What good comes from a war? As far as Robie was concerned the answer was – profit. It is Fall 1942 and the war rages on in Europe and on the North Atlantic. In the early years he had to deal with local criminals trying to profit from the sudden influx of men and materials destine for overseas and German agents. The issue of spies has fallen away as have most of the local players involved in thefts of war goods and materials. However, that is about to change. It begins with a rash of hijackings outside the city. Robie is brought in to help his friend Inspector Phil Maloney, a RCMP officer on detached service to Naval Intelligence. Together they uncover a major French crime organization is working with a Montreal gang who are behind the thefts. The deeper they dig the more they begin to realize this could be their most perilous case yet.

The war was over, leaving behind in its wake a stain on the city that would last for generations to come: the Halifax Riots. It had to happen, Robie mused, as he read the paper; part of his daily ritual. Little did he know that the last three days were nothing compared to what was ahead. Two crooked brothers, the Melansons, in positions of authority and trust, were found out with their hands in the ‘till’ as they conspired to rob the government through fraudulent contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. That and, the call from Phil Mulroney asking for his help...once again. This time it was in locating and apprehending another Russian spy. The last one was the year before and that one almost cost his friend and partner’s life. Before these cases were over, he would realize two important things: he no longer had the stomach to deal with men like the Melanson brothers and, his world had changed to the point that there no longer any room for him in it.

Robbie F. Woods, entrepreneur, is a wheeler and dealer in the world of real estate and business. A darned nice guy, he does his best to overcome obstacles Fate seems to haphazardly hurl his way. Sitting in jail too often and being accused of a murder come to mind. Golfing adventures, misadventures, and former high school escapades somehow occasionally block his path, although he manages to circumvent them in one way or another. A bachelor by preference, he winds up with a family of cats and groundhogs but still longs for the stability of marriage and children. With the considerable help of his sister, Jessica, an attorney, his brother-in-law, Ken, a dentist, and his father figure, Chris, Robbie manages more often than not to successfully tackle the ineffable striving that plagues some of his dreams. He does so with aplomb, a good heart, and a round or two of golf on a summer night. That and an occasional visit to a covered bridge in Wyandot County.

Balancing key foundational topics with new developments and trends, Engagements with Narrative offers an accessible introduction to narratology. As new narrative forms and media emerge, the study of narrative and the ways people communicate through imagination, empathy, and storytelling is especially relevant for students of literature today. Janine Utell presents the foundational texts, key concepts, and big ideas that form narrative theory and practical criticism, engaging readers in the study of stories by telling the story of a field and its development. Distinct features designed to initiate dialogue and debate include: Coverage of philosophical and historical contexts surrounding the study of narrative An introduction to essential thinkers along with the tools to both use and interrogate their work A survey of the most up-to-date currents, including mind theory and postmodern ethics, to stimulate conversations about how we read fiction, life writing, film, and digital media from a variety of perspectives. A selection of narrative texts, chosen to demonstrate critical practice and spark further reading and research "Engagement" sections to encourage students to engage with narrative theory and practice through interviews with scholars This guide teaches the key concepts of narrative—time, space, character, perspective, setting—while facilitating conversations among different approaches and media, and opening paths to new inquiry. Engagements with Narrative is ideal for readers needing an introduction to the field, as well as for those seeking insight into both its historical developments and new directions.