A Heavy Price

"A Heavy Price" is the true story of the journey Gregory Riedel's family took from Germany to Texas in 1849. Told from the perspective of his great-grandfather, who was 15 years old at the time of their voyage across the Atlantic. The story gets deeper as the Riedel family arrives in Texan, only to get wrapped up in Texan history.
Originally, "A Heavy Price" was supposed to follow the investigation of the murder of Gregory Riedel's great-grandfather; however, after extensive research, it turned into much more than that. After 7 years of research that stretched from the National Archives in Washington, D.C., to the Texas State Archives in Austin, Texas, to dozens of monographs written by historians. Out of dozens of monographs, one stood out most, titled "The Feud that Wasn't" by Professor James M. Smallwood. The monograph mainly focused on the Sutton-Taylor feud; however, it delved into the part of Texan history which Riedel's family was heavily involved in.

Gregory Riedel is a fifth-generation Texan with extensive experience as a Biomedical Researcher and Director of Operations for a Medical Equipment company. Prior to his retirement, his writing endeavors were confined to the technical realm. However, upon retiring early, he embarked on a decade-long research journey into the unsolved murder of his great-great grandfather. Despite his initial intention to pursue personal pursuits, the compelling nature of the case compelled him to write a novel.