A Summertime Jolt
Picture this: 1979, small-town Michigan, and you’re seventeen with your whole life spread out like an open road. That’s Stevie—he’s got ideals, hopes, and dreams of being either a cop, a fighter pilot, or maybe even a priest. But then he takes a summer gig at a local liquor store that seems run-of-the-mill at first…until he realizes there’s a darker layer lurking under the friendly smiles. Racism. Violence. Temptations he never saw coming. In Brutal Innocence, Tom Mohrbach thrusts us into Stevie’s world, where personal values crash against harsh realities.
Shattered Illusions
Stevie’s always been the good kid—raised in a decent home, taught to treat people right. But working at this liquor store? It’s flipping his moral compass upside-down. There’s more than booze being sold here. Beneath the ordinary tasks of stocking shelves and dealing with customers, Stevie finds a grim truth: sex, racism, and shady behavior run rampant in the shadows. Suddenly, that picture-perfect notion of small-town life feels like a big, fat lie.
And it doesn’t stop there. Alcoholics wander in, prostitutes loiter, and bootleggers slip in when the coast is clear. Like, seriously, what kind of summer job is this? One day, Stevie’s scanning textbooks for fall classes; the next, he’s smack in the middle of an unfiltered education on society’s rougher edges. It’s a lot for a seventeen-year-old to absorb, especially when he’s still dreaming about a running scholarship that’ll help with college tuition.
Running Toward Answers
Stevie’s high-school cross-country star status isn’t just a fun fact—it’s his ticket to a future that might otherwise stay out of reach. He’s counting on that scholarship to offset his college costs. Plus, running is therapy when his head’s spinning from witnessing the liquor store’s dark deals. On the trail or the track, he’s in control, choosing each stride and every breath. But is it enough to keep him grounded?
There’s also Jenny—an older girl who appears right as his world’s getting twisted. She’s free-spirited, bold, and exactly the kind of person who could either pull you up or drag you down. Let’s be real: sometimes the person who offers a hand is also tangled in their own demons. The book keeps you guessing about whether Jenny’s a lifeline or just another pitfall.
Unraveling Innocence
The tension is high and doesn’t let up. It seeps into Stevie’s every decision, making him question if he can hang on to any piece of the moral framework he was raised with. Like, is it still possible to be the good guy when everything around you is messed up? Tom Mohrbach doesn’t sugarcoat the answers. He throws in brutality, raw moments, and harsh realizations that chip away at Stevie’s naive outlook.
Yet, Brutal Innocence isn’t just a list of terrible events. It’s a heart-pounding, page-turning exploration of how one teenager wrestles with the messy collision of right and wrong. Stevie’s summer job might seem like a detour, but it’s rapidly becoming the main event in his coming-of-age story. Every shift he works at the store tests his resolve. Every run across the finish line reminds him of what’s at stake for his future.
Meet Tom Mohrbach
Here’s where the story gets even more intriguing—Tom Mohrbach, the author, isn’t spinning this stuff out of thin air. He’s a retired police officer from Michigan who spent almost thirty years dealing with bizarre cases and unpredictable characters. That real-world experience seeps into his writing, giving it a no-nonsense vibe you can’t fake.
He also wrote a weekly column for The Monroe Evening News, churning out over 150 articles about real police escapades. After a while, Mohrbach switched gears and poured his energy into writing action-adventure novels. Brutal Innocence is his fifth, and it packs the punch you’d expect from someone who’s seen the gritty side of life up close.
Influences and Inspirations
Mohrbach credits writers like John Sandford (the Prey series), Lee Child (the Reacher series), and Vince Flynn (the Rapp series) as key influences. You can sense that same adrenaline-spiked style: short chapters, high stakes, and a pacing that makes you say, “Just one more page…” The drama hits like shattered glass—you hardly get to breathe before the next scene explodes off the page.
Mohrbach and his wife, Cindy, share their Florida home with a rescue dog named Penny. Away from his keyboard, he hunts, fishes, and hikes—activities that connect him with nature and, presumably, feed his creativity. He’s also a lifelong Catholic, drawing on his faith to navigate life’s crazy twists.
A Story That Stays With You
Brutal Innocence isn’t just about a kid who takes a sketchy job. It’s about wrestling with moral compromises and deciding who you’ll be when nobody else is guiding you. The summer of ’79 becomes a test of character, loyalty, and faith in humanity. Stevie’s journey reveals how fast a safe bubble can burst when confronted with the undercurrent of evil hiding in plain sight.
From sweaty cross-country meets to backroom dealings with bootleggers, this novel hits you from all sides. Stevie’s path might make you cringe, worry, or cheer—maybe all at once. And that’s the magic: it leaves you thinking about how innocence can shatter in the face of raw truth. If you’re itching for a coming-of-age story with a hard edge, Brutal Innocence delivers in spades.
No doubt, this is the kind of book that’ll follow you long after the final page…like a haunting echo of a summer that changed everything. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself flipping chapters late into the night, driven by the question: Can Stevie outrun the darkness closing in around him? And if he can’t, does he even stand a chance at piecing himself back together?
We had the privilege of interviewing the author. Here are excerpts from the interview:
Thank you so much for joining us today! Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do.
I’m Tom Mohrbach a retired police officer from Michigan that now writes action packed novels instead of standardized police reports. The nearly thirty years I spent as a police officer introduced me to a variety of interesting individuals and situations. My fictional characters often contain aspects of actual individuals that I have personally dealt with on their worst days. This adds an emotionally raw edge to the character not often expressed in other novels.
I currently reside in sunny Florida with my wife Cindy and our rescue dog Penny. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, fishing, reading, and, of course, writing. I am a lifelong Catholic and would be lost without my faith.
All my novels are self published and available via Amazon.
Please tell us about your novel ‘Brutal Innocence’
Brutal Innocence is my fifth novel. In Brutal Innocence, a young man trying to figure out his future is exposed to a myriad of conflicts while working at a summer job at a liquor store. His moral compass is completely upended as he encounters alcoholism, violence, racism, prostitutes, bootleggers, and the pressures of high school. Jenny, a free-spirited older girl, helps him navigate through this very unusual summer. This is a gripping, no-holds-barred, coming-of-age tale like no other. Those interested in running will be excited to know that Stevie is a competitive cross-country runner. A few races and very interesting training runs are detailed throughout the storyline.
Any message for our readers
I love feedback from my readers and encourage them to check out my FaceBook page, Tom Mohrbach Novels and my website, tommohrbach.com.
Thank you so much, Tom, for giving us your precious time! We wish you all the best for your journey ahead!
