Synopsis:

Set against the rugged backdrop of Butte, Montana’s mining community between 1920 and 1925, “The Butte Bit” is a gripping tale of ambition, engineering brilliance, and the relentless pursuit of a legacy.

 A novel within a novel. It follows the lives of Arthur and Mamie, an unlikely couple challenging the era’s societal norms to forge a life together. Arthur, an impoverished English Unitarian, and Mamie, a daughter of a wealthy Irish Catholic family, cross paths in a twist of fate that leads them to defy their communities’ deep-seated prejudice and animosity.

 Their relationship faces the ultimate tests of losing their first two daughters and overcoming the entrenched animosity between the Irish and English communities. It is a narrative that not only recounts their personal tales of survival but also illuminates the broader themes of faith, pioneering hardships, and the enduring power of love.

Arthur Lee Hawkesworth, a descendant of Josiah Wedgwood, is a mechanical savant consumed by his legacy. As a loyal employee of a large corporation, he is driven to create his own company. Stepping out of the shadows of the mining giant, Anaconda Copper Mining Company.

His time away from his Irish wife, Mamie, and their children, takes a toll on their family life.

 Mamie, steadfast in her Catholic faith, endures the losses and hardships with an unwavering spirit, while Arthur channels his inventive energies into a groundbreaking drilling bit that revolutionizes hard rock mining.

Arthur’s innovation attracts the attention of the corporate heads who would rather undermine his efforts than compensate him. Arthur battles sabotage, duplicity, and industrial espionage, as Anaconda’s desire to replicate the bit turns into grudging respect, forcing them into an exclusive purchase agreement.

Arthur hopes to secure a prosperous future for his lineage, particularly his beloved son, whom he envisions managing the family empire.

Disaster strikes after Arthur’s successful gall bladder operation. He remains in the hospital for a week. His premature death is shrouded in mystery. Who killed Arthur?

Was it ACM, his partner Roy Alley, Patrick the nipper or the mysterious gentleman lingering in the hospital waiting room? They all had a motive and opportunity.

“The Butte Bit” is a story of hope, despair, and the struggle against corporate Goliaths.

 It is a narrative that highlights historical cultural conflicts and promotes religious and cultural tolerance. A love story unfolding amidst the backdrop of a burgeoning America, where the promise of freedom and opportunity is shadowed by the complexities of cultural integration and religious tensions.

It is a captivating story of love, loss, and the power of determination and persistence that will stay with readers long after they turn the final page.