One Friday, Vancouver lawyer Paul Brenner has dinner with his son, Daniel. They talk about work, health, money, and music, and part ways. The following evening, Paul receives the phone call that is every parent's worst nightmare: Daniel has been killed in Stanley Park. Hold Me Now is an unflinching portrayal of a father's grief, as Paul learns how very different the new world—a world without his son—will be for him. The investigation of Daniel’s murder, the trial, and the sentencing of the killer test Paul’s faith in the legal system. As both the media and public protest the overt role homophobia played in Daniel's death, Paul struggles to cope, and begins to form reckless and dangerous habits. But with the love of two people in his life who sustain him—his mother, Jean, and his daughter, Elizabeth—he begins to comprehend an incomprehensible tragedy, and forgive an unforgiveable crime.

Stephen Gauer holds a BA in Communications from Simon Fraser University (2001) and a MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia (2005). Stephen’s prize-winning short stories have been published in Descant, Prairie Fire, the Toronto Star, and Best Canadian Stories 10 (Oberon Press). He’s also written for Geist magazine and the Globe and Mail. Hold Me Now is Stephen’s first novel.

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"[F]ascinating at every turn and it leads to a beautifully rendered catharsis. Have a handkerchief handy."

"A potent and poignant examination of a father’s grief."