NARROW THE ROAD
by James Wade
Southern / Literary Fiction | Blackstone Publishing | 306 Pages | Publication Date: August 26, 2025
Book Campaign
“I keep thinking about these characters after the book is over, which to me is a sign I enjoyed the book.” ~Tx Chic Lit
“An epic historical fiction novel with a desperate quest, loyal companions, and coming-of-age story in Depression-era Texas!” ~Boys’ Mom Reads
“I knew on page one that this book was gonna break my heart, and I wasn’t wrong.” ~The Book’s Delight
“Truly, Narrow the Road is as if someone took the winding journeys of classic literature and brought it home to Texas.” ~Book Fidelity
“One of my favorite storytellers has delivered another winner!” ~It’s Not All Gravy
Campaign Schedule
| 09/23/25 | LSLL | Spotlight |
| 09/24/25 | Michelle Tuite | Review |
| 09/25/25 | Guatemala Paula Loves to Read | Spotlight |
| 09/27/25 | StoreyBook Reviews | Review |
| 09/29/25 | The Page Unbound | Spotlight |
| 09/30/25 | Boys’ Mom Reads | Review |
| 10/02/25 | It’s Not All Gravy | Review |
| 10/03/25 | Rebecca R. Cahill, Author | Spotlight |
| 10/04/25 | Book Fidelity | Review |
| 10/05/25 | Bibliotica Review | Review |
| 10/06/25 | Ames for the Stars | Review |
| 10/07/25 | The Book’s Delight | Review |
Synopsis
In this gripping coming-of-age odyssey, a young man’s quest to reunite his family takes him on a life-altering journey through the wilds of 1930s East Texas, where both danger and opportunity grow as thick as the pines.
With his father missing and his mother gravely ill, William Carter is struggling to keep his family’s cotton farm afloat in the face of drought and foreclosure. As his options wane, William receives a mysterious letter that claims to know his father’s whereabouts.
Together with his best friend Ollie, a mortician in training, William sets out to find his father and bring him home to set things right. But before the boys can complete their quest, they must navigate the labyrinth of the Big Thicket, some of the country’s most uncharted, untamed land. Along the way they encounter eccentric backwoods characters of every order, running afoul of murderers, bootleggers, and even the legendary Bonnie and Clyde.
But the danger is doubled when the boys agree to take on a medicine show runaway named Lena, eliciting the ire of the show’s leader, the nefarious con man Doctor Downtain. As William, Ollie, and Lena race to uncover the clues and find William’s father, Downtain is closing in on them, readying to make good on his violent reputation. With the clock ticking, William must decide where his loyalties lie and how far he’s willing to go for the people he loves.
About the Author
James Wade is the award-winning author of Hollow Out the Dark, Beasts of the Earth, All Things Left Wild, and River, Sing Out. He is the youngest novelist to win two Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America, and a recipient of the MPIBA’s prestigious Reading the West Award. His work has appeared in Texas Highways, Writers’ Digest, and numerous additional publications. James lives and writes in the Texas Hill Country with his wife and children.
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