Later Days - by Chip Jacobs (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

USA Today Bestseller and winner of the 2025 American Writing Awards Prize for General Fiction! In an evocative follow-up to his Los Angeles Times bestselling Arroyo, Chip Jacobs returns with a gripping tale of brotherhood, recklessness, and footloose souls in the anything goes of late-seventies Southern California.

As their elite, all-boys prep school turns coed, transforming from suburban Lord of the Flies to gender-roiled soap-opera, two unlikely friends--Luke Burnett and Denny Drummond--alternate rescuing each other from self-destruction amid troubled home lives. Eager to maximize their era as invincible seniors at Stone Canyon Prep, they and their pals commandeer Bob's Big Boy, explore the secret world beneath Caltech, stumble into a possibly-supernatural lab animal, and grapple with near-ODs at a playoff game. Just as our heroes manage to graduate, their bond is shattered by a wild gunshot that'll haunt them for decades.

Twenty years later, Luke is a high-powered journalist with a nosediving career, while Denny, a visionary software engineer, is socked by a terminal diagnosis. Desperate to make amends for that coyote shot, Denny guilts his estranged friend into helping him, all climaxing with a Hail Mary bid to demystify mortality, with an assist from Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, while reconnecting with what matters most. Later Days is a powerful exploration of the ties that bind and break us. Perfect for readers drawn to rollercoaster friendships, forgiveness, and the raw beauty of life skimming its edges to Near-Death Experience. With insight into Pasadena's buried histories and the psychological baggage of growing up in the shadows of "Great Men" fathers, Jacobs' second novel is as emotionally resonant as it is intellectually sharp.

Review Quotes

"Later Days is more than a novel, it's a reminder that even after everything falls apart, there's still room for grace, humor, and second chances." --Book Reviewer Nurse Jackie

"A powerful portrait ... that simmers with maturity, life expectations and dreams, and satisfyingly unexpected evolution."-- "Midwest Book Review"

"Emotional and brilliantly written ... One of the most compelling and honest coming of age stories that I've read ... This one's special."--David Morgan

"From wild teenage nights to the hard truths of adulthood, this story blends humor, heartbreak, and hope in a way that lingers long after the final page."--Book Reviewer Marilyn Gon

"Heartfelt, sharply observed story about friendship, forgiveness, and the fragile line between youth's invincibility and adulthood's reckoning ... -- Moving, smart, and unforgettable."-- "Cassies Book Reviews"

"Humor, drama, and a poignant coming-of-age tale ... an enthralling read."-- "Readers' Favorite"

"Jacobs has created a lyrical coming of age mottled with the complexities and fragility of growing up...a compelling tale of ... the bond that ties us forever."-- "For the Love of the Page"

"Jacobs hits paydirt with stirring descriptions of SoCal's eccentricities."-- "Publishers Weekly"

"One-part Dead Poets Society and two-parts Lord of the Flies ... Jacobs perfectly captures the specific textures of the era ... without indulging in That '70s Show's cartoonish nostalgia ... An honest, emotionally rewarding (narrative)."-- "IndieReader"

"The writing here is not just immersive, but also deeply emotional and raw; we are not just spectators, but we feel."--Book Reviewer Susan J. Ballard

About the Author

Chip Jacobs is a genre-crossing author and prize-winning journalist. His first novel, Arroyo, about Pasadena, California's mysterious Colorado Street Bridge, was a Los Angeles Times bestseller, CrimeReads most anticipated book and Independent Book Publisher Award honoree. Among his other books are the international bestselling Smogtown, which he co-wrote with William J. Kelly and is under development for a streaming series, the acclaimed black-comedy, true-crime story, The Darkest Glare, and the Indies Book of the Year Finalist, Strange As It Seems. Jacobs' reporting and subjects have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Marketplace, CNN, LA Weekly, the Los Angeles Daily News, and elsewhere. Learn more at chipjacobs.com.