Last year, I wrote “The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge.“ If you haven’t read it, it’s based on an old Mississippi legend and is the story of an inn keeper who murdered his guests, confiscated their wealth, and buried their bodies on the banks of the river. When a nearby bridge was rebuilt years later, the workers began uncovering bodies, and Old Man Stuckey was eventually found out. I had a blast getting inside the head of a serial killer and writing the story. While creating the tale, I decided Old Man Stuckey couldn’t be alone with his thoughts throughout the entire story, so I had him run across a young boy named Levi. I guess being in psycho mode at the time of writing, young Levi became quite a creepy character himself.
Following the book’s release, I received a bunch of emails and messages asking me what the deal was with Levi. Apparently, he captured everyone’s attention.
So, I gave it some thought and penned the second book in the trilogy, “Stuckey’s Legacy: The Legend Continues.” It was released May 2014. In that book, which takes place a decade after Old Man Stuckey paid for his crimes, young Levi is 22 years old and living off the wealth of the Old Man. He’s hobnobbing with the rich and famous on Jekyll Island off Georgia’s coast. When he meets the beautiful and mysterious Penelope Juzan, he is mesmerized, and an intense game of cat and mouse begins.
In the great state of Mississippi, not far from the real Stuckey’s Bridge, lies the black, swampy waters of Lake Juzan. It is surrounded by its own legend of an inn keeper who murdered his guests, confiscated their wealth, and buried their bodies in the depths of the lake. Well, who wouldn’t grab that and run with it? 🙂
The legend of Lake Juzan became the basis for the third in the trilogy, “Stuckey’s Gold: The Curse of Lake Juzan.” Penelope Juzan’s great grandfather was Lake Juzan’s inn keeper and the original holder of the trunk of gold that made its first appearance in “Stuckey’s Bridge.” When all is said and done, Old Man Stuckey and Levi are only bit players in a story that is far darker and more sinister than even they could have imagined.
“Stuckey’s Gold” is the tale of four generations trying to escape the curse that is Lake Juzan.
Lori Crane 
I’m already asking for this trilogy for my birthday. In November.
Haha! I hope you like it Eli. I had a blast writing it. 🙂
Just picked up the first book on kindle. Looking forward to reading it!
Awesome, Cate. Thank you. I saw something about a new release for you. Is that the manuscript I read or a different story?
It’s been a while since I saw your posts Lori! welcome back 🙂
Hey Andy! Thank you. It’s good to be back. I hope you’re well. 🙂
I’m good thank you! got a nice hiatus eh 🙂
It was a little too long of a hiatus (12 weeks), but now I’m home for the next six weeks with nothing to do but play on the computer and cook…and maybe get to work on a new book.
I loved the first two books (but you and I must discuss Luke someday) and am already looking forward to the third!
What really impresses me how you can develop such unlikeable characters (seriously, a serial murderer?) into someone I, as a reader, care for, seeing the broken spirit behind the facade. Brava!l
Luke makes a major appearance in this third book, and there are a couple surprised in store for him and Penny!!
I think the secret behind the unlikable characters is discovering where they come from. Everybody has a past. The more heartbreaking, the easier it is to understand them. Acceptance is nearly impossible, but empathy is easy.
You’ve enticed me. I think Stuckey is the only book of yours I haven’t read so now I’ll have a trilogy to enjoy. You must have kept busy on that ship!
There is absolutely nothing to do on a ship for two months! 🙂
Good thing you have writing otherwise there would have been trouble:)