Chris Mirabile of Newton Lower Falls has completed his debut mystery novel, The Washashore. The book introduces readers to Silas Lopez, a former Southwest rancher who has become Provincetown’s new police chief. The novel unfolds as a “fish out of water” story, following a rooted westerner experiencing Provincetown and the East Coast with fresh eyes. Police Chief Lopez relies on intuition and a personal code of ethics; Mirabile describes him as a hero who contrasts with more methodical protagonists, one who “relies on what feels right, rather than calculated analysis.”
When the story opens, Silas has just arrived in P-Town with his cattle dog, Bandit. He soon meets – and begins to fall in love with – Wren Bradford, an art photographer, social worker, and Boston Brahmin. The novel makes full use of its setting, blending descriptions of the iconic Cape landscape with depictions of Provincetown’s diverse culture, including Portuguese-Americans, the LGBTQ+ community, and local fishermen.
Raised in northwestern Connecticut, Mirabile moved to Newton more than 30 years ago. His ties to the city run deep: His wife, Liz, is the fourth generation of her family to live in their Lower Falls home, built by her great-grandfather. Reflecting on his own upbringing, Mirabile said, “My mom ran the town library, and for me, books were friends.”
Before turning to fiction during COVID, Mirabile built a varied career in law, business, and investing. He describes that period as “a dark time …and things got very partisan, very political, and very divided. I started to imagine creating books that were not only a refuge for people …but are centered around someone who was flawed, but incredibly decent – a modern-day hero who could restore people’s faith in society.”
Mirabile was deliberate in developing his planned series. He completed the second book before marketing the first, signaling to readers that The Washashore is the beginning of a larger narrative. The published novel will feature a prominent “1” on its spine to designate it as the series’ first installment.
The Washashore will be released on April 7. To celebrate, Mirabile will host a launch event at Wellesley Books at 7PM that evening. The program will include a short reading, an interview moderated by Lori Witt, an audience Q&A, and a book signing. A follow-up event is scheduled for May 14 at The Bookstore of Needham.
