Ken Jaworowski’s first novel Small Town Sins is comprised of three enticing narratives interconnected by crime and suffering. Three residents in Locksburg, Pennsylvania face a string of bad luck and their decisions—while maybe made for the right reasons—make their situations much worse. Each one, with their complex histories and desires, faces ethical dilemmas as they pursue crimes and justify them for the good they believe they will cause.
The first character we meet is Nathan, a volunteer firefighter who works to distract himself from the pain of being unable to conceive a child with his wife, Paula, for over a decade. One day on his way back home from fishing, Nathan is notified of a nearby fire, where he saves a man, along with a large bag of cash from a burning cabin. Despite Paula’s wishes to turn in or burn the money, Nathan wishes to finally escape Locksburg and start a new life with her by adopting a child—an option that was previously unimaginable because of the cost.
Next, we are introduced to Callie, one of three nurses working in the underfunded Locksburg General Hospital. All her life, she’s dealt with judgment and disappointment from others when they notice her cleft palate and harelip, causing her to be lonely and sarcastic. When she cares for a young patient with terminal cancer, whose family believes God will heal her or let her die according to His plan, Callie risks her medical license to fulfill her patient’s dying wish: to see the ocean.
Lastly, we learn about Andy, whose life used to be plagued by heroin—but he is now clean, is a loving husband to Kate, and a father to his young daughter Angie, who has Down syndrome. After Angie passes away due to heart defects and Kate overdoses to join her in the afterlife, Andy feels like he has nothing left to do but join them. Since everyone is involved in everyone’s business in Locksburg, however, his overdose attempt proves futile as a police officer goes to check on him at home. In a drunken rage to find more drug money to try again, Andy steals a briefcase that doesn’t have cash in it, but instead is full of explicit pictures of children and their underwear. After seeing a photo of a child with Down syndrome, Andy begins a new mission to murder a pedophile masking as a priest.
With the entire novel written in short chapters, the alternating perspectives between Nathan, Callie, and Andy add to the suspense. Once a secret is revealed or someone is left in a compromising situation, the point of view abruptly switches to another character’s story. This structure allows readers to connect with each character. Andy assures the reader that we all had our struggles as we grew up when he says, “I was nineteen and dumb as the day is long, though I don’t beat myself up for that too much—being an idiot at that age is normal anywhere else, and practically required in Philadelphia.” As we learn about their struggles and dilemmas, we find ourselves worried about all of them and how they are going to escape their stressful situation.
The setting details of Small Town Sins provide a seemingly simple backdrop, allowing the bizarre turn of events to stand out. An underfunded hospital with limited staff and an elderly doctor become increasingly important when an unfinished MRI room provides the perfect escape route. Similarly, stairs that “creaked as if they were just a pound of pressure away from splitting” in an abandoned house may not seem important, but play a major role later on. As the details unfold, the three narratives are revealed to be delicately intertwined in a thrilling escalation of events.
You can learn more about the author and purchase Small Town Sins here.
Small Town Sins
Ken Jaworowski
Henry Holt and Company
August 1, 2023
264 pages
Nicole Marie (she/her) is a third-year student at Drexel University pursing the Accelerated BS/MS in Psychology program while minoring in Writing and Neuroscience. On campus, she works in research labs, the Writing Center, and is the Chief News Editor for The Triangle (Drexel’s independent student newspaper). In her free time, she enjoys being creative through painting, journaling, and crocheting. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. to become a Clinical Child Psychologist.