Hawk Mountain by Conner Habb

3 1/2 stars
A powerful story of love, pain and bullying. Todd is a teacher and single parent of a young son who are quietly living on the coast when one day someone from Todd's childhood appears as if from nowhere to upend their lives. Jack and Todd have a love/hate relationship that goes back to when Jack bullied Todd at school yet secretly befriended him. This abuse left a lasting impression on Todd that is still with him especially as he sees as he is losing control to Jack of his life and his son Anthony's affection. It reaches a boiling point and Todd's descent into madness begins. It doesn't help that Anthony's mother who abandoned them both is now back inserting herself into Anthony's life. It is a breakdown of a parent/child relationship, an act of violence that will haunt both of them and a man who is at war with himself. You see the events spiral out of control and are powerless as the reader to do anything to stop the horror.