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A Life Lived on the Edge
Charlie’s Ladder follows a middle-aged man crushed under the weight of trauma, guilt, and unrelenting grief who, after the death of his daughter, begins therapy, taking a journey through his repressed suffering, searching for meaning and redemption amid despair. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for “Charlie’s Ladder” was a life lived on the edge, much like Charlie’s. His experiences were my experiences. “Charlie’s Ladder” is, in fact, a memoir wrapped in a novel.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
Great Question! In my experience, people are mostly nuanced…generous and stingy, grudge-holding and forgiving, loving and hating, good and evil. Eventually Charlie, himself, acknowledges that even his mother “wasn’t all one thing.” We — all of us — have within us the capacity for great things…even while living lives of “quiet desperation.” Capturing and accurately portraying such nuance is not easy; but it’s absolutely essential to making the characters approachable…for good storytelling AND great fiction.
I find that, while writing, you sometimes ask questions and have the characters answer them. Do you find that to be true?
In the case of this book, I do. I wrote “Charlie’s Ladder” as both a commentary on the human condition, and a reflection on the fact that behind closed doors, many families still struggle with abuse of monstrous proportion. I deliberately put those questions out there for the characters themselves to grapple with. I chose this style as a way of permitting the reader to first witness, then respond to, these questions for themselves…giving them permission to put down the book and reflect for a time.
What questions did you ask yourself while writing this story?
Oh, boy! I had to laugh when I first read this question…not because it’s silly, but because it’s so perceptive of my writing process! Look, it took me ten years to complete both bookends of the “Charlie Series.” (“The Last Altar Boy” is the sequel) I spent an enormous percentage of that time questioning…
Who am I…really? Who are each of us, in relation to our own traumas?
How have I possibly survived this long? How do any of us?
Why does God allow so many good people, of such deep faith and conviction, to suffer so? For what greater purpose, if any?
Will I ever become “unbroken?” Can any of us?
Am I simply a victim…even a survivor? (as Charlie observes to Dina.) Or, am I a “warrior?” (as Dina replies) There’s a quotation often attributed to Plato…goes like this: “Be kind to everyone you meet, for everyone is fighting a mighty battle.” I am constantly aware of that perspective when meeting people, as I’ve found it to be true in most cases.
These are the questions that most torture Charlie’s psyche. Thus, when Charlie howls, “WHY DID HE LET MY DAUGHTER DIE?!” its a primitive howl of existential pain that we all eventually face.
As Charlie learns, there are no easy answers.
When will The Last Altar Boy be available?
“The Last Altar Boy” was released in November 2024.
Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
It’s been referred to many times as a “road trip into hell.” Whereas “Charlie’s Ladder” transpires over the course of three years, “The Last Altar Boy” transpires over the course of seven days. As you might imagine, the pacing is frenzied and frantic, as Houden leaves with his daughter’s ashes — and a secret plan — to confront God and recover the soul of his daughter.
This “road trip” takes Charlie to the land of his origin. However, Charlie is not the only one with plans. He will be confronted by a former lover, a resistant priest, and the darkest of his many demons. Born into the Roman Catholic faith, inculcated with its dogma and traditions, Charlie will have to reach deep inside to answer each of those questions (above) that were raised in the first book. In doing so, Houden comes face to face with true evil. Part police procedural, part murder conspiracy, part ancient spiritual quest, the pace continually increases until the frenzy and conflation of evil intentions compel Charlie to make an existential choice. His choice takes him on a timeless journey, where he will face his deepest fears and his greatest joy on this “road trip from hell,” taken by the last altar boy.
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Charlie’s Ladder
Charlie’s Ladder is a haunting novel that follows Charlie Houden, a middle-aged man crushed under the weight of trauma, guilt, and unrelenting grief. Structured around therapy sessions, fragmented memories, and painful flashbacks, the book chronicles his inner collapse following the death of his daughter and a lifetime of emotional wounds that trace back to childhood. As Charlie begins therapy with Dr. Dina Epstein, we journey with him through layers of repressed suffering—his tormented Catholic upbringing, abusive family dynamics, and disintegrating marriage—culminating in a search for meaning and redemption amid despair.
Reading this book was like cracking open a chest that had been sealed too long. The writing is raw, vivid, and fearless. It’s not just storytelling—it’s bleeding on the page. Carl Reinelt doesn’t hold back. His prose punches you in the gut, then leaves you stunned with a tender line. The nonlinear structure works beautifully. It mimics the way trauma actually feels. Unpredictable, fragmented, cyclical. I found myself wincing at some scenes and nodding solemnly at others, especially those involving Charlie’s disillusionment with faith and his grief-ridden memories of Lizzie.
That said, the book doesn’t let you get comfortable. And that’s the point. It drags you into the trenches of mental anguish and spiritual crisis without offering any neat resolutions. There’s beauty in that, but also a heaviness that lingers. Some parts felt intentionally disjointed, which could frustrate readers looking for a clear plot arc or redemption arc. But what made me stay was Charlie himself—broken, cynical, yet deeply relatable. His voice, despite its sarcasm and self-loathing, rang true. His banter with Dina Epstein crackled with tension and dark humor. And his painful unraveling felt not only believable, but necessary.
Charlie’s Ladder is not for the faint of heart. It’s for readers who are willing to sit in discomfort, to face the messiness of trauma and mental illness without flinching. I’d recommend this to anyone who’s lost someone, struggled with depression, or felt estranged from religion or family. It’s heavy, yes, but it’s also a deeply personal exhale.
Pages: 319 | ISBN: 978-1-7362149-6-1
