OCEANSIDE by Larry Terhaar
Nearly one hundred people died. It could have been prevented.
OCEANSIDE is a work of fiction inspired by the tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers in Surfside, FL, in June of 2021. This disaster thriller is a novel-in-parts featuring three stories that span the 40-year life of the building. All linked by the looming tragedy.
In the summer of 2021, in the dead of night, Lieutenant Dan Crawford and his
team of firefighters race against time, responding to the harrowing collapse of
the Oceanside Condominiums at 88th Street and Collins Avenue in Miami
Beach, Florida. Then, we flashback to 1979, when Jack Brooks, a real estate
developer from New York relocates to Florida, where his success hinges on one
crucial element—the construction of a new condominium called Oceanside.
Then, we jump to the winter of 2018 to find Hannah and Bob, who have become
“Snowbirds,” trading the cold and snow of Westchester for the sun and sand of
Florida. Relishing their retirement, they delve into the real estate market and
purchase their second home—a condominium that seems to meet all their
criteria and just so happens to be located on 88th Street and Collins Avenue.
OCEANSIDE is Larry Terhaar’s debut novel. He is a recently retired real estate
developer who has built a condominium complex and serves on the board of
directors of a high-rise condominium in southern Florida. He is uniquely qualified to tell this multi-layered story, brimming with romance and captivating characters, that ultimately reveals the cause of this tragedy.
“OCEANSIDE is required reading for anyone considering retiring to the
beach in Florida.” E.M.T.
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Author Bio:
LARRY TERHAAR – BIO
I grew up in Westport, CT, where I met Beth, my high school sweetheart. We were married in 1973 and just celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary! After a few different work experiences in my twenties, I started a new career as a home builder in my thirties. This business grew into real estate development; by 2005, I was building condominiums.
Beth and I had two boys in the 80s and raised them in Fairfield County, CT. Both our sons are now married, and we have been blessed with two grandsons.
By 2000, I had become fascinated with ocean sailing. We have owned three sailboats since then and have sailed the western Atlantic and Caribbean seas multiple times from Maine to Grenada and every place in between, living aboard for much of that time.
I retired from the building/development business in 2016 and purchased a beachfront condominium in Jensen Beach, FL. We are now “snowbirds,” spending our summers in CT and winters in FL. In 2018, I was recruited to join the Board of Directors of the condominium association in Florida, where I have served for six years.
In 2021, when the Champlain Towers in Surfside, FL. collapsed, killing 98 people, I felt compelled to write about it. At first, when I started researching the tragedy, I thought I would be writing a non-fiction account. But soon, my imagination took over, resulting in my first novel, OCEANSIDE.
There was quite a learning curve, but after working with some professional editors, I came to love writing. I wake up each morning with a scene or passage that I just have to get down on paper. Since OCEANSIDE was completed, I have written a Private Detective novel, which is the genre I enjoy reading most.
The title is: ONCE A DETECTIVE… Now available on Amazon or wherever you buy books.