Dog Ear Publishing releases “The Curmudgeon’s Tree” by David R. Branon.
A wealthy man with a more than checkered past shares his life’s story – and that of his ancestors – in this fictional memoir released by Dog Ear Publishing.
The tale of Lassiter Malone, a self-described “less than likable cuss with no redeeming virtues, save one” – he loved his wife with whatever heart he had–features recollections of a shady, back-alley life lived on the edge. This new novel, set against the vibrant backdrop of U.S. history, traces the story of Lassiter’s roots, beginning with an impoverished couple who migrate to the land of opportunity to escape the devastating Irish potato famine of the 1840s. In reviewing his heritage, Lassiter pays colorful homage to those who preceded him. The family saga evolves into a page-turning thriller complete with murder, cupidity and corruption.
“The Curmudgeon’s Tree” details Lassiter’s twisted roots, starting with his great-great grandfather, Seamus Malone, who steals and murders his way to America and finds employment as his cousin’s Irish gang’s strong-armed enforcer before serving heroically in the Civil War. Seamus’ only surviving child, Dylan, builds the family’s dubious fortune in the construction trades, pulling the strings that hoisted the Boston Irish to the halls of political and economic power. By nefarious and duplicitous means, from insider trading and land speculation to bribes, blackmail, bootlegging and brothels, grandfather Padraig Malone continues to swell the clan’s coffers until he is undone by federal investigators and imprisoned for the rest of his life. His son Lucas, Lassiter’s father, manages to shed the legacy of immorality and becomes a forester before joining the Army at the onset of World War II. Lassiter is born on a date that lives in infamy: Dec. 7, 1941.
One high-spirited and impetuous woman, Kathleen, turns Lassiter’s heart to stone, while another, Scarlett Belle, does everything she can to soften it. In battle-weary Vietnam he finds his ill-fated destiny when he crosses paths with Ethan Cantrell, a black-ops intelligence officer, who recruits Lassiter into a deadly partnership. A hit gone terribly wrong in East Germany drives Lassiter home, but his relationship with Cantrell will persist. Despite enormous financial success, Lassiter must battle attacks initiated by a billionaire and his politically ambitious son, enduring inquisitions from the FBI and crusaders who want to bring him down after a terrifying act leads to a brutal, earth-shattering assassination. A surprisingly bold move becomes Lassiter’s last chance for redemption in this unforgettable and beautifully written work that provides a touchstone to current events.
This is the first book for author David R. Branon, a successful businessman and former chairman of the multi-million dollar Americas division of a worldwide sporting goods conglomerate. The magna cum laude graduate of Harvard and his wife, Kay, live in Greenville, South Carolina.
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For additional information, please visit www.thecurmudgeonstree.com.
The Curmudgeon’s Tree
David R. Branon
ISBN: 978-1-4575-1164-6 320 pages $16.95 US
Available at Ingram, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Kindle, Nook, iBookstore and fine bookstores everywhere.
About Dog Ear Publishing, LLC
Dog Ear Publishing offers completely customized self-publishing services for independent authors. We provide cost-effective, fast, and highly profitable services to publish and distribute independently published books. Our book publishing and distribution services reach worldwide. Dog Ear authors retain all rights and complete creative control throughout the entire self-publishing process. Self-publishing services are available globally at http://www.dogearpublishing.net and from our offices in Indianapolis.
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This is a compelling tale of an Irish family, woven into American history, and modern-day chicanery, hard to put down and one is almost sorry when it ends.