David Lynn

Wrestling With Gabriel (Carnegie Mellon Short Fiction) David Lynn First edition

Baltimore reporter Jason Currant is a classic burnt-out case: scarred by Vietnam and a recent divorce, he casts a jaded eye on the world, trusting no one. Then comes an improbable call from Iowa. His idealistic former brother-in-law has been charged with raping a fifteen-year-old girl. Could gentle Gabriel, who has devoted himself to organizing exploited workers, possibly commit such an act? His socialist friends respond with an emphatic no, blaming an out-of-control police force for setting him up. Jason is not so sure.

Traveling to Iowa, Jason encounters a vivid group of characters: Simon, the committed socialist willing to sacrifice anyone, even Gabriel, for the cause; Grey, Gabriel's Native American wife who sees all but reveals nothing; Leroy, the victim's father whose powerlessness and misguided anger lead him to violence; Costello, a policewoman hopelessly caught between her corrupt colleagues and her desire to do the right thing; and in the center, the enigmatic Gabriel, both saintly and naive.

Set against a backdrop of industrial and moral decay, Wrestling with Gabriel offers a gripping tale about the search for truth and justice. By the time the jury reaches its verdict, one thing is clear: Gabriel's fate will be decided but the larger questions will remain unanswered. Like Iris Murdoch, David Lynn has written a political novel that transcends the genre by confronting the moral complexities that go along with a commitment to an an ideal.

A remarkable accomplishment by a gifted short story writer, Wrestling with Gabriel is both a profound book and compelling story.