The Hartford Atonement by Philip Barbara

"A clear-eyed and even-handed take on the scourge of gun violence." -Kirkus Reviews

"...Philip Barbara's deeply researched story makes you want to scream, 'Wake up Congress. Do something!'" -Thomas Ferraro, twenty-year Capitol Hill correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg

"A heart-wrenching story of altruism and faltering hopes." -John DeDakis, award-winning novelist, writing coach, and manuscript editor

Famous Wall Street billionaire Emil Scordato hears a US congressman tell reporters after the funeral Mass for a student murdered in a school shooting: "What's the difference between a cyanide pill and an assault weapon? You can't get your hands on a cyanide pill." After visiting his grandson Jack, who lies fighting for his life in an ICU bed, Emil is approached by an anguished parent and asked: "Hey, Mr. Scordato! What are you going to do about keeping the kids in this town safe?"

His grandson's coma, the...