Reilly Publishes Novel Don't Drive Left Lane
Former accountant Pete Reilly releases a legal novel set in Alexandria, with a book signing planned for February 2027.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Remote Work
Pete Reilly has published Don't Drive Left Lane, a novel about a lawsuit involving a power company. The book follows Cowboy Murphy, a rising senior at T.C. Williams High School, and is set in Alexandria.
Why it matters
The novel brings a local Alexandria setting and a Virginia-based author into the regional literary scene. Reilly's background in public accounting and his community ties give the book a grounded, local perspective.
Reilly completed the 4.4-mile Great Chesapeake Bay Swim 23 times and spent more than 40 years with the accounting firm Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell. No sales or readership figures for the novel were reported.
The players
Pete Reilly
Pete Reilly is a former public accountant and Bishop Ireton graduate who wrote the novel Don't Drive Left Lane.
Elizabeth Merck
Elizabeth Merck is an editor who worked with Reilly on the manuscript after they met through the Virginia Writer's Club.
Nepanthe Gallery
Nepanthe Gallery is the Hollin Hills venue hosting Reilly's scheduled book signing.
The details
Reilly began writing the story in 2023 and promotes the book through social media and word of mouth. His editor, Elizabeth Merck, edited the manuscript after they met through the Virginia Writer's Club.
Timeline
1974: Reilly graduates from Bishop Ireton.
2023: Reilly begins writing the novel.
February 4, 2027: Book signing at Nepanthe Gallery in Hollin Hills.
Local Roots
The novel's editorial partnership grew out of the Virginia Writer's Club, linking this Alexandria-set debut to the region's established writing community. Its local setting and author background place it within that network rather than a national trend.
Readers interested in the book can attend the February 4, 2027 signing at Nepanthe Gallery in Hollin Hills. The novel is set in Alexandria, so local readers may recognize the settings it describes.
The takeaway
Local authors often build their work from community networks, and Reilly's path from accounting to fiction shows how a second career can take shape later in life. Readers can follow the book's progress through its scheduled signing.
What happens next
A book signing is scheduled at Nepanthe Gallery in Hollin Hills on February 4, 2027.
Further reading
For more on flexible career paths, explore Remote Work coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Connectionnewspapers.
