I Know Why the Dogwoods Blush — Bill Cain

When love turns to hate, there's Hell to pay!

Jeremiah "Jerry" Bronson was an abandoned newborn baby discovered by Sheriff "Big Ben" Spear in Timmons County, Georgia during the annual Dogwood Festival of 1950. Raised by the entire town, Jerry grew to become the hometown hero in every area high school football star, Vietnam war hero, and pacifist reverend. His mentor, "Father" Roman Spindola, thought of him as his own son.

Upon returning home from Vietnam in 1972, Jerry vowed to never harm another human being again and became a respected minister. He married high school sweetheart and local entertainer Angel Andrews. Life was good. Then came the Dogwood Festival of 1979 when sadistic biker Roscoe Parker and his "Broken Bones" gang rode into town on a murder and pillage spree. Jerry saved the town and was elected sheriff. His star continued to shine.

Jerry, Angel and their dog, Blueblood, were murdered by a Russian mob cartel during the Dogwood Festival of 1995. Avenged by Dick Spear, the old sheriff's son who now stood poised to become the sheriff himself, the little town of Timmonsville has moved on beyond these tragedies. The Dogwood Festival of 2010 is about to begin.

During the week prior to the festival, the grave of Jerry Bronson is desecrated and his body taken. Strange events are occurring around town. And to the west … in Louisiana, Kansas and Washington, former Timmons County residents are meeting with violent deaths. As more and more unexplained events take place, "Father" Spindola fears the dead are about to walk the earth, bringing about the long foretold end of days. Sheriff Dick Spear wants to believe these events are just pranks carried out by misguided teens. But both men carry secrets from the past Spindola with his supernatural visions of death and Spear with his knowledge of what really happened the night Jerry Bronson died. Waiting in the shadows, watching his decades long plan finally come into play, is the evil Vladimir Buchinsky. He'd failed twice before in his efforts to destroy the town. But this time, he had a secret weapon a spell so powerful it could resurrect the dead and usher in a new dark age for mankind.

As the events of the Bronson murders of 1995 are revealed, Jerry and Blue return from the grave to seek justice and bring retribution. As things appear worse than ever, Buchinsky's spell of hate brings Roscoe Parker back from the dead to finish what he started in 1979. But has Jerry Bronson returned to save the town? Or has the real threat to the survival of Timmons County and all of mankind … been Jerry Bronson from the start? The blushing Dogwoods know the answer their secret will change the world!

I KNOW WHY THE DOGWOODS BLUSH is a crime drama/thriller with a supernatural flourish. It is intended to be a stand-alone tale but with threads linking it to potential follow-on stories told in the same universe and time line. If you think you know the legend of the dogwood tree, think again!

Sometimes, what you don't know can kill you!