Pam Avery's 'The Other Side of Tanner' Continues Family Saga

Author Pam Avery returns to the fictional North Georgia community of Kings County with The Other Side of Tanner, the sequel to her acclaimed debut novel, The Tanner Side of Town. Released worldwide on October 1 by Shades Creek Press, LLC, the new book shifts focus to Tanner Fox, the daughter of Lucy Tanner and Hunter Fox. Now in her early 50s, Tanner is a successful, high-profile attorney and fixer who manages crises for politicians and celebrities. However, her complicated personal life—including a five-year affair with married U.S. Senator Cary Lancaster—collides with a dangerous investigation, forcing her to confront her own problems rather than just solving others'. Avery explains that Tanner is 'smart, accomplished, tough and very good at managing other people's crises,' yet beneath her confidence lies someone struggling to manage her own life, making her a fascinating character to explore.

The novel extends beyond Washington politics and forbidden romance. Back in Kings County, Tanner becomes drawn into an investigation that reaches from Georgia to Chicago and Florida, involving Bill Braxton, a small-time criminal with an outsized mobster ego. As she digs into Braxton's past, she uncovers connections involving the Andrews family that turn the case deeply personal. Avery weaves suspense and twists with multigenerational family relationships, bringing back familiar characters decades later, including Lucy Tanner, Hunter Fox, and Hank Tanner, now a Georgia district attorney. New characters like recovering surgeon David Harrington, who runs a farm helping men rebuild their lives after addiction, and retired Chicago police officer Leo Flynn, add depth. The North Georgia setting, Avery says, is 'almost another character,' shaping the Tanners' identity. Through Tanner, Avery explores the contradiction of a woman trained to manage chaos who cannot control her inner turmoil, ultimately delivering a story about finding peace as much as solving a mystery. Avery hopes readers see themselves in these imperfect characters, who make mistakes, carry their pasts, and sometimes get another chance to decide who they want to be.