Book excerpt: Walt Pitowski is a driven man living alone in a small northern Michigan town and obsessing over the many perceived injustices of his life. Walt's one glimmer of hope derives from his desire to compete in and finish the Grand Limoneaux Canoe Marathon, a grueling, sixteen hour test of paddling strength. When, during the course of his daily routine, Walt discovers partial human remains floating in the freezing waters of the Sparrow River, things get crazy. The local sheriff's department is stumped. The state police make no progress in solving what appears to be a ten-year-old mystery. And Walt, a right-fighting vigilante with a perpetual chip on his shoulder, takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of it all. A tale of death, intrigue, and redemption, Sparrow River takes you on a journey through the stark isolation of the northern wilderness with a host of colorful characters you won't soon forget.