The Decoration/Memorial Day War

About the Book

Most people believe the Mason-Dixon Line that separates Pennsylvania and Maryland was established to mark the North from the South during the Civil War.  However, that Line was the result of a land dispute nearly a century before the War. Two British astronomers/surveyors named Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon here hired by the Penn family of Pennsylvania and the Calvert family of Maryland to determine the border line between their respective land holdings.

The Line serves as the location of a fictional town that straddles it, and where the novel opens.

The people of Madixson are strongly divided over not only how to celebrate Memorial Day, but also whether to call the holiday by its original name of Decoration Day.  They use the Line as the divide, with the town leaders living on the Maryland side and war veterans residing on the Pennsylvania side.  The "feud" escalates into immature "pranks" the night before the holiday.

So, it is not surprising that the South Siders blame the North Siders when the mayor of Madixson is killed on the morning of Memorial Day.  Repeating his annual routine, he is standing in his front yard saluting the American Flag and beginning to recite the Pledge of Allegiance when the Civil War cannon nearby explodes.  The shrapnel fatally imbeds in his body.

The North Siders deny they had anything to do with the incident, but the South Siders do not believe them.  Neither side realizes this was a "prank" of a totally different kind that nothing to do with the "warring" factions.  When the real culprits finally are discovered and brought to trial, the importance of the explosives used in the canon finally comes to light.

Adding to this mystery is the discovery that an important character is not what he is purported to be.  And, the final chapter is unexpected, to say the least.

About the Author

Since this is a "war" story of a different kind, David H. Brown called on his experience as an Infantry rifleman during Word War II and his later 28 years of service in the Army Reserve, where he retired as a lieutenant colonel with a mobilization assignment in the Office of the Chief of Information in the Pentagon.  Hence, the use of his final military rank.

In addition, the novel is based on a true story he wrote while an Ohio newspaper reporter half a century ago.  Brown also based another novel on his reporting experience.  It is not yet published but is titled, "Murder at 250 Center Street."

Brown was a reporter for three Ohio newspapers for nearly 15 years before beginning a 24-year career as a federal government public information officer.  After retiring in 1991, he began his book writing efforts.

The first is titled "I Would Rather Be Audited By the IRS Than Give a Speech."  Published in 1995, this is based on his long experience as a public speaker and his years as an adjunct professor of speech at a community college. His next two efforts were based on his experience as the press officer for the Federal Aviation Administration's anti-skyjacking task force that developed the original airport security system during 1969-70.  They are titled "NINE/ELEVEN," and "Airline Passenger Screening Has Become a FEMA-type SNAFU."  His latest published novel, also based on personal experience in the government, is titled, "Operation Red Herring."  One reviewer said it would make a "good movie." His novels usually have O. Henry-type endings.

Brown developed and conducted courses on media relations for several organizations.  He also has coached executives on how to be more effective presenters.  He was the founder and first president of the National Association of Government Communicators.

The native of Cleveland, Ohio earned his bachelor's degree in journalism, with a minor in public speaking, in 1950 from what is now Western Reserve University.  He acquired his master's degree in public relations, with a minor in government public information, in 1980 from The American University.  Five of his talks have appeared in "Vital Speeches of the Day."  He is listed in several editions of Who's Who.

He and his wife divide their retirement time between North Bethesda, MD and Boynton Beach, FL.