New Southern Mystery Novel Reopens a 40-Year-Old Cold Case Through Fiction

Laurie Byrne Smith’s Petey Vanished! takes readers on an emotional search for truth in a story filled with suspense, secrets, and Southern charm.

Laurie Byrne Smith is excited to announce the release of Petey Vanished!: A Novel of Southern Proportions, a powerful new mystery & suspense book now available on Amazon. This heartfelt and gripping story weaves together romance, secrets, childhood memories, and a decades-old disappearance that no one could forget.

In Petey Vanished!, readers follow JoBeth and Billy as they reconnect after years apart. Their bond is strong, shaped by a childhood spent in a quiet Southern town. As they catch up, talk turns to the past and to a mystery that has haunted them for over forty years. A child went missing back then, and no one ever found out why or how. Some people have tried to forget, but JoBeth can't.

The truth feels close, and the past is calling.

Set in Eastern North Carolina, the story moves between the 1950s and the 1990s. The changing times give readers a deep look into how families change, how secrets grow, and how memories can stay with us forever.

As JoBeth begins to look deeper into what happened to Petey, the story turns into a journey of discovery, full of twists, family secrets, and emotional moments.

This is not just a story about a missing child. It’s a story about growing up, about the ties that never truly break, and about finding answers, even when the truth has been buried for years.

The setting is rich with Southern culture, and the storytelling brings out both the sweetness and sadness of life in a small town.

Mystery & suspense lovers will be pulled in by the layered story and the strong emotions it carries. Those who enjoy romance will also find a touching connection between the characters as they move through their shared history.

The mix of personal memory, slow-building tension, and unexpected revelations keeps readers turning pages from beginning to end.

Laurie Byrne Smith, who grew up in New Bern, North Carolina, knows Southern life from the inside out. Her deep roots in the region add real flavor to her writing.

She has written a humor-based column and also published Observations of a Transplanted Southern Belle. With Petey Vanished!, Laurie shares her love of storytelling through a mystery & suspense novel that speaks to the heart and the mind.

Mystery & suspense fans will not want to miss this emotional and thoughtful story. Whether you're looking for a page-turner or a book with depth and feeling, this novel delivers both.

Petey Vanished!: A Novel of Southern Proportions is available now on Amazon in eBook, paperback, and hardcover formats.

 Ebook Version: Click here
 Paperback Version: Click here
 Hardcover Version: Click here

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Laurie Byrne Smith
Email: classicink@aol.com

 

Media Contact

Organization: Universal Book Publications

Contact Person: Arlo Ayden

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Contact Number: +12092370866

Address:27 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010, United States

City: New York City

State: New York

Country:United States

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