The Green Barracuda

About this book

A homecoming. A friendship forged in war. A small Southern town full of memories, secrets, temptation-and consequences.After serving in Vietnam, Scott Carroll returns to his hometown of Manchester, Georgia, hoping to leave the past behind and begin a new life. Riding beside him is Whipper, his closest friend and former squad leader, whose life Scott once saved in battle. Their journey home takes place behind the wheel of Scott's prized 1967 green Plymouth Barracuda, a car that quickly becomes an unmistakable symbol of their return. But Manchester is not quite the town Scott remembers.Old friends, forgotten relationships, familiar streets, pool halls, diners, family property, and memories of another life begin pulling him deeper into his past. Scott reconnects with Nancy, a former love who still cares deeply about what happens to him, while discovering that his reputation as a returning war hero has preceded him.Then Jim Swaybacker, a dangerous figure from Scott's past, appears with the promise of fast money and a mysterious opportunity. What begins as a chance to get ahead soon threatens the future Scott and Whipper have been trying to build. Nancy recognizes the danger, but Scott finds himself drawn into circumstances that become increasingly difficult to escape. Set against the atmosphere of late-1960s small-town Georgia, The Green Barracuda blends Southern life, friendship, humor, romance, crime, social tensions, tragedy, and the challenges faced by men returning home from war.At its heart is the bond between Scott and Whipper-two veterans trying to find their place in a world that continued moving while they were away. As Scott confronts old relationships and dangerous new choices, the story asks whether returning home truly means you can return to the life you once knew.Sometimes the road home leads straight into the past-and one wrong turn can change everything.