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Pascal’s Loophole
Bret Callentine ’92

Crafting a book that makes philosophical and theological concepts more relatable, Bret Callentine ’92 tells the intricate story of redemption, discovery and spirituality. When Reily dies in a motorcycle accident, he’s stuck in a place between heaven and hell and is taken on a journey by two fellow spirits who help him gain clarity as to where he is, why he’s there and what he can do about it. Callentine reveals the consequences of leading a self-centered life rather than one of grace, mercy and the peace of a loving God.

Steel Valley
Jerry Madden ’78

Jerry Madden ’78 knows that love is never easy. Steel Valley follows the journey of two second-generation Americans, one Irish and one Italian, as they fall in love in the Ohio Valley. But the life that supported their childhoods is falling away as parish schools are no longer financially viable and their town’s steel industry faces extinction; however, their values remain intact. Steel Valley depicts a story of love longed for, lost and perhaps still within reach as the world shifts toward what
we know it is today.

Hit List: Time to Die
Brian Parry ’71

In his third published novel, Brian Parry ’71 tells the story of Matt Riley, a California state parole agent orphaned at birth, trained by the Marines and educated by the Jesuits. With his trusted partner, Bobby Garcia, Riley uncovers the truth working the streets of Los Angeles. Riley becomes the target of a gangland hit as he’s entangled in a web of lies and betrayal. In Hit List, Parry draws from his 50 years of law enforcement experience working the gang-ridden streets of L.A.

A version of this article appears in print in the Winter 2024-45 University of Dayton Magazine, Page 52. EXPLORE THE ISSUE — MORE ONLINE