Scouts' Honor

Dead bodies hadn't been all that common at Boy Scout Camp Matulia. Not that camp injuries didn't occur with relentless regularity. In fact, Camp Matulia, nestled in the rugged, forested, relentlessly hilly southwestern corner of Missouri, was an accident waiting to happen. Consider the odds. Four hundred and fifty young teenagers from big Kaioga City, one hundred miles to the north on the bend of the Missouri River, arriving every other Monday for a twelve-night camping session. Of course mishaps occurred. Thanks to one tenacious journalist who returns to the story decades later, the death of Boy Scout Harry Vincent would wreak havoc on the lives of those who tried to put the death behind them but cannot escape the heavy hand of their nightmarish past. Advance Praise for Scouts' Honor When Harry Vincent turns up dead at Boy Scout Camp, inquiries test the fidelity to 'Scout's Honor' of his friends, patrol members, leaders, and the local sheriff's department. In an era when 'boys will be boys' excused sexism, prejudice, and bullying, the pursuit of truth just might be a trap. Victoria Waddle, author of Keep Sweet, Acts of Contrition, and The Mortality of Dogs and Humans Scouts' Honor is a fascinating look at the culture of teenage boys just after World War II in the Midwest. Many of us grew up in Carlos' world, which he portrays in both a disturbing and endearing way. His insights into the American condition are bottomless. Marc Brenman, When Hate Groups March Down Main Street: Engaging a Community Response This fast-paced mystery involving four Boy Scouts at summer camp raises thorny ethical questions of contemporary relevance. The scouts' loyalties to each other collide with truth-telling about the death of one of the four. On my own honor, this is an intelligent, thought-provoking, timely book that you'll enjoy from start to finish. Ellen Summerfield, author of Motherwise: an anthology of poems