R Francis D'Oliveira

The Book of Leaves R Francis D'Oliveira

This is the story of ten-year-old Thomas Bourbon's struggle in his search to get home and his family's traumatic efforts to find him. En route to a hockey tournament, Thomas and his friends are suddenly overwhelmed by a violent thunderstorm. An accident thrust their SUV down an embankment to the edge of a turbulent and swollen river. Injured and trapped alone inside, Thomas is carried miles downstream and despite his escape, is quickly swept up in a devastating mud slide. Covertly smuggling goods along back roads, Luis and Elena Ramirez save him but seek his medical aid in Mexico. Asked to assume the identity of their deceased son to cross the border, Thomas soon finds himself in the dark complex world of drug dealers, smugglers and murderers. Forced to train and fight with weapons, he feels his moral character weakening as evil silently extends its hand. As the vicious world around him burns anger and bitterness into his soul, he discovers his only source of strength to stay true to himself is drawn from a project created by his friend Caroline. A hometown collection of autumn leaves crafted into pages and made into a book. As the last remaining connection to his family and friends, he must keep it close if he's to save himself and find his way home.