Hero’s Tribute-Graham Garrison

Hero’s Tribute
Graham Garrison
Kregel, Oct 2009m $13.99
ISBN: 9780825426858

Michael Gavin is a hero in his hometown of Talking Creek, Georgia. He was quarterback of the high school football team and played at the University of Georgia. He was given the Medal of Honor for his distinguished service in Iraq. Parents in Talking Creek always use Michael as the epitome of a person being all they can be; in other words a hero.

However everyone is shocked when Michael learns he has cancer; the townsfolk are there for him and his family whole sadly wondering why bad things happen to good people. As he nears death, Michael asks sports reporter Wes Watkins to deliver the eulogy at his funeral. Wes is stunned as he and Michael are strangers, but agrees. He begins digging into the life of the local hero with an ulterior motive of using the story as a ticket out of town to the bigger gigs. However, Wes begins to uncover some shocking secrets in the life of the paragon revered by his town. He ponders who Michael truly was and if he tells the entire truth with what he learned what that says of him as he would push the statue of Mr. perfect off the pedestal.

Michael dies in the very beginning of the book, but readers see who he is through the filtered lens of different people especially his family, the townsfolk and the reporter as each provides their perspective. Character driven, fans will appreciate this terrific insightful look at a Hero’s Tribute as to be human means to have flaws, but it takes Amazing Grace to move past them to greatness. With a final twist at the eulogy that will leave readers stunned and wanting to join in on the four song tribute, Graham Garrison provides a strong Christian tale.

Harriet Klausner