The End of August

About the Book

 A serial killer is stalking Jackson Junction! A serial killer who has murdered three elderly people, who have played controversial roles in the life of August (Augie) Hans Kruger.

     Augie and his older cousin, Willie, find themselves as the prime suspects of the three murders by Jackson Junction Police Chief Junior Phillips, who will do anything within his power to see the Krugers sent to prison for the rest of their lives.

     Ironically, that's exactly the goal of the serial killer, at least in the case of Augie Kruger. And, if the serial killer can't see Augie found guilty of the murders and sent to prison, the only other recourse will be to have Augie murdered as well.

     Augie starts the month of August, 1970, simply planning a family reunion on the 31st to resolve some feuds, mend some fences and bring all the Krugers, American and German, back into one happy fold.

That, in itself, seems to be an impossibility, since nobody is ready to raise a white flag first.

     However, August of 1970 turns out to be the hottest month in the history of Augie's home town of Jackson Junction. And, not just hot with 90-degree temperatures.

     The heat really gets turned up when Augie and his older cousin, Willie, are arrested and charged with the three murders. A trial must be held in a hot and humid court room, jammed to capacity with spectators, newspaper, radio and television reporters and a jury which must try to survive death threats from one of its own members, if they don't vote guilty.

    Ron, a famous defense attorney from Florida, has promised Augie and Willie that neither will ever go to prison. However, Barbara, Jackson Junction's first woman prosecutor, is just as sure that she can send the Kruger cousins to prison for the rest of their lives.

     And, Barbara looks to have the upper hand when she announces that she has a secret eye-witness, who will testify to seeing Augie and Willie stab at least two of the murder victims to death.

     While all of this is taking place, Jackson Junction is about to get its first shopping mall, thanks to a Texas investor by the name of Linda. However, her bid to get some publicity over the murder trial by burying a trunk load of gold and diamonds at the mall's construction site backfires when the trunk is bulldozed up, opened and found to contain only dirt.

     Can Augie and Willie keep from going to prison for the rest of their lives despite testimony from an eye-witness to the murders? Can the real serial killer ever be found before Augie becomes a fourth murder victim? Can Linda ever recover her trunk load of gold and diamonds?

     And, just who is a shabbily-dressed, hobo-looking man who has suddenly come to Jackson Junction? A man whom Moses Potter, crime reporter for the Junction Citizen Patriot, fears is also a threat to Augie Kruger's life. 

     Those questions must, and will be, answered by "The End of August".

About the Author

 "The End of August" is the seventh novel by Robert A.

Frey to be published by AuthorHouse and its predecessor, 1st Books.

     All seven fictional-historical novels are tied together by the Kruger family in one way or another. Five of the novels deal directly with the Krugers: "August in Paradise", "August and Beyond", "The 10th of August", "August in a Haunted House", and now "The End of August".

The other two, "The Knight Before Last" and "Train Town" have a Kruger tread in them.

     August (Augie) Hans Kruger is the main character in the "August" novels, starting from the time when he was 8 years old at the beginning of "August in Paradise" until he is 61 years old in "The End of August".

     "Augie has been a wonderful character," Frey says. "Augie is a true folk hero, if there ever was one. He never seems to grow old.

There's a kid in him that refuses to stop playing detective whenever he finds himself in the middle of mystery. And, Augie always seems to be able to find a mystery, much to the chagrin of his older cousin, Willie.

But, Willie will never abandon his younger cousin, no matter how wild or dangerous their adventures become."

     Frey says that he believes his novels are actually children's books written for teenagers and adults. "I think everybody can relate to Augie and his life's trials, the obstacles he must overcome and his refusal to ever give up. Augie should be an inspiration to every young person. The only magic Augie ever uses to solve a problem is the magic of his love for others. Augie isn't perfect and that's what makes him such an intriguing character."

     There was only supposed to be one "August" book, Frey explains, but "August in Paradise" demanded a sequel, and, before he knew it, he was writing a seventh novel, "The End of August".

     Is "The End of August" really the end of August Hans Kruger? Frey has said before that there would be no more "August"

novels, then has created yet another new adventure for Augie in the pages of a new book. What does Frey say about it this time?

     "The End of August speaks for itself," Frey replies. "It really, really does."

     Frey spent almost 40 years of his life as a newspaper reporter and deskman. He covered such beats as police, fire, courts, schools, towns and villages before settling down as a sports writer and copy editor for his home town newspaper, The Jackson, Mich., Citizen Patriot.

     One of the highlights of Frey's sports writing career was in 1968 when Sports Editor Al Cotton took him to Detroit to help cover and report on the Tigers' home games in the World Series against the St.

Louis Cardinals.

     Prior to that, Frey wrote sports for his high school newspaper, The Reflector, was co-editor of his junior college newspaper, The Oracle, and was a night sports editor for the Michigan State News.

He graduated from Michigan State in 1955 with majors in Journalism and English and a minor in Southeast Asian History.

     Frey is a veteran of the United States Navy, where he worked in the Fleet Home Town News Service offices at Great Lakes, Ill.