The Cornerstone by Josh Lowder

Past and Present Collide in Josh Lowder’s Debut Historical Thriller, The Cornerstone

TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN— If you ask debut author Josh Lowder, the past is never really the past.

“No matter how long something is thought to be buried, it [can] find a way to come back into the present and still potentially alter the landscape,” he noted.

A self-described student of history (especially early-American) and lover of a fast-paced thriller, Lowder noted that he’s aspired to become an author since middle school. Fast forward a few decades, and he’s combining those passions in his historical suspense debut, The Cornerstone.

Inspired by Lowder’s own reading interests—“I’m a sucker for treasure hunts where each clue brings a new challenge,” he noted—and the very real (and very missing) original cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol building, the novel follows small-town detective Brian Howard, who discovers a clandestine society while investigating the murder of a museum security guard.

From there, he finds himself trailing a long-buried national secret across the U.S., from Louisiana to Washington, D.C., all the while piecing together his own family mysteries and the workings of an illicit political faction, to boot. But, to uncover the truth, Detective Howard is forced to put everything—and everyone—he loves on the line before the very fabric of the country threatens to unravel.

Research, Mysteries, and a Foundation of Secrets

“I always [wonder] what may be hidden within our two-hundred-plus-year-old foundations,” Lowder said. “The U.S. Capitol cornerstone has never been found, despite many attempts, so I started formulating the story of a history-altering document being at the center of its disappearance.”

As a veteran investigator with more than a decade in law enforcement, Lowder also highlighted the novel’s exploration of such modern societal issues as processing personal tragedy, the manipulation and erasure of history, and the world’s growing obsession with hidden power (and the dangerous implications of letting the wrong people control it).

“With today’s division on every topic, [it’s important] to slow down and see what is around you. You may just realize not everything is what it seems,” he said.

From an author’s lens, however, those years of research have also led Lowder to another conclusion: If you write what you love—history, for example—that passion will inevitably transfer onto the page (which is often what makes for the greatest stories!).

“History is alive everywhere you look,” Lowder added. “I’m still figuring out the best process for getting a story on paper, but I’m taking it one word at a time.”

Advance Praise

“A debut that weaves history into the present—a centuries-old secret worth killing for. Lowder writes like a cop who knows his way around a crime scene.” —Andrew Bridgeman, internationally published author of the Emma Noble FBI series

“I really enjoyed The Cornerstone. I was hooked the whole way through! What stood out most to me was how accurate the law enforcement side felt. The procedures, mindset, and investigative details were very well done. That realism made the story even better and shows real effort was put into telling the story!” —Lieutenant Chris Vines, Sumner County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office

The Author

Josh Lowder is the author of the historical crime thriller, The Cornerstone. As a former police officer and current fraud investigator, Josh brings firsthand criminal investigation experience and a passion for history to his debut thriller, The Cornerstone. Raised outside Nashville and shaped by years living in South Louisiana, he now lives in Tennessee with his wife, daughter, and dog Jax. Follow him on Facebook (Josh Lowder, Author) or Instagram (@author_joshlowder).

The Book

The Cornerstone    

Josh Lowder

303 pages, 6” x 9”, B/W

Mystery & Detective/Historical, Crime, Thrillers/Suspense

ISBN: 978-1-968761-64-6, $27.95 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 978-1-968761-65-3, $17.95 (Softcover)

Mission Point Press, September 8, 2026

Copies are available for preorder at Bookshop.org and Amazon. On its September 8, 2026, publication date, it will be available for purchase wherever books are sold. For information or to arrange for signings and events, contact the author at officialjoshlowder@gmail.com.