Hellbender Novel by John B Marek

In North Carolina’s Craven Fork State Park, a corroded Zippo lighter etched with a cryptic map surfaces in Bullock Creek, sparking a mystery that intertwines past and present.

Park ranger Owen Sinclair discovers it belongs to Jeremiah Crouch, a televangelist and sole survivor of the 1959 Appalachian Airlines Flight 175 crash on Flathead Knob in what is now the park. As Owen digs deeper, the lighter’s secrets unravel a web of deception tied to Crouch’s survival, a Korean War trauma, and a hidden life.

When non-native cutthroat trout appear in a park stream, Owen’s investigation collides with an ecological anomaly, hinting at a larger conspiracy. Alongside fellow ranger Sam and fishing guide Cal, Owen navigates a treacherous path through small-town secrets and a deadly cover-up, all the way to Flathead Knob, where the ghosts of Flight 175 still linger.

As fires blaze and truths emerge, Owen must decide whether to expose a decades-old lie or protect the innocent caught in its fallout. A gripping tale of faith, guilt, and redemption, Hellbender blends Appalachian noir with environmental intrigue, delivering a heart-pounding journey through a landscape where the past refuses to stay buried.