COTTER

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

synopsis

Synopsis

Synopsis: Jacob Cotter dropped out of Yale Medical School in 1863 to enlist in the Union Army with his father Dr. Edward Cotter, then Chief of Medical Staff at Yale. Upon Edward’s murder by Confederate raiders at the battle of Nashville, Jacob Cotter is disinherited by his brother and sister. After the war Cotter becomes a bounty hunter to obtain money to return to Connecticut and complete medical school at Yale. He finds that his siblings have monopolized the valley wine industry through force, murder and intimidation. At Yale, Cotter works with the Colt Firearms heiress to set up his own vineyard. Violence ensues as Cotter and his hands confront efforts to burn him out. After Yale he sets out for Endura Texas. However, he finds 1872 Endura Texas a battleground like the New Haven he left. Victor Vlack, cattle baron and Endura’s largest landowner runs for state congress to thwart Endura becoming a city. Opposition to Vlack’s murders, pillaging and barbed wire oppression comes from Cotter and his physician colleagues. Cotter becomes his vigilante alter ego to confront Vlack’s moves. Cotter also finds his father’s killers working for Vlack. Vlack targets his Clinic and his staff for destruction. This includes his ether anesthetist, Mortimer Pignast, who runs for election against Vlack. Cotter falls in love with the Clinic’s widowed head nurse and her children. He’s torn between being a humanitarian physician, family man and his quest to avenge his father’s murder. Peter Glassman

bio

Author Biography

As a retired physician I’m devoting my time to writing novels, memoir-based fiction and short stories. My life as an author of fiction began in 2003 after a few years at Toastmasters International delivering captivating stories and speeches. I believe literature should be educational, fun, serious, full of feelings and always with a touch of fantasy and a thread of truth. Like all my novels true lifetime situations are interwoven with suspenseful and intriguing story lines. My 13 novels and short story book bear that philosophy out. Reviews of my books in Amazon.com have been 5-star. Comments for WHO WILL WEEP FOR ME such as “high school coming of age makes the story feel authentic and make the reader want more” is typical of reader satisfaction. I live with my wife in San Antonio near my daughter and her family with four of my grandchildren. My goal as an author is to publish several novels a year with my novel portraying terrorism in the US, - OCEAN CITY HQ - recently published..

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Author Insight

PTSD: Then and Now

Post Traumatic Shock Disorder or PTSD is not new. The name is new. Battle fatigue, shell shock are older military titles. This excerpt from COTTER is typical of a PTSD experience from a combination of violence, murder, and loss of a loved one. It doesn't have to occur in a war as Cotter experienced it. Today it could still be a war but an automobile accident and a survivor with guilt about causality of the situation happens only too frequently. In Cotter's case the stimulus for the recurrent dream of the murder of his father at the Battle of Tennessee was meeting his family and old friend for the first time after the Civil War's end. In 1868 Cotter had no professional to turn to. However, externalizing his situation to the right person, family or friend, is often the first step to PTSD resolution. The reader of this book is taken in gradual steps with Dr. Cotter to experience this process.

Book Excerpt

COTTER

Cotter’s nightly dream of his father started as usual.

“We’re learning a lot about surgery and medicine in this war, Jacob. We’ll pass on our skills when we return to Yale.” Dr. Cotter took off his blood-stained operating gown.

“I hope the war ends soon father.” Jacob washed up and put on a clean gown.

“The killing and maiming is man’s folly. Are you still planning to join Charles Garrison in Texas after you finish your MD degree?”

“Of course.”

“Good. The quality of medicine in our developing states and their towns is years behind the times.” The elder Cotter donned a new white gown. “Let’s get back to work.”

A fog-like mist clouded the scene and now a roar of coalesced gunfire punctuated with cannon booms emerged. Cotter could smell the cordite. Several Confederate horsemen mustered the surgical teams outside their operating tents.

“Which ones are the doctors?” A gruff voiced mounted soldier waved his pistol in the air.

The three surgeons moved forward identifying themselves.

“Okay. Shoot them. You kill one of them, you kill a hundred Yankees.” The man shot the doctor to the right of Cotter’s father and then fired two shots into Dr. Cotter’s chest. Cotter ran to his father as the man took aim at him, too.

“No time left for the others. We have to move.” The other Confederate assassin motioned the mounted rebels away.

“Father, father. Oh God no.” Cotter shouted in his sleep and woke up with a pounding heart.

Cotter looked around his room. It was the dream again. It occurred whenever thoughts of his father were near. Dr. Randall’s recollections must have triggered it. He fell back on his sweat-soaked pillow.

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Peter Glassman

COTTER

Synopsis

Author Biography

Author Insight

PTSD: Then and Now

Book Excerpt

COTTER

Comment on this Bubble