Imagine My Surprise!: A Novel

Imagine My Surprise! is the fictional memoir of Keenan Solomon Harris, a seven-year-old who claims to be the reincarnation of a murdered San Francisco drug kingpin, Kurt Houston. The story follows Kurt’s descent from failed writer to heroin-addicted criminal, betrayed and killed on his 50th birthday by one of his cronies. Reborn fully conscious 5 years later as a boy named Keenan, he hides his identity while navigating the challenges of childhood in a dysfunctional Bay Area family. He befriends a homeless army veteran, Stoli, who becomes his ally after Keenan tells him where to find Kurt’s stash of drug money. After making a fresh start with the financial windfall, Stoli helps Keenan confront his killer at a Giants stadium suite. Keenan finally reveals his true identity, sparking a violent showdown. Part coming-of-age story, part crime novel, Imagine My Surprise! is a darkly comic meditation on childhood in the 21st century and the dangers of substance abuse.