Overview

Ten year old Ralph lives with his mother and step-father on the family farm in north central Kansas. The dust bowl years are over and this summer has been wet and hot. Ralph detects an awful smell coming from the woodlot down by the river. Biting flies and the strength of stench frustrate Ralph's attempts to discover the source by himself. He enlists the help of his buddies, Rusty and Teag. But things that boys are required to do, like church and Sunday dinner at Grandma's delay their expedition. Finally in the cool of Monday morning they locate the decomposing human body. Ralph's mother conscripts him as kitchen apprentice to help feed the hoard of men folk who come to witness the sheriff's investigation. The coroner calls in the State Bureau of Investigation to help solve the mystery. It is the week of the annual town Celebration. A mysterious death, possibly murder, turns the peaceful community on its ear. People here die from understandable reasons, like illness, accidents and old age, not murder. To be sure, the community has its share of mean people and bullies. The railroad divides here and there are always rough railroad workers coming through. Many strangers are in town for celebration to attend the competitions--livestock, cooking, music, dancing-as well as the carnival barkers and rides. Through the activities of Celebration Ralph and his friends speculate as to the identity of the victim and the identity of the killer. Then walking home in the dark Ralph stumbles into the killer's crosshairs...

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9781522710578

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Ralph Neighbor was bred in Kansas, born across the state line in Missouri but raised back in Kansas, in greater Kansas City, which would seem to make him a city boy. However, the old saw 'you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy' rings true. Rural family ties had a strong pull. He spent as much of his formative years as parents would allow in the maternal family's home province of Downs, Kansas in the north central part of the State. There he took in the culture, attended local celebrations, contributed to local mischief, listened to stories from aunts and uncles and cousins, grandfather and great grandfather. With adolescence annual autumn pheasant hunts become part of the picture. A little later came extended drives with Grandpa Floyd all over the countryside and through nearby communities, Floyd supplying colorful nonstop monologue regarding who used to live here and who used to live there, and what they did and what happened to whom and when, and what those so-and-sos from the government had done to mess up the country in general and farming in particular. Ralph has always been a good listener. Ralph did his college at Kansas State University and medical doctor training at Kansas University. He trained in Obstetrics at the hospital where he was born. He delivered many babies over the next four decades, first in Kansas, then in Washington State. Ralph and partner Pam raised four children and enjoy seven grandchildren. In addition to writing Ralph has passion for music, fly fishing, trains and worship.

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