Sean Paul Bedell’s second novel, Shoebox, is a gritty look at the difficult life and work of a first responder in Nova Scotia.
Thanks to River Street Writing for a digital copy of the novel.
Shoebox is told from a first responder’s point of view. Steve Lewis is struggling in many ways – his marriage is shaky, money is tight, and he is plagued with self doubt. Through it all, he is determined to help people, and wants to make “saves” – helping people in meaningful ways.
At times this book felt like a memoir more than a novel. I mean that as a compliment to the author, Sean Paul Bedell. The character Steve Lewis felt very real and human.
I also liked that it was based in Nova Scotia, and the locations are described well enough that I recognize many of them from the time I lived there in the early 1980s.
That being said, I’m not sure I liked the main character. Steve wants to do good, but sometimes he makes poor choices. I think this adds to his humanity and to the book.
If you’re looking for an uplifting, story-of-the-week book, this isn’t it. At times Shoebox gets pretty dark, but without giving spoilers, it comes to a pretty satisfying conclusion.
You can buy Shoebox through these links on the author’s web site.