A 1928 disaster and government deceit, past and present, frame the modern conflicts of a city manager in this riveting story of political intrigue.
As a veteran city manager, Brad Jacks is accustomed to being on the hot seat. He is not surprised to be buffeted by the political winds as he leads his small California Central Coast city through its review of the most controversial private development project in its history. But the normal job pressure enters a personal dimension when he learns some little-known incidents of government deception that led to unintended consequences including the worst man-made disaster of the 20th Century. With each revelation, Brad finds himself challenging his long-held beliefs. But taking a stand in support of the greater public interest jeopardizes the retirement he and his wife hoped for in this idyllic community. Worse, it will likely ensure that a powerful local family will expose a secret Brad and his wife have guarded for forty years that left them both scarred and still threatens their family.
Drawing on the author’s 30-year career in city management, When The Dam Breaks, is a riveting, realistic story of government accomplishment born of pure deceit, of the battlefield that is community development, and a troubled official trying to sort out his conflicting obligations and fears.

John P. Thompson had a 30-year career in local government including 20 years as city manager of two California cities before becoming a partner on commercial development projects. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and Master of Arts in Urban Studies from Occidental College. He has founded and served on numerous nonprofit community-based organizations and is the current president of a local social service nonprofit. Thompson lives in Northern California with his wife of 45 years, Diane. They enjoy travel, friends and family and especially their 5 grandchildren.


Title: When The Dam Breaks
Author: John P. Thompson
Publisher: Adelaide Books
Publisher Website: https://adelaidebooks.org/
Publisher Email: [email protected]
ISBN: 978-1955196451
Price: $22.30
Page Count: 326 pages
Formats: Paperback

Description of the company: ADELAIDE BOOKS LLC is a New York based independent company dedicated to publishing literary fiction and creative nonfiction. It was founded in July 2017 as an imprint of the Adelaide Literary Magazine, with the aim to facilitate publishing of novels, memoirs, and collections of short stories, poems, and essays by contributing authors of our magazine and other qualified writers.