Shortly after his father dies, 24-year-old Nick Castle discovers what seems to be a draft of the novel his father had always hoped to write. But a clue at the end causes Nick to fear that this story of a serious federal crime and escape from the U.S. may not be fiction at all. When Nick sets out to find out the truth about his father’s past, he learns more than he ever expected-about his father and about himself. The Old Block appeals to anyone who understands the coming of age process, who appreciates the complexities of self-discovery, who enjoys touches of humor, and who remembers the experience of a first-love romance.

The Old Block is the latest contemporary fiction by Mark Scott Piper, the author of the award-winning crossover YA novel, You Wish. It takes you on an emotional journey with young Nick Castle, as he sets off on cross-cultural adventure to unfurl the mystery of his father’s true identity. Along the way, Nick’s quest to discover the truth about his father becomes a journey of self-discovery.

Nick Castle is as close to his father as any son could be. Nick patterns his life, his personality, and his world view after Jim Castle. He is truly a chip off the old block and he’s extremely proud of it. Nick gets his whole identity from his dad, and when Jim dies, in 2012, Nick is devastated.

Jim Castle has left behind a manuscript for Nick’s eyes only. It is the story of young Braden Delaney, who gets caught up in a cross-cultural adventure. During the student anti-war protests of 1970, he commits a violent act of rebellion that destroys government property–and ends in the death of an innocent victim. Braden escapes the U.S. to avoid government agents and spends the next 15 years of his life on the run in Central America. Finally, he returns to the States with a new name and identity.

That new identity is a clue that leads Nick to fear that his beloved father, Jim Castle, and Braden Delaney are in fact the same person. Nick’s suspicion sends him on an emotional quest to prove his dad is not the protagonist of his own story. He retraces the steps of Braden Delaney to find facts that will prove his fear unwarranted and put the mystery of his father’s identity to rest. Nick’s dilemma: If his father is not the man he thought he was, where does that leave his son?

As he pursues his quest to discover the truth about his father, Nick meets Sophie Cole and falls truly in love for the first time in his life. Nick’s quest also helps him uncover something else important–his own unique identity–and that opens the door for him to truly become his own man.

Amazon Categories:

Fiction: Contemporary

Romance Contemporary

Romance: 20th Century

Fiction: Coming of Age

Romance: Multicultural & Interracial

Fiction: New Adult

Fiction: Literary

Fiction: Mystery