper reporter Mitch Corsini shrugs and takes another drink. Then his estranged teenage daughter mysteriously disappears. Suddenly, his life has a purpose and he has a mission: rescue the child he's neglected for too long and rekindle the love they once shared.

Mitch's quest takes him to the Virginia mountains and his ancestral home. There, he becomes locked in a life or death struggle to save his daughter as seventy-year-old family secrets and the fate of a long-forgotten railroad worker combine to shatter the very foundations of his world.

The Gandy Dancer weaves together parallel stories, one modern, one set in the 1930s. One reader described it this way: "Jeff Andrews...intelligently knits together two separate stories and comes up with quite a curve ball of an ending. The novel is not so easily categorized, while it contains elements of a thriller, it is also a story touching on love, racism, interracial relationships, and self-discovery..."More Reader Reactions:

Fascinating, Suspenseful, Clever and a Very Well Written Read! - "'The Gandy Dancer' is one heck of a crime story - in fact two crime stories. Suspenseful, well written, it grabbed me in the first chapter and never let go."

Fantastic and unpredictable - "This book was one that I did not put down."

A Great read - "I loved the characters and the story line. I was sad when it ended I wanted more. I really enjoyed the book."

Fascinating stories intertwined - "Powerful and riveting stories that eventually unite. Wonderful insight into gandy dancers. Would recommend this novel to all readers interested in racial and cultural ties to the deep south."

Loved it - "I really enjoyed this book. The story hooked me from the start and I just didn't want to put it down. The characters are still on my mind!"

Unexpected jewel - "Loved this story. It has it all ...mystery, romance, history, love and hate. It spans generations where family secrets are brought to light during a time when it was unlawful for whites and blacks to socialize together or find love."

Wow page turner - "I love how the two books went together...This book was full of surprises...Can't wait for another book by this author."

Stunning history - "What a testament to honoring and loving relationships. This is a must read..."

One of the best books I've read in a long time! - "I loved this book. I read every day and am always looking for books I can't put down. This is that book."

Spellbinding - "A gripping story reflecting a dark period in our country's history. A poignant love story with a surprise ending."

Author Biography

Jeff Andrews grew up in Moorestown, New Jersey, a stone's throw from Philadelphia and a short drive to the Jersey shore. After graduating from Baldwin-Wallace College (now Baldwin-Wallace University), he set off on a twenty-year adventure with the United States Marine Corps, rolling up his sleeves and getting down to business in such exotic settings as Vietnam, Japan, Egypt, Morocco, Denmark, Brazil, and Beirut, Lebanon. Along the way, he picked up a graduate degree from George Washington University. Jeff is a member of the Society of Civil War Historians and his love of history inspires his writing. He strives to create an experiential connection to our past through rich, character-driven stories spun across a carefully-researched historical tapestry. Jeff and his wife, Mary Lou, live in Virginia Beach, VA and enjoy every opportunity to lace up their hiking boots and trudge across the plantations, battlefields, and historic parks of the Old Dominion.