Companion Novel to The Menu
Publication Date: May 26, 2026
Set in a medium-security penitentiary in the mid-1990s, The Ledger is a faith-based story that pulls back the curtain on prison life, allowing the reader a safe peek behind the wall.
Although told from three alternating perspectives—officer, inmate, and sergeant—many of the same questions are asked: Can light be found in the deepest darkness? What about forgiveness, redemption, and grace? And if the code is clear, “loyalty above all things except honor,” when should an officer cross the blue line to police one of his own?
The Ledger is the long-awaited companion novel to The Menu.
Life inside the prison system comes with the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Author Steven Manchester offers a peek to readers in The Ledger, which is a companion to his first novel, The Menu.
Told in three perspectives (inmate, officer, and sergeant), the story tackles the brutality of a medium-security penitentiary in the mid-1990s. However, the faith-based story confronts challenging topics such as redemption, forgiveness, and honor.
One of the most difficult aspects centers on a corrections officer determined to wield his power without regard for consequences. Although prisoners are behind bars for a reason, they should still receive humane treatment.
The author provides multiple opportunities that provoke thought about the corrections system and its overall effectiveness. When considering it from a faith-based approach, redemption and grace play significant roles.
The Ledger offers a unique view from within the prison system about human nature and the ability to change.
New England’s Storyteller Steven Manchester is the author of the soul-awakening novel The Menu as well as the 1980s nostalgia-series Bread Bags & Bullies and Lawn Darts & Lemonade. Other works include the #1 bestsellers Twelve Months, The Rockin’ Chair, Pressed Pennies, and Gooseberry Island; the national bestsellers Ashes, The Changing Season, and Three Shoeboxes; the multi-award winning novels Dad and Goodnight Brian; and the heartwarming Christmas movie The Thursday Night Club. His work has appeared on NBC’s TODAY and CBS’s The Early Show; and in Billboard and People magazines. Three of Steven’s short stories were selected for “101 Best” for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. He is a multi-produced playwright and winner of several book festivals, Including Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Amsterdam, and New England (from 2017-2025). When not spending time with his family, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing.
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