The murder of an undercover cop in a New York City Housing Project in 1957 has unexpected ties to the unsolved disappearance of a young father walking home in those same Projects with his son, Angelo, on Christmas Eve 1951. The only witness to the cop killing is Angelo, now 13, as he was on his way to commit arson at 2:00am. The killers saw him. These events forge a union between a priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective, and Angelo, a gang member. In Weepers, we see that, if you drop a rock into the East River, the ripples will go all the way to Italy. In the end, Weepers shows us that the courage of the underdog—despite fear and moral ambiguity—will conquer intimidation.
Awards for Weepers
Best Mystery Novel – John E Weaver Excellent Reads Award
Readers’ Favorite Young Adult Coming of Age Category Winner
Young Adult Novel Finalist – Bookvana
3rd Place Winner – Best Novel of 2016 – Public Safety Writers Association
Best Crossover (Mystery & Young Adult) Finalist – Best Book Award
Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) Award – Mystery/Thriller Finalist
What Readers Are Saying
Inspiration For Weepers
“I grew up in the Al Smith housing projects on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, where Weepers takes place. When I was in the fourth grade my mother was told by the principal of PS 1 that, “Nick is unlikely to ever complete high school so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation.” Instead, I became a writer, with a few stops along the way; a New York City Police Officer; the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President’s Commission on Organized Crime; the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency. I received a Doctorate from Columbia University; a Law Degree from Temple; and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. How many mothers are told their child is hopeless? How many kids with potential simply surrender to desperation? That’s why I wrote Weepers — for them.” – Nick Chiarkas