A young farmer turns into a courageous resistance fighter after Nazi Germany invades Norway and steals his way of life.
Finalist, 2023 Nancy Pearl Book Award, Pacific Northwest Writers Association
A Kirkus Reviews Best 100 Indie Books of 2022
“An exciting, high-stakes story skillfully told.”
— Kirkus Review (Starred Review)
“A heart-wrenching and poignant story of bravery.”
—Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author
of The World Played Chess and the Tracy Crosswhite series
“The narrative storytelling skills of Don Pugnetti Jr. as a novelist are clearly demonstrated -- giving the reader inherently fascinating entertainment.”
— Midwest Book Review
Don Pugnetti Jr. has had a forty-two-year-long career in journalism, public relations, and public affairs, including eighteen years as a newspaper reporter and editor. He has served as policy advisor and speechwriter for a statewide elected official and has taught newswriting and communications at the university level. He and his wife, Wendy, live in Gig Harbor, Washington.
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“Every now and then we’re lucky enough to stumble across a new writer who has written an extraordinary book that leaves us wowed. Discovering the debut novel of Don Pugnetti Jr. was such an experience for me. A Coat Dyed Black uses the backdrop of Nazi Germany’s World War Two invasion and occupation of Norway to spin a tale of everyday people rising up to do extraordinary things in the face of the human barbarism that is unleashed by war. The author portrays a compelling cast of characters with a warmth and compassion that obliges us to care deeply about their fate. Readers discover a relatively unexplored corner of the war that resonates in light of current events, and we’re entertained while we learn—no easy feat. A Coat Dyed Black will stay in your mind long after you close the final page.” —Neil Turner, Canadian author of the popular suspense/thriller Tony Valenti series.
“A powerful story. A Coat Dyed Black is a tremendous tribute that doesn’t just tug at the heart—it echoes through the soul. What a sensitive and harrowing view of human nature fighting against the odds in a man-made disaster.” (Read the full review) —Wendy Kendall, mystery and romantic suspense author whose latest book is Cherry Shakes in the Park.
“Through the lens of a reticent young farmer turned resistor, Don Pugnetti Jr. paints a vivid portrait of honor, duty, heartbreak, and survival during Nazi Germany’s oppressive WWII occupation of Norway. Meticulously researched—a brilliant debut novel.” —DL Fowler, award-winning author of The Turn—a bond that shaped history and the biographical novel Lincoln Raw