Secret Basements by Robert Essig

Jennifer, in recovery after her latest stint in rehab, is called out to care for Uncle Charlie, a man she has never met. It's a good opportunity to get away from the bad influences in Chicago, and even better it's a chance to prove to her family she's not the thieving addict they despise. Problem is, Uncle Charlie lives in Tennessee, and he's an odd duck. Caring after him is a chore, and the podunk town he lives in has many secrets in the many basements of too many abandoned houses. The creepy church up the road, the woman in tatters who sneaks around dark basement enclosures, the toothless grins of deviant men who crave more than mere friendship. A family with secrets deeper than a hollow pit and bonded by blood. Can Jennifer manage her way through this test of her life?  The cane raps on the porch handrail. Charlie sneers as he makes his demands. Is this life better than what Jennifer left behind?