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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Aaron Mead, amead@ameadwriter.com, 626-616-4473
Debut fiction:
A body in a barrel on the shore of Lake Mead,
and the washed-up Las Vegas mobster who put it there
Martin Scorsese’s Casino meets Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, September 8, 2025—Press Together is delighted to announce the publication of Aaron Mead’s debut fiction offering, Body in a Barrel, a suspenseful, gritty, noir novella about organized crime, violence, murder, fear, guilt, grace, and unlikely friendship in Sin City, inspired by true events.
A body in a barrel just appeared on the shore of Lake Mead, and Lenny Battaglia is worried. Forty years ago, when Lenny was a henchman in the Las Vegas mafia, his partner, Frank, whacked the victim, and Lenny helped dump the body. But there’s another victim in another barrel somewhere in the lake, and it’s got Lenny’s name on it. For now, that barrel’s underwater, but the drought-ravaged lake keeps dropping, and Frank is talking to the cops. Lenny tows his fishing boat to the lake to haul his barrel farther from shore, but his boat’s too small, the barrel’s too heavy, and he’s too old. Lenny needs a new plan. Can he cover the horror of his crooked past before it catches up to him in the present?
“…a gripping crime drama…character-driven narrative draws you in from the very first page…The plot is well-paced and thoroughly engrossing…the character development is nothing short of stellar…excels at creating an atmosphere of tension, suspense, and intrigue, making the narrative all the more absorbing…Recommended to readers of well-written crime thrillers.”
—READERS’ FAVORITE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Propulsive but never rushed, topical but never preachy, Body in a Barrel has real gravitas and deeply felt humanity. Aaron Mead is a writer of tremendous skill and empathy.”
—Scott Teems, writer-director-producer, The Lowdown, Narcos: Mexico, Rectify
“Taut and engrossing, Body in a Barrel is a short tale playing the long game, tracing the arc of one man’s moral redemption across decades. Aaron Mead has given us crime fiction with wit and heart.”
—Chad Holley, author of Shield the Joyous: A Novel
“In Body in a Barrel, Mead writes a tight and compelling story of regret and redemption. With endearing characters and a stirring setting, Body in a Barrel is a thrilling accomplishment!”
—Claire Gibson, author of Beyond the Point: A Novel
Body in a Barrel is available for purchase on Amazon.com.
Author biography:
Aaron Mead is the author of Body in a Barrel. His other work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and has been covered by National Public Radio. He lives in the Los Angeles area.
