Literary Fiction
Date Published: May 14, 2026
Publisher: Manhattan Book Group
A moving literary novel about friendship, identity, belonging, and the
search for home in a divided America.
In the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial reckoning of 2020, two
unlikely friends are forced to confront what home really means.
A young Black man and a middle-aged White man meet through the Indianapolis
tech company where they both work. Though separated by age, race, and life
experience, they discover a powerful connection through music, poetry, and the
emotional landscapes that have shaped them. What begins as an unusual
friendship becomes something deeper as both men find themselves questioning
the world around them—and their place within it.
Disillusioned by their state’s response to the pandemic and shaken by
the racial strife unfolding across the country, the two men leave Indianapolis
on a transformative journey. Against the eerie backdrop of a fractured
America, they face isolation, grief, uncertainty, and the complicated truths
that define love, loyalty, friendship, and identity.
As the road carries them away from everything familiar, they begin to
reevaluate their beliefs, their histories, and the meaning of belonging.
Through shared adversity, conversation, art, and memory, they forge a bond
that challenges them to see themselves—and each other—with greater
honesty and compassion.
The Edge of Motherland by Michael Leppert is a moving work of cultural
heritage fiction for readers who appreciate character-driven literary fiction,
contemporary historical fiction, stories of unlikely friendship, and novels
that explore race, resilience, connection, and hope during uncertain times.
“Motherland is a poignant story about love, friendship,
identity—and the music, poetry, and places that shape us.”
—Lesley
Weidenbener, Managing Editor, Indianapolis Business Journal
