Closure In The Pines

About the Book

"James Bradley, an FBI agent, was brutally beaten by hired thugs while trying to prevent them from abducting his wife, Meghan. The criminals wanted information about stolen art from Meghan, an art historian with knowledge about these stolen works of art. The FBI, US Coast Guard, NJ Forest Rangers, and local police cooperated in the search for Meghan and the capture of the vicious criminals. FBI Agent Linda Rosette, and NJ Ranger Vincent Veneto were major players in this search and capture endeavor. They were very competent in their professional capacity, but not in their personal relationship. The manager of The Pines Antique Shop, Janet Cooper, was Meghan’s aunt and substitute mother. She was helped through this crisis by Charles Hoyt, FBI Chief in the New Jersey Pines Barren Area. The St. Francis Ladies Auxiliary worked at The Pines Antique Shop with Janet; they hoped that this ‘friendship’ would result in something more. Father Hillary, Hoyt’s friend, since serving in Vietnam together, was helpful in counselling a bewildered Hoyt about his attraction to Janet. The good priest was a constant beacon of hope to all those in his beloved Pine Barrens. His silent strength and guidance served them through joyous occasions and life’s challenges. This is a story of courage, relationships, and love."

About the Author

Mary Casella is an educator and an award-winning playwright (New Jersey State Council on the Arts). Mary Casella’s latest endeavor is to translate some of her plays to novels. Written in the Sand is a novella that had its original life as her play, A – Is For Andy. This play had a staged reading at the Urban Arts Theater in New York City, sponsored by the now defunct Forum of Italian American Playwrights (Past-President, Mario Fratti). Also, she was chosen for a brief stay to be a visiting playwright at the acclaimed Actors Studio. Recently VSA New Jersey, State Organization on Arts and Disability, produced two of her plays Between First and Third and A is for Andy at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Here a scene from Scampolo (her translation from the Italian) had a workshop presentation.