Petey Vanished!

A Novel of Southern Proportions

By: Laurie Byrne Smith

Narrated by: Lee Ann Howlett

An old mystery lingers in the neighborhood. No one ever forgets the forever loss of a child. JoBeth has come back to her hometown to close up the family home place and get it ready for the new owners. Mama and Grandma have left behind an old travel trunk filled with obscure memorabilia, but no answers to that single most important question. Growing up in a small southern town in a tight-knit post-war neighborhood was nearly idyllic for JoBeth and Billy, until Petey Vanished! Hot and steamy evenings of Capture the Flag and neighborhood hide and seek, all the moms at home and dads working to make life better, the children of Governor's Road neighborhood feel safe and secure, until the day Petey Shiner never came home from school. The parents spare their children the truth of the horror of Petey's fate without realizing the lifelong uncertainties that would be created. Insecurity, sensitive to being alone, bothered those kids, and most of them moved to other places to pursue adult lives. Years later, JoBeth and Billy find themselves attracted to each other and reconnect over the mystery of what happened when Petey Vanished! Following the threads of the story, they find those little threads of attraction and connection. Enjoy your trip back in time and discover the joys and horrors of a southern childhood.

©2025 Laurie Byrne Smith (P)2025 Laurie Byrne Smith