(Bloomington, IL) — Author W.P. Truesdell announces the release of his novel The Phantom Bugatti, available on Amazon in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Set in Cleveland and rural Indiana during the Y2K era, the novel follows Jack Reinhart, a world-weary man who inherits his grandfather’s long-abandoned farm—and discovers beneath its barn a rare 1931 French-built Bugatti. Determined to restore the car despite marital strain and limited means, Jack is drawn into small-town relationships, buried family secrets, and a mystery tied to the car’s past. As the restoration progresses, trust erodes, alliances shift, and Jack’s marriage reaches a crossroads.

Blending suspense, romance, and automotive history, The Phantom Bugatti explores legacy, love, and reinvention. The novel weaves classic-car lore into a contemporary story of self-discovery, including historical connections between European auto visionary Ettore Bugatti and American automotive legend E.L. Cord.

Truesdell is a former arts-management professional whose career included leadership roles at major cultural institutions, including the Illinois Shakespeare Festival and the Cleveland Museum of Art. He lives in central Illinois.