5th and Vanguard

5th and Vanguard is set in a seaside town called Berle and narrated by Julie Page, an ex-junkie and writer who had retired her writing (and other addictions) for a more conventional life. But inspiration pays a call one windy night in front of Bob's Liquor Palace as a glamorous, disfigured old woman emerges from the backseat of a Cadillac and offers Julie one more chance at taking chances. This quirky, neo-noir mystery explores the pock-marked inner and outer world of its heroine as she faces her demons in an effort to recover her muse. 5th and Vanguard is a story of chemical, emotional, and artistic addiction, and the price paid to feed each habit. The songs of Maxine Montego showcased in 5th and Vanguard are the author's own. Some of the songs can be heard on her album, Champions and Lunatics, available through iTunes, amazon, cdbaby, and various independents.