Charles Petrie, Jr.

In Dark Texas, a gripping and hauntingly plausible near-future thriller, a historic winter storm plunges Texas into chaos as critical energy infrastructure fails, and the electric grid teeters on the edge of collapse. Told through the eyes of everyday Texans—Mac, a self-reliant old-timer; Laurie, a wise yoga teacher; Jake, a grieving father; and Chas, a young energy analyst—this novel explores human resilience, the fragility of modern civilization, and the moral choices people face when the lights go out. Inspired by real events, Dark Texas is a chilling yet hopeful portrait of community, survival, and the power of preparedness in a world that thought it couldn’t fail.