About the Author

Stephen Wetta is a native of Richmond, Virginia. He received his bachelor's degree from Virginia Commenwealth University and his PhD from New York University. He is currently an English professor at Hunter College.If Jack's in Loveis his first novel.

Reviews

“Terrific…you should read this wonderfully written marvel of a book: a work both gripping and hilarious, joyous and heartbreakingly bittersweet.” —The Wall Street Journal

“It took Stephen Wetta fifty-five years to write his promising first novel … I only hope Mr. Wetta writes a little faster next time so I’ll be around to say I told you so.” —Pete Dexter

“This is a lovely, passionate, and compelling … a book you won’t want to put down.” —Winston Groom, author of Forrest Gump

“At turns unsparing, tender, and disturbing….intelligently, wonderfully conceived.” —Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

“Heartfelt, heartbreaking, suspenseful, and riveting… The novel, full of beautifully realized characters and predicaments, gets everything exactly right.” —Timothy Schaffert, award-winning author of The Coffins of Little Hope

“I loved this novel! Like To Kill a Mockingbird, Whistling in the Dark… Jack Witcher will charm you, break your heart . . . surprise you on nearly every page … [and] stay with you long after the final satisfying page.” —Katrina Kittle, author of The Blessings of the Animals

"A powerful story … Wetta captures with great charm and grit the joys and aches of a first love complicated by social boundaries and familial expectations…. a fast-moving tale.” —Lee Martin, author of The Bright Forever and Break the Skin

First-time novelist Wetta stays on well-trod territory here: a boy must navigate the complex loyalties and curious alliances among both adults and his cruel peers. The 12-year-old narrator, Jack Witcher, is caught between the class-related anger of his brother and father and his love for his wealthy classmate Myra. Things become more complicated when Jack's brother is identified as the main suspect in the dis-appearance of Myra's brother. Reminiscent of Stephen King's novella The Body but lacking its wistful charm, this debut reads more like a generic script for the perennial film about late-1960s small-town prejudices. Despite its considerable length, the novel offers only canned emotions, and the reader comes away with little feel for the characters or even the story's consequences. Female characters get particularly short treatment, summed up by the creepy advice of a shop owner to the young hero about the importance of "blossoming young tits." VERDICT While Wetta offers an occasional memorable line ("Families live on loyalty more than love"), the book is simply not very interesting. [See Prepub Alert, 4/11/11.]-Travis Fristoe, Alachua Cty. Lib. Dist., FL (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

"Terrific...you should read this wonderfully written marvel of a book: a work both gripping and hilarious, joyous and heartbreakingly bittersweet." -The Wall Street Journal

"It took Stephen Wetta fifty-five years to write his promising first novel ... I only hope Mr. Wetta writes a little faster next time so I'll be around to say I told you so." -Pete Dexter

"This is a lovely, passionate, and compelling ... a book you won't want to put down." -Winston Groom, author of Forrest Gump

"At turns unsparing, tender, and disturbing....intelligently, wonderfully conceived." -Publisher's Weekly, starred review

"Heartfelt, heartbreaking, suspenseful, and riveting... The novel, full of beautifully realized characters and predicaments, gets everything exactly right." -Timothy Schaffert, award-winning author of The Coffins of Little Hope

"I loved this novel! Like To Kill a Mockingbird, Whistling in the Dark... Jack Witcher will charm you, break your heart . . . surprise you on nearly every page ... [and] stay with you long after the final satisfying page." -Katrina Kittle, author of The Blessings of the Animals

"A powerful story ... Wetta captures with great charm and grit the joys and aches of a first love complicated by social boundaries and familial expectations.... a fast-moving tale." -Lee Martin, author of The Bright Forever and Break the Skin