In Hilldale - Paperback

by Bruce Bullen (Author)

A retired Massachusetts lawyer navigates small-town life and a shady past, while finding common ground amidst a local rebellion and mafia entanglement. Struggles with identity and isolation unfold against a political backdrop.

Seeking a calm life, a recently divorced lawyer relocates to Hilldale, a small town in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, only to find himself embroiled in a complex and deeply rooted culture. He tries to bond with the locals, including an eccentric spinster and a fellow retiree from Connecticut, but the town's skeptical anti-government residents, who belong to a gun club, pose a unique challenge to his attempts to fit in.

His past life resurfaces in the form of an inquisitive ex-wife who owns an art gallery in Boston and estranged grown daughters who are pursuing advanced degrees. A murky former client also reappears, dragging him into a potentially illegal scheme that threatens to disrupt his tranquil retirement.

As he grapples with his new surroundings and the ghosts of his past, he finds solace in the poetry of Robert Frost, interpreting his experiences through the lens of the poet's verses. Nostalgic for his Californian childhood, he feels like a stranger in the harsh New England environment. The protagonist's journey of self-discovery is laced with a sense of isolation that extends beyond the confines of Hilldale to his failed marriage and professional life.

In a twist of fate, the town's inhabitants plan a modern reenactment of Shays' Rebellion and see his legal expertise as a potential asset. Caught between a rebellion and a devious mafia plot, the protagonist is thrown into a whirlwind of chaos, humor, and violence.

In Hilldale is set against the backdrop of the Trump era, weaving together themes of politics, Americana, individualism, and the criminal underworld. It is a compelling narrative about a man's struggle to reconcile his past and present, small town and urban life, and ultimately find his own identity.