THE BIZARRE CASE OF DR. GRINDLE

A man becomes entangled in a web of secrets following a murder in Bashor’s mystery.

In 1920s Ohio, Nathan Bolton leads a quiet life, working as an accountant and maintaining a circle of close friends. However, he feels increasingly constrained by society’s rigid expectations of masculinity—something he’s especially aware of when he’s with his friend, attorney Guy Logan. Another friend, respected psychologist Henry Grindle, names a mysterious man—unknown to Nathan and accused of a violent crime—as his sole heir. Nathan finds this concerning, and when a shocking murder rattles his social circle, he’s drawn into the investigation. As the police begin asking questions and more deaths follow, he finds himself committed to unearthing the truth; meanwhile, Nathan’s personal life shifts as his boss seems determined to marry him off to his daughter, Hetty; Nathan struggles with uncertainty about his feelings for her and his emotional confusion is deepened by his bond with a charming new acquaintance, college student Kit Thorne. As the mystery deepens and old secrets begin to surface, Nathan must confront truths that could shatter the lives of those he holds dear. Bashor presents a thoughtful exploration of identity, loyalty, and emotional repression, all set against the backdrop of a time when social roles were strictly defined and deviation from the norm carried severe consequences. Through Nathan’s internal conflicts, the novel examines how people navigate personal desires under pressure—particularly when it comes to questions of gender, friendship, and romantic expectation. The emotional tension builds slowly, allowing for a nuanced portrayal of personal and communal unraveling. However, some of the novel’s subtler emotional and narrative threads may be difficult to follow, due to an occasional lack of clarity.

An often intriguing whodunit, rife with social commentary.