BIG WHEAT
Richard
A. Thompson
Poisoned Pen, 2011, ISBN 9781590588222
Charlie
Kreuger doesn’t think twice about the mysterious stranger in the wheat
field on
a dark night in late August 1919. After Maybel breaks his heart and a
bloody
confrontation with his abusive father, Charlie leaves his North Dakota
home. He works with traveling
threshing crews and meets George Ravenwing, who convinces him to change
his surname
to Bacon and seek his future. That leads him to James Avery, who
welcomes Charlie
into the Ark,
a traveling group of men and women skilled at doing various tasks.
When
Maybel’s body is discovered in the wheat field, everyone assumes
Charlie
murdered her. The mysterious stranger knows otherwise, for he killed
Maybel,
just as he’s killed others. His only regret is not killing Charlie that
night,
and he sets out to remedy this.
Thompson crafts a gripping tale of a time past,
when threshing operations were an annual highpoint in farming life.
Although Big Wheat begins slowly, readers who
persevere won’t be disappointed. Once the hunt for Charlie begins in
earnest,
the pace quickens, and readers are compelled to turn the page to
discover who
reaches him first and whether Charlie will find his place with the
people of
the Ark.
(Originally
reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, August 2011)
BLOOD KIN
Henry Chappell
Texas Tech
University,
2004, ISBN 0-89672-530-8
In early 1836 Isaac Webb joins a company of Texas rangers, hoping to
meet
up with the rest of Sam Houston’s rebel army before the final battle
with
General Santa Anna’s army. Along the way, Isaac encounters a pregnant
widow
named Catherine, who haunts his dreams. Although the war ends, peace
doesn’t
last long, for the Comanches raid western homesteads, killing the men
and
kidnapping the women and children. Isaac’s ranging company reforms to
confront
this new enemy, and in the process Isaac becomes a man. Circumstances
bring
Catherine and him together again, but opposing ideas on how to deal
with
the Comanches force them to make decisions neither wants.
This haunting novel of early Texas portrays the good and bad in people
with clarity and realism. Decisions have consequences, and the
characters,
especially Isaac, mature as they cope with those consequences.
Chappelle
depicts this period of turmoil fairly, allowing his characters to show
the prejudices on all sides. Blood Kin is an absorbing, but
realistic
introduction to the early history of the Texas Republic.
(Originally reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, November 2004)
By Tom
Taylor
Hancock and Dean, 2011, ISBN 9780986896101
In
February 1813, Major General Isaac Brock must defend Upper Canada
against American attack, but he
lacks sufficient numbers to succeed in this endeavor. If the Indians
rise up
against the Americans, he might have a chance. A young man, recently
returned
from a fur trading expedition, knows Tecumseh and has lived with the Shawnee.
Jonathan
Westlake never thought to join the British army, but in attempting to
save a
young woman from her abusive stepfather, Jonathan almost kills the man.
Brock
agrees to protect Jonathan from prosecution if he undertakes a secret
mission. His
thoughts remain with Mary during his journey, but constant obstacles –
captured
as a spy after crossing the border, a brutal American sergeant, and a
mysterious mercenary intent on killing Jonathan – delay his mission and
his
plans to return to Mary. After participating in the successful capture
of Fort Mackinac,
Jonathan discovers that Mary and her stepfather are also present and in
the
company of the mercenary, who’s killed a friend. When he goes to her
rescue and
to confront the murderer, the trio has disappeared. Rather than pursue
them as
he wishes, Jonathan must continue his secret mission or General Brock
will face
defeat.
Told
from several points of view and from both Canadian and American
perspectives, readers
experience the Battle of Tippecanoe through the taking of Fort Detroit
during
the early days of the War of 1812.This is a gripping tale of brutality,
treachery, loyalty, and friendship. If any scene doesn’t quite ring
true, it’s
the scene involving Mary soon after her rape. Overall, however, Taylor spins a
well-rounded
and riveting tale of war, love of country, and friendship, a tale where
the
reader comes to understand some issues that caused the war and how
those
involved felt.
(Originally
reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, November 2011)
CHILDREN
OF THE
MIST
by Nigel Tranter
Hodder and
Stoughton,
1993, ISBN 0-340-55898-9
Condemned
without trial. Executed with no questions asked. Women branded and
children
delivered into slavery. Their name banned from utterance for nearly 200
years. All acts committed in the name of justice and with the blessing
of King James VI. Nigel Tranter weaves a poignant tale of the
machinations
that led to this royal condemnation of Clan MacGregor and the
subsequent
hunting with fire and sword in Children of the Mist.
In 1589, Alastair MacGregor of Glenstrae becomes clan chief and faces
the
difficult task of controlling his people while maintaining peace with
the
powerful Campbell of Argyll and the vexatious Clan Colquhoun. The first
hint of trouble arrives on Alastair’s doorstep with the arrival of
Black
Duncan of the Cowl whose father beheaded Alastair’s father in the name
of justice and acquired the forfeited land nineteen years earlier.
Uncertain
of Duncan’s motives, Alastair decides to visit the king, who is Ard
Righ,
chief of all chiefs. Alastair befriends several influential men of the
court and meets the king, but leaves without knowing whether James VI
will
aid him or not. Circumstances unfold that require him to seek out the
Earl
of Argyll, and while Alastair never trusts him, he must accept his
assistance.
It is an uneasy alliance that portends tragic results for Alastair and
his clan.
From the opening chapter Nigel Tranter transports the reader back in
time
to the wild and treacherous Highlands of Scotland. He elicits anger and
frustration, hope and heartache while he unravels the intrigues brought
about by an English queen without heirs, a Scottish king who covets her
crown, and a cunning earl who manipulates and betrays a naïve and
illiterate Alastair MacGregor to gain the power behind the throne.
(Originally
reviewed for Word Weaving)
DAUGHTER
OF MY
PEOPLE
by James Kilgo
Berkley, 2000,
ISBN
0-425-17266-X
In rural South Carolina in 1918, the social taboos in existence prior
to
the Civil War are still adhered to, but Hart Bonner has broken one.
He’s
fallen in love with Jennie Grant. He’s white and she’s a cousin of
mixed
race. When Jennie makes the mistake of being uppity, the entire county
learns of their affair. Tison, Hart’s older brother, disapproves of
such
scandalous behavior, but he becomes fixated on Jennie. The mounting
tension
between the brothers propels them, Jennie, and the family down a path
that
has far-reaching and unforeseen consequences for everyone involved.
Kilgo’s first novel compels the reader to turn the page, to savor each
word that he’s written. He transports the reader back to a
poverty-stricken
south that still reels from the devastation of war. If you close your
eyes,
you can hear the clop of horses, the racket of the rare automobile, the
insects chirping, or the yapping of the hounds. You sweat from the
sweltering
heat or shiver from the icy cold. This is the type of book that you
curl
up with on a rainy day, and when you finish reading, the characters and
the setting will haunt you for many days to come.
(Originally reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review)
THE DARK ENQUIRY (Editors' Choice title)
by Deanna
Raybourn
MIRA, 2011,
9780778312376
After
her eldest brother, Viscount Bellmont, secretly visits her husband,
Lady Julia Brisbane ponders why since the two don’t particularly like
each other. Her curiosity piqued, she follows Nicholas to the Spirit
Club but then loses him. Determined to get to the bottom of things, she
attends a séance given by Madame Séraphine. Since
Nicholas is as
skeptical as she is about spiritualism, Julia can’t see how the medium
fits into his latest private enquiry investigation.
After
the séance ends but before Julia departs, Nicholas reveals his
presence
and the reason for being at the Spirit Club. They search Madame’s room,
but before they find her brother’s letters, the medium’s return forces
them into hiding. From this vantage point, they watch her die from
poisoning. Although they make a hasty retreat before the police arrive,
they continue the hunt for Bellmont’s letters, which can topple the
present government should they fall into the wrong hands. In doing so,
the Brisbanes soon find themselves the target of the murderer and
others who search for the letters.
International
intrigue, arson, locked mausoleums, and secret identities abound in
this spellbinding historical mystery, the fifth in the series.
Raybourn’s characters are multifaceted, and she expertly weaves their
back stories into this tale so readers unfamiliar with previous books
are easily drawn into the current investigation. The intricate plot
unravels with twists and turns that challenge us but keep us guessing
until the end. Raybourn expertly spins a tale that transports us back
to 1889 London, allowing us to observe Julia’s scientific experiments
firsthand, to meet the members of her quirky family, or to enter the
mysterious world of the gypsy. This riveting mystery will soon make
readers fans who will eagerly await Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane’s
next adventure.
(Originally
reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, August 2011)
A DEADLY
EXCHANGE
by Sheryl Stafford
iUniverse, 2001,
ISBN
0-595-15677-0
Don't bother
picking
up this book unless you can devote the time to read it in one sitting.
Ms. Stafford snares you with the first harrowing chase and doesn't
release
you until you close the back cover. The life experiences of the author
and her husband make A Deadly Exchange seem real. Both have
sailed
around the Bahamas numerous times, and Commander Stafford was a pilot
broken
by the Viet Cong after his plane was shot down during the war. As you
read
this book you will find yourself aboard the Spencers' sailboat instead
of being safe in your own home. Your heart will beat rapidly from fear
and terror as Alex and Matt confront the head of the cartel and his
men,
none of whom have any redeeming qualities.
(Originally
written for Ivy Quill Reviews)
DEED OF MURDER
by Cora Harrison
Severn House, 2011, ISBN 9780727880710
The
O’Halloran clan has grown flax and produced linen for years. It is
their
principal means of support, and Mara, Brehon of the Burren, doesn’t
expect any
change to the status quo. At the annual auction for the lease, however,
a late
arrival outbids Cathal O’Halloran. Later, at her infant son’s
christening
party, she discovers three of her students have disappeared. Eamon,
charged
with taking the lease to O’Brien of Arra, owner of the flax garden, for
his
signature, is found dead in the flax garden. Why he departs in the
middle of
the night is a mystery, as is the location of his body.
Why
did he take the long way back from O’Brien’s? What
happened to the lease he carried and was
it signed? Was he killed to necessitate another auction, or was his
death an
accident? Did Fachnan, another of the missing students, confront Eamon
in a
jealous rage? If not, where is he? Mara wants to solve these
conundrums, but
her regal duties as wife of the Irish King Turlough prevent her from
unraveling
the mysteries confronting her. Then another body turns up. When she
finally
realizes what happened, will she be in time, or will someone dear to
her also
die?
This
latest in the Brehon of the Burren series set in early 16th-century
Ireland unravels
at a slower pace than usua, but punctuates Mara’s distractedness as she
ponders
her young son’s future while entertaining her guests. The author’s
tendency to
repeat information may annoy some readers, and the slow pace may
dissuade others
from reading the entire book, but those who persevere will be rewarded
with an
electrifying climax and a surprising solution to the crimes.
(Originally
reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, November 2011)
DIAMOND DUO
by Marcia Gruver
Barbour, 2008, 9781602602052
Bertha Biddle loves
Thaddeus
Bloom, but doesn’t know how to capture him. When gorgeous and
mysterious
Annie Monroe steps off the train in Jefferson, Texas, in 1877, the men
have eyes only for Annie. That’s when Bertha knows how to solve her
problem.
She’ll get Annie to teach her how to woo a man.
Thaddeus, too, faces a
dilemma,
but he’s already in love. He doesn’t believe it’s fair to ask Bertha to
wait until he finishes college. It’s not that he wants to continue his
education, but how can he disappoint his father, who has sacrificed and
dreamed of his oldest son being the first to earn a college degree?
Although based on an
unsolved
murder, this isn’t a historical mystery. Rather it’s the story of
people
who lived in and around an east Texas town where steamboats bring
strangers
both good and bad. Gruver expertly captures what it’s like to live in
Texas,
yet the joys and sorrows, trials and troubles her characters face are
ones
with which readers everywhere will identify. Faith plays an important
part
in the story, but Gruver weaves it into the events that unfold so it
never
seems to intrude.
(Originally reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, November 2008)
THE EDGE OF TOWN
by Dorothy Garlock
Warner Books, 2001, ISBN 0-446-52769-6
Raising her brothers and
sisters and
doing daily farm chores don’t leave Julie Jones much time for a social
life. She yearns for someone to court her, but she’s just a country
girl,
not one of those flappers who live in town. Her world, however, turns
upside
down when several new faces appear in Fertile, Missouri.
Evan Johnson, a veteran of the
Great
War, returns to protect the family farm from his drunk and abusive
father.
Birdie Stuart is a widow looking for a new husband. Corbin Appleby, the
new police chief, searches for a rapist and murderer. The manner in
which
their lives intersect with those of Julie and her family threaten to
rip
asunder the ties that bind Julie to her family and to Evan.
The characters in The Edge of
Town
are ordinary people with all the foibles and traits that breathe life
into
them. The story transports readers back to the years just prior to the
Great Depression in a Midwestern town where city dwellers and farmers
intermingle
but don’t always look at their community through the same eyes. Readers
in search of a wonderful old-fashioned romance won’t be disappointed,
and
those looking for mystery will find more than enough to fill their
plates.
(Originally published in
Historical
Novels
Review, August 2001)
GABRIEL'S STORY
by David Anthony Durham
Doubleday, 2001, ISBN 0-385-49814-4
I reckon we’re nowhere.
This
declaration comes from Gabriel Lynch at his first sight of 1870’s
Kansas,
a flat prairie with few trees and soddies, houses built from dirt cut
from
the earth. Raised in Baltimore, Gabriel is angry that his father died,
his mother has remarried, and she has brought his brother and him West
to farm. When reality fails to live up to his stepfather’s description
of their property, Gabriel’s resentment grows and is fueled by the
blatant
prejudice he encounters because he is an African American. It takes
glimpses
of a lone Indian and cowboys attempting to turn stampeding cattle for
him
to believe that adventure was skirting the edges…offering
occasional
glimpses that tempted with promises more mythical than the thin tales
of
cheap novels.
Mr. Durham captures the blandness
that is Kansas with such clarity that Gabriel’s emotions seep into the
reader as muddy rain seeps through a soddy. The old adage “Be careful
what
you wish for” permeates this coming-of-age story, for Gabriel tastes
adventure,
but not in the way he expects. This is not a “Hollywood” western, but a
realistic portrayal of the hardships, rewards, and violence – made more
vivid by what is left unsaid – inherent in living in a place where the
forces of nature and man can wreak devastation in the blink of an eye.
(Originally reviewed for
Historical
Novel
Reviews, May 2001)
GINGHAM MOUNTAIN
Mary Connealy, Barbour, 2008, 9781602601413
Sour Springs, Texas. Last stop
for
the orphan train. Last hope for two orphans nobody wants. Nobody but
Grant,
that is. Once an orphan himself, he provides them with shelter, food,
and
clothes, but the most important thing he gives is love.
Hannah Cartwright assumes Grant is
like other “fathers,” who just want children to work until they drop.
When
her attempt to keep Grant from adopting the children fails, she takes
the
job of schoolmarm to watch over the children. She has a knack for
teaching,
but not cooking or sewing, so Grant’s children concoct plans to help
her
and get her to like him. The only problem is Shirt Lady, another
newcomer,
has designs on Grant herself, even though she hates children.
Set in 1870, this is a fast-paced,
heartwarming story filled with humor and romance. There’s even a bit a
mystery woven in, for Shirt Lady isn’t who or what she pretends to be.
The only drawback is the occasional intrusion of characters from an
earlier
story in the “Lassoed in Texas” series, but Connealy eventually ties
them
into the main story. A delightful, entertaining book you’ll want to
read
again and again.
(Originally reviewed for Historical
Novel
Reviews,
May 2009)
HARVEY GIRL
by Sheila Wood Foard
Texas Tech Univ., 2006, 0896725707
Clara Massie's 14th birthday
isn't
the celebration she imagined. Farming in the Ozarks of 1919 is hard
work,
and her dad sees her book learning as "gettin' above your raisin'."
Rather
than face another whipping, Clara flees to St. Louis, Missouri, where
cousin
Opal is a waitress in a Frannk Harvey restaurant that serves good meals
to railroad passengers. At first reticent to help Clara become a
waitress
because she's too young, Opal gives Clara hints on how to get the job.
She trains as a Harvey girl in Belin, New Mexico, but a slip of the
tongue
eventually leads to trouble. While serving meals to the suffragettes in
Las Vegas, the hotel's china bowl is stolen. In the ensuing
investigation,
Clara is fired and reluctantly returns home. She has no intention of
remaining
on the farm; she must find a way to get her sister, who suffers from
tuberculosis,
to New Mexico where she has a chance to survive.
The 21st century ceases to exist
once
the reader opens the pages of this young adult novel. The author deftly
recreates life on a poor farm, the trepidation of your first interview,
and the excitement of starting your first job. Clara matures and grows,
although at times her old self intrudes, just as in real life. Foard
served
as a docent at the Belin Harvey House museum and interviewed Harvey
girls,
research which adds immeasurably to the story. She takes a few
liberties
with her historical timeline, but the reader doesn't notice because she
seamlessly interweaves history with fiction. Photogrpahs depicting
Harvey
Houses and their staff, and information about the real Harvey girls,
are
icing on the cake.
Learn
more about the Harvey Houses
(Originally
reviewed for Historical Novels
Review,
August 2006)
HAUNTING WARRIOR
by Erin Quinn
Berkley, 2010, ISBN 9780425234143
Bouncer Rory MacGrath rebels against his dead
grandmother's summons to come home -- a place he's not visited since
his banishment to America after his father's disappearance. Rory
returns to Ireland and his family, where he follows the mysterious
woman who haunts his dreams and bids him to hurry before it's too late.
Able to see the dead,
Saraid of the Favored Lands listens as the ghost of an old woman
reveals that "A man will come to you in the guise of another. 'Tis the
Book he wants . . . ." The latter is an evil thing that Cathán, her people's sworn
enemy, believes Saraid possesses, and he has hunted them until only a
few
survive. Now he offers peace, a ruse Saraid doesn't trust, but her
eldest brother must put their people's welfare before hers and she weds
Cathán's brutal son,
Rory the Bloodletter. Unexpected betrayal and trusting an enemy lead
Saraid to the Book and her true fate.
With the skill of the Irish seanchai, Quinn spings a tale of
time travel woven into the mystical threads of ancient Ireland. Haunting Warrior is not only a love
story, but also a search to conquer inner fears and combat evil and
greed.
(Originally published in Historical
Novels
Review, May 2010)
HIGH ON A HILL
by Dorothy Garlock
Warner Books, 2002, ISBN 0-446-52946-X
Prohibition, bootleggers,
moonshine,
mobsters--these are volatile ingredients during the Roaring Twenties.
When
they intersect in a small Missouri town, Annabel Lee Donovan's life
changes
forever.
Annabel, daughter of a bootlegger,
yearns for the day her father retires. She's tired of moving, but fears
Henderson is just another stopping-off place. Corbin Appleby, a former
sheriff, arrives in town to locate a friend's brother and help a
colleague.
Falling in love with Annabel takes him by surprise, yet he's not the
only
one with eyes for Annabel. Marvin Carter wants her for himself, and he
won't take no for an answer.
The twists and turns in this
romantic
tale force the reader to turn the pages. For those who read Ms.
Garlock's The
Edge of Town, where she first introduced Corbin, reading High
on
a Hill is like meeting an old friend. The depth of the characters,
the inclusion of a poignant secondary love story, and the immersion
into
a time that captures the imagination are like spice added to an apple
pie.
Without them, this would be an ordinary tale. With them, this is a book
to savor and enjoy.
(Originally published in
Historical
Novels
Review, August 2001)
A HIGHLANDER
CHRISTMAS
by Dawn Halliday, Cindy Miles, and Sophie Renwick
Signet
Eclipse, 2009, isbn 978-0-451-22872-7
I love Christmas anthologies and this one is
no exception.
The three stories in A Highlander
Christmas center around MacDonald women, an heirloom pin, and the
Scottish
Highlands. Three romance sub-genres are represented: historical,
fantasy, and
paranormal.
I first encountered Dawn Halliday’s Winter Heat in one of my Scottish workshops. The first
chapter so
intrigued me, I had to read the rest of the story. Following the failed
Rising
of 1715, Logan Douglas makes his way home to protect and provide for
his dead
brother’s family and their clan, of which he’s now the chief. Along the
way, he
discovers a sword-shaped pin, and nearby lies an unconscious woman
half-covered
in snow. Her eye is swollen and blood cakes her lips and neck. He
quickly
spirits her back to the shieling where he sought shelter the night
before to
care for her.
Maggie MacDonald, a widow, escapes the
clutches of Innes
Munroe, a brute who intends to rape her and force her into a marriage
she doesn’t
want. When she awakens naked in the company of a stranger, she insists
she can
take care of herself, but she can’t. As the fiercesome winter storm
keeps them
trapped, she realizes she can trust the stranger to keep her safe. As
the days
pass, each fight the growing attraction between them, but fate has
other plans
for them. Before long there must be a reckoning between Logan and
Innes, only
which one will end being wedded to Maggie?
Five days before Christmas 1869,
Isobel MacDonald once again
sees the beautiful, white stag that once saved her life in Sophie
Renwick’s Yuletide Enchantment. Her brother
wishes to slay the beast and mount the antlers above the hearth at
MacDonald
Hall. Not if Isobel has her way, but in the ensuing argument between
the siblings,
she learns of her impending marriage to wed their annoying neighbor,
the Earl
of St. Clair, and her brother’s arrow injures the White Hart.
Later, she goes in search of the stag,
but instead meets a
mysterious and enigmatic Prince Daegan. He will rule the world of the sidhe with Cailleach, the supreme
goddess, whom he doesn’t love. Isobel has captured his heart, and he
intends to
make her his, even though doing so will cause great upheaval in the
Otherworld.
When Isobel learns the truth about Prince Daegan, will she still love
him? And
what will they sacrifice to be united?
Cindy Miles’ A
Christmas Spirit takes place in the present when Paige MacDonald, a
curator
at the Smithsonian Institution who has had her fill of spending the
holidays
alone and at work, becomes lost while on a self-touring holiday. Just
before
her rental car dies and a blizzard begins, she comes upon a sign for
the
Gorloch Bed and Breakfast and turns down the gravel road. She soon
discovers
the place is a castle, but when she knocks on the door, a voice within
tells
her to go away. She stays put and eventually, Gabriel Munro allows her
entry.
Gabriel is less than
thrilled to have Paige in his home.
After all, the Craigmires, the actual B&B’s owners, assured him no
one
would visit while they are in London
for the holidays. Gabriel has long resided in the castle – since
medieval times
after being slain by a MacDonald. When he forgets to disguise himself
in modern
attire, Paige runs from the house, promptly trips, and breaks her nose.
While
he can’t carry her back to his home, he convinces her to stay. The
ironic thing
is Paige doesn’t mind he’s a ghost as much as she thought. After all,
he is a
gorgeous Scottish warrior, and she feels safe around him. For the first
time in centuries, Gabriel likes being with another person, and before
long the pair
discover they are in love. But what can a 21st-century lady and a
medieval ghost do about it? And what will happen when Gabriel learns
Paige’s
secret?
Whether you prefer
historical
fiction, fantasy, or the paranormal, A
Highlander Christmas offers a tale to delight everyone. Each story
whisks
you to the Scottish Highlands, if only in your dreams, and the
heartwarming,
breathtaking romances will gladden your heart and make you wish to
spend Christmas
with your own special love, especially if he dons a kilt.
(Originally
reviewed in the Holidays 2009 issue of Thistles & Pirates Newsletter)
HURRICANE
by Janice A. Thompson
RiverOak, 2004, ISBN 1589190293
Six years after leaving
Galveston,
Brent Murphy finds himself on a train bound for the Texas island. He
doesn't
understand what draws him home, but he knows he cannot avoid a
confrontation
with his father, who considers his son a failure. While Brent delays
this
meeting, the hurricane of the century strikes Galveston on 8 September
1900, killing 6000 people and destroying most of the island. Brent
faces
his past, and in so doing, finds his life inextricably linked with the
island and its people.
Hurricane is also a
story
of courage and the will to survive in spite of overwhelming death and
devastation.
Intertwined with Brent's story are those of Sister Henrietta Mullins
and
the orphans in her care, Everett Maxwell and his yearning for a story
that
will sell newspapers, and Emma Sanders on her first day as a hospital
nurse.
On my first visit to
Galveston
in 2003, I saw a film entitled The Great Storm. The pictures of
the devastation wrought were awesome and haunting, made even more so
when
interspersed with personal remembrances and historical details. Janice
Thomson has taken the facts and recollections and woven them into a
powerful
inspirational novel. This montage of glimpses into characters' lives
and
thoughts, unveiled in a sequential timeline from four days before the
hurricane
to one year later, refuses to let the reader sit on the sidelines. Hurricane
evokes tears, prayers, sorrow, and rejoicing as the reader endures the
storm just as the islanders did more than a century ago.
Meet
Janice A. Thompson
Learn
more about the 1900 Storm
(Originally reviewed for Historical
Novels
Review,
May 2005)
THE LAST
DAYS
OF THE ROMANOVS
Helen Rappaport,
St.
Martin’s, 2008, 9780312379766
On 17 July 1918, in Ekaterinburg, Bolsheviks brutally murdered Tsar
Nicholas
II, his wife Alexandra, and their children: Olga, Tatiana, Maria,
Anastasia,
and Alexey. While this book focuses primarily on the events and players
during the time the family lived at the “House of Special Purpose,”
Rappoport
explores the responses of various leaders – Woodrow Wilson, George V,
Kaiser
Wilhelm, and Vladimir Lenin. She captures the time, place, politics,
and
events through the use of Russian and English primary sources, many
rarely
consulted in previous works. Although there are no footnotes, this is
an
absorbing account from personal perspectives that puts the reader in
the
midst of it all, from the boredom of inactivity to the horror of what
happened
in the cellar of the Ipatiev House that night.
(Originally
reviewed
for Historical Novels Review, May 2009)
THE LAST TO REMEMBER:
A Sharyn
Howard Mystery
by Joyce and Jim
Lavene
Thomas Bouregy
&
Co/Avalon Books, April 2001, ISBN 0-8034-9468-8
The Lavenes
have created
a wonderful cast of characters that make for a most engaging murder
mystery.
The twists and turns spiced with a few red herrings will keep readers
intrigued,
compelling them to turn the page until the puzzle is solved. They will
root for Sharyn even when she seems to face insurmountable odds,
because
despite her foibles, she is an old-fashioned, honorable sheriff. And
her
interactions with Nick and Lennie make a most amusing interplay of
human
emotions that promise more spice to come in future cases for Sharyn and
the Diamond Spring Police Department to solve.
(Originally
reviewed for Ivy Quill Reviews)
THE LAWMAN WHO LOVED
HER
by Mallory Kane
Harlequin Intrigue, 2001, ISBN 0-373-22620-9
This contemporary romance is a
spellbinder.
Mallory Kane deftly weaves a tale of love and suspense where you will
wish
for a hero of your own like Cody while rooting for Dana to let go of
the
past and follow her heart. Gerard is a vicious yet intelligent villain
that you will want to tear apart with your own hands. Unless you have
the
time to read this book in one sitting, don't pick it up. It's
impossible
to put down!
(Originally reviewed for Ivy Quill
Reviews)
MOON MEDICINE
by Mike Blakely
Forge, 2001, ISBN 0-312-86704-2
Honore
Greenwood,
by his own admission a genius, fled France for America after slaying a
man who raped the woman he loved. At ninety-nine, Honore looks back on
his life and shares his adventures with the likes of Kit Carson,
Charles
and William Bent, and other frontiersmen who tamed the American West
during
the 1840s. He travels the Santa Fe Trail, becomes caught up in war with
Mexico, fights the Apache while befriending the Comanche, and falls in
love with Gabriela, who must wed another.
This is a wonderful tale of
the American frontier and the men who forged the trails so settlers
could
follow. Honore's blunt honesty grates at first, but as his character
grows
and matures, he becomes quite a likeable fellow. When he cheers and
weeps,
so does the reader. This mingling of adventure, romance, and
confrontation
brings to life a time of difficulty and danger, and does so in a
realistic
way that transports the reader back in time to stand with Honore as he
lives what others only dream of. The characters he meets along the way,
whether Mexican, American, Comanche, Apache, or of some other culture,
are shades of gray with good and bad traits that make them living
beings.
I look forward to reading more of Honore's adventures in the sequel.
(Originally reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, December 2001)
by Donna Woolfolk Cross
Three Rivers, 2009, ISBN 978-0-307-45236-8
Gifted with a thirst for knowledge and the ability to
reason, Joan soon learns these traits are of little use to a young girl
of the ninth century. Even so, her father begrudingly allows a visiting
religious scholar to tutor Joan with her brother. Before her teacher
leaves, he promises to find a way for her to continue her studies. When
the day arrives, her parents convince the messenger he wants John, her
brother. Her mother's betrayal and the beatings her father inflicts
drive Joan to run away. Reunited with John, they make their way to
Dorstadt where the bishop permits Joan to study at the schola. Neither
her teacher nor the boys approve of this departure from tradition. She
endures unending teasing and abuse, but finds solace in Gerold, a
soldier who welcomes her into his family and home.
When Norsemen attack the town, Joan survives the
slaughter and plundering. She finds her brother's body and assumes his
identity. As John Anglicus, she enters a monastery and becomes a
healer. Eventually, she makes her way to Rome, where her skill as a
physician soon brings her to the pope's attention. The moment she
enters the Patriarchium she follows a path that will eventually lead to
her election as Pope John.
Many ancient texts recount Pope Joan's story, and
Cross intricately weaves a stunning and harrowing tale of life in the
800s from those accounts. She vividly portrays the places and times,
and her characters come alive to communicate the story of the world's
first and only woman pope, a person the Catholic Church didn't attempt
to eradicate from the historical record until the seventeenth century.
Equally informative is the author's note that answers the question "Was
there a Pope Joan?" and explains the changes Cross made to the original
edition of the book.
(Originally
reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, November 2009)
PRINCE ACROSS THE WATER
by Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris
Philomel Books, 2004, ISBN 0-399-23897-2
In August 1745, Bonnie Prince
Charlie
lands in Scotland to regain the British throne for his father.
Parliament
had ousted his grandfather, James II, in favor of the Protestant branch
of the Stuarts. When the call to arms comes, Duncan MacDonald is eager
to go, having listened to his grandfather’s war stories his entire
life.
His father, however, refuses Duncan’s request. He must stay behind to
tend
the cows and care for his mother and younger siblings. So does his
cousin
Ewan, a year older than Duncan, but neither lad intends to stay behind
forever. Daily they practice with their swords, and when they learn of
Ewan’s father’s death, they set out to join the Prince’s army at
Culloden.
As they line up on the field of battle, neither imagines the horrors
and
tragedies to come.
The outcome of the Rising of 1745
had a profound impact on Scottish Highlanders and their way of life.
This
is a vivid and brutal, but realistic, retelling of the rising, the
tragedy
of Culloden, and its aftermath. Seeing it unfold through a
fourteen-year-old’s
eyes makes the telling all the more poignant. Duncan’s immaturity,
loyalty,
fear, and courage make him a teenager with whom readers will identify,
for his struggles mirror our own as we grow to adulthood. In spite of
two
minor errors—the length of time it takes to traverse the Highlands and
the MacDonalds of Keppoch arriving at Glenfinnan before the
Camerons—this
is an excellent and captiviating introduction to a period in history
few
people know about but should.
(Originally reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, February 2005)
THE RACE
by Clive
Cussler & Justin Scott
Putnam, 2011, ISBN 9780399157813
Josephine
Josephs Frost loves to fly, but when she witnesses her husband murder
Marco
Celere, she flees for her life. When she enters the Whiteway
Atlantic-to-Pacific
Cross-Country Air Race, newspaper magnate Preston Whiteway hires the
Van Dorn
Agency to protect her from her husband, who spent time in an insane
asylum and
has vowed to kill her. The agent in charge of the case is Isaac Bell,
who soon
learns to fly so he can accompany Josie in the air while Van Dorn
agents
protect her and the plane on the ground. Before the race begins, Isaac
discovers that Celere’s body was never found and that the man was
accused of
stealing another plane designer’s inventions. Bell also learns that Harry Frost is
even
more dangerous than first thought. He stashed his wealth in banks
across the
country, very few know what he looks like, and he has friends in high
and low
places who will abet his murderous plans to repay favors. And if that’s
not
trouble enough, Whiteway falls in love with Josie, and a saboteur is
determined
to fix the race so she wins.
This
fourth installment in the Isaac Bell series vividly recreates the
thrill,
fascination with, and excitement of the early days of flying. Although
it lacks
some of the investigative intensity of previous books, readers will
find
themselves soaring through a breathtaking adventure across America
that is
populated with memorable characters, extreme danger, and dogged
determination to
thwart evil wherever it pops up. The Race
is a fast-paced tale that sweeps readers back to 1909, a time when
technology
is still in its infancy and communication is slow. To further enhance
the ride,
the authors use terminology of the period.
(Originally
reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, November 2011)
RIVER RISING
by Dorothy Garlock
Warner, 2005, ISBN 0-440-69394-4
With her car stuck in the mud
on the
outskirts of Fertile, Missouri, April Asbury slogs through pouring
rain,
scoots under a barbed-wire fence, and flees an angry bull to reach the
safety of a small farmhouse. Meeting handsome Joe Jones, the bull’s
owner,
sets off April’s alarm bells, but his kindness and teasing tug at her
heartstrings.
Thus begins her new life as Doc Forbes’ nurse. But this charming town
has
secrets. With the unending rain, the river threatens to flood. As
the water rises, so do prejudices against those who live near the
river.
Yet nothing threatens Fertile as much as a bitter widow’s plan to
destroy
the legacy of her husband, and in doing so, she will ruin the lives of
innocent residents.
Once again, Ms. Garlock captivates
readers with a tale involving this quaint town and the people who live
there. Her three-dimensional characters, with all their strengths,
frailties,
laughter, and warped thinking, make this depression-era town a living
place
that readers will want to visit and remember for years to come.
(Originally reviewed for
Historical Novels
Review, November 2005)
THE
ROGUES
Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris
Philomel Books, 2007, 9780399238987
The Highlands of the 19th century,
sometime after
1815,
are no longer a safe place for regular folk to live, for the landowners
have found something more valuable to them than people – sheep. The
estate
factor, William Rood, and his henchmen soon come to Roddy Macallan’s
village
to oust the tenants, burn their farms, and slaughter whatever livestock
won’t bring a profit. Roddy and his family flee for their lives. They
head
for Glasgow in hopes of finding either work or a ship that will take
them
to America. But that requires precious coin, which they don’t have,
until
Roddy remembers The Blessing, a gift from Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Roddy returns to his demolished
family home to
search
for The Blessing. A sliver of moonlight reveals its location, but his
joy
is short lived. The laird confiscates The Blessing and orders his
factor
to silence Roddy. Allan Dunbar, also known as the Rogue, intervenes. He
takes Roddy under his wing and soon the two outlaws formulate a plan to
recover The Blessing with the help of the laird’s niece, who despises
her
uncle.
From the Highlands to Glasgow to Cape Fear, this
riveting
adventure takes the reader back to the days of the Clearances. Shock,
despair,
anger, and hope are but a few of the emotions this tale evokes. Roddy
goes
from fun-loving child to mature adult who stops at nothing to be
reunited
with his family. Written for young adults, this heartrending tale will
appeal to readers young and old.
(Originally reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, February 2008)
THE ROMANOV BRIDE
Robert Alexander
Viking, 2008, 978-0-670-018819-9
In the first two decades of the
20th century, two
worlds
collide in Russia. The fall of the Romanovs and the massacre of Tsar
Nicholas
and his family make headlines. The Romanov Bride, though, tells
the story of another family member, Grand Duchess Elisavyeta (Ella),
the
older sister of Tsarina Alexandra. Raised to help those in need, Ella
finds
she must put aside her desires to follow the dictates of her husband.
She
loves him, but, scarred by the horrors of his father’s assassination,
he
is unable to return that love. When revolutionists murder Sergei, Ella
reexamines her life and gives up her riches and power to become the
abbess
of a convent that caters to the needs of those less fortunate.
After the tragic and needless
death of his wife
and child
during a peaceful march to see the tsar, Pavel seeks only revenge. He
becomes
a revolutionary who aids the cause by killing Romanovs and those who
work
with them. When he agrees to assist in the slaying of Grand Duke
Sergei,
Pavel’s life becomes intertwined with Ella’s.
What makes this account of the
Romanov tragedy so
compelling
is that the reader lives the events from two opposing perspectives.
Alexander
brings to life the privileged world of the ruling family and the
poverty
they refused to see. How different Russia might have been “if only…” is
vividly portrayed within these pages. The Romanov Bride is a
poignant
recounting of tragic and horrible events that will bring tears to your
eyes. The ironic twist of fate at the end makes this a tale as haunting
as the murders in the “House of Special Purpose” in Ekaterinburg in
1918.
(Originally reviewed for
Historical
Novels
Review, May 2008)
SOLDIER'S
HEART
by Gary Paulsen
Delacorte Press,
1998,
ISBN 0-385-32498-7
This compelling
and
realistic depiction of war is based on a true story. Paulsen's writing
is crisp and fast-paced, and this soldier's story will haunt readers
long
after they finish reading the novel. Highly recommended.
(Originally
reviewed for The Book Report)
Written for Young Adults,
but
adults will also enjoy this gritty story of the Civil War that deals
with post traumatic stress disorder.
THE STRICKLANDS
by Edwin Lanham
University of Oklahoma Press, 2002 , ISBN
0-8061-3419-4
Life during the Great
Depression is
hard, particularly for those living in Oklahoma. The Stricklands are
one
such family. Facing imminent loss of their land because of a WPA Works
project, Jay and Pat take different paths to survive. One brother
turns to crime. The other becomes a union organizer intent on uniting
the
white, black, and Indian tenant farmers against those who exploit them.
Originally published in 1939
shortly
before Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, reviewers expected The
Stricklands to win the Pulitzer. Fate decreed otherwise and this
heart-wrenching
story soon disappeared from bookshelves. Lawrence R. Rodgers, an
Associate
Professor of English at Kansas State University, pens an introduction
outlining
the historical, regional, and literary context for this compelling
novel.
Lanham, himself a native of
Oklahoma,
realistically portrays the people, place, and time affected by economic
depression. His story transports the reader back in time and captures
poor
folks’ struggle to survive in a world that garners them little in spite
of their hard work. Love, greed, power, betrayal, and prejudice collide
within these pages without any sugarcoating. Yet in spite of adversity
and tragedy, hope for a better life and world remains.
(Originally reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review)
TAMED BY A
LAIRD
by Amanda Scott
Forever, 2009, ISBN 9780446541374
Jenny Easdale awaits her fate
-- marriage to a man who wishes to possess her lands and title. Not the
future she desired, but her guardian insists this is best for her. She
craves a last adventure and escapes her betrothal feast to join a band
of traveling musicians. Never has she felt such freedom, but unease
filters through her as she overhears whispered tidbits and is mistaken
for someone else in the company.
Sir Hugh Douglas
wants no part in hunting down his brother's wayward heiress, but agrees
to prevent a scandal. A warrior adept at mimicking others, he assumes
the identity of a troubadour to travel with the musicians.
Accomplishing his task proves challenging, for Jenny has stumbled on a
plot that might endanger the peace between Scotland and England, and
she's determined to warn his liege lord herself.
Slow to start, this story, set in the Border region
of Scotland in 1374, captivates and charms once Jenny and Hugh join the
musicians. Humor, love, and tension build to the climax, where secrets
and truths are revealed. This is the first in a trilogy and more of a
backstory to the next title, which may explain why the ending leaves
the reader feeling a bit disappointed.
(Originally
reviewed
for Historical Novels
Review, August 2009)
THERE IS A WIDENESS
Mark McAllister
RiverOak, 2004, ISBN 158919010-6
Depression came to East
Texas
long before the Stock Market crashed, but Luke Robertson supports his
ailing
mother and younger sister after his father dies. When oil is
discovered,
he takes a job in the oil fields. Before his mother dies, he
promises
to take care of Marty. But that is before March 18, 1937. Shortly after
three o’clock that afternoon over three hundred children and teachers
die
in an explosion at the high school in New London. Devastated, Luke
leaves
Texas forever.
Ten years later something
compels
Luke to return to the cemetery where his sister is buried. There he
meets
Russ, the caretaker. To Russ, the words on the headstones are just
names.
In anger, Luke tells his long-buried story so Russ will know who each
of
the children were and how their loss impacted him and the entire town.
Russ, however, has his own secrets, one of which ties directly into the
deaths of Marty and her friends.
There Is a Wideness
is
a powerful and inspirational retelling of the devastation wrought in
1937.
The reader feels Luke’s agonizing despair, Russ’ frustration, and both
men’s struggles to find peace and renewed hope. Mr. McAllister’s story
evokes strong emotions, in part because his own mother stood outside
the
school the day it exploded. His book, which vividly transports the
reader
back to a Texas oil town of the thirties, dares the reader to put it
down.
(Originally reviewed for Historical
Novels
Review,
November 2004)
THREADS AND FLAMES
by Esther
Friesner
Viking, 2010, ISBN 9780670012459
After recovering from an illness in 1910,
13-year-old Raisa emigrates from Poland to New York. Instead of a happy
reunion with her sister, Raisa learns that Henda believes she's dead,
and has disappeared. Determined to find her sister and succeed in her
new country, and with the unexpected charge of caring for a motherless
child named Brina, Raisa struggles to locate a job and a place to live.
Gavrel, who's studying to b ecome a rabbi, takes them home, and his
parents offer the girls a place to stay. Raisa eventually finds work at
the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, but a horrible fire sweeps through the
factory in 1911, trapping Raisa, Gavrel, and several friends. In the
terrible aftermath, no one remains unscathed.
Written for readers ten and older, Threads and Flames is a compelling
account of an immigrant's experiences. Raisa copes with feelings of
isolation -- being away from the village and those she's known all her
life, the loss of her sister, the inability to communicate because she
doesn't speak English -- while encountering prejudice and tenement life
in a strange, new place. Readers experience all this, the fire, and its
consequences through her eyes in this deftly woven and
not-soon-forgotten tale of hardship, romance, and hope.
(Originally reviewed for
Historical Novels Review, February
2011)
TILL MORNING IS NIGH
by Leisha Kelly
Revell, 2007, 9780800718879
December 1932. Money is scarce,
the children are
sick,
and memories are raw. Christmas approaches, but so does the anniversary
of the death of Mrs. Hammond. Her children must cope with that, as well
as their father’s drinking and inability to cope with her loss. The
children
often spend their time with the Worthams, who have also taken in a waif
whose mother abandoned her for a singing career. When Mr. Hammond
disappears,
the Hammonds fear he’s dead, too, until a mysterious “angel” intervenes.
Kelly superbly recreates life during the Great
Depression.
This inspirational and compelling holiday story doesn’t tie everything
up with a neat little bow, but it will warm your heart and bring to
mind
traditions of Christmases past. She includes several holiday recipes
for
readers to enjoy. What gave me pause was my uncertainty of the audience
for this book, but the magic of Christmas makes this a tale to treasure.
(Originally reviewed
for Historical
Novels Review, February 2008)
THE UNRESOLVED
by T. K. Welsh
Dutton, 2006, $16.99, ISBN 9780525477314
Fire! This is the greatest fear of passengers and
crews
of ships, both now and in the past. On 15 June 1904, fear becomes
reality
for fifteen-year-old Mallory Meer of Little Germany on New York City’s
Lower East Side. She is one of more than 1300 passengers aboard the
General
Slocum bound for Locust Grove when fire spreads rapidly through the
steamship.
Mallory and her baby sister are among the 1,021 who die amidst the
panic
and confusion as people try to escape while the crew attempts to
extinguish
the flames.
Her unexpected death compels Mallory to recount
what happened
– her excitement of a secret tryst with Dustin Brauer, her
disappointment
when Bingham Goldstein’s bullying ruins her first kiss. With so many
dead,
everyone knows someone who died; sadness turns to anger after Bingham
accuses
Dustin of starting the fire. This injustice, the Slocum’s owners’
cover-up
of oversights, and love for her grieving family spur Mallory to induce
those who know the truth to speak.
This spellbinding young adult novel, based on a
true story,
overwhelms the reader with the tragic loss of so many lives and the
sudden
end to the promising life of one young girl. She tells her story
without
looking through rose-colored glasses and confronts the truths even when
they hurt. Mallory will haunt you just as she does those she leaves
behind.
Visit
T. K. Welsh
(Originally
reviewed for Historical
Novels Review, November 2006)
UNTIL OUR LAST EMBRACE:
A Sharyn
Howard
Mystery
Joyce and Jim
Lavene
Thomas Bouregy
&
Co/Avalon Books,December 2001, ISBN 0-8034-9508-0
This fourth
installment
in the series is by far the best one yet. The dynamics between Sharyn
and
Nick heat up while those involving Winter promise that he will be a
villain
to despise when he and Sharyn finally have their showdown in a future
installment.
Unraveling the twists and turns of Darva's death will prevent readers
from
closing the book. Those who haven't read the previous books need not
worry. Until
Our Last Embrace contains enough information to allow anyone to
enjoy
this delectable mystery, and the sinister teaser at the end promises
that
readers will return for the next case Sharyn Howard tackles.
(Originally
reviewed for Ivy Quill Reviews)
THE
VIGILANTE'S BRIDE
by Yvonne Harris
Bethany House, 2010, ISBN 9780764208041
Emily McCarthy goes to Montana with great misgivings
about marrying a wealthy stranger, who advertised for a wife. On
Christmas Eve 1884, Luke Sullivan, a reluctant vigilante, hears about
Bart Axel getting hitched. Luke's intent is merely to rob the stage
carrying Axel's money, but his conscience prevents him from allowing
feisty, but beautiful, Emily from wedding the nasty old man who
swindled Luke's father out of their ranch. After he kidnaps her, he
seeks a safe haven -- the orphanage where he grew up. Emily and Luke
spar constantly, neither willing to admit what they feel toward one
another. While out searching for missing cattle, Luke is ambushed and
seriously injured. Later they discover Axel's been lying about the
acreage the orphanage owns, but proving it gets complicated when a
hired gun shows up and the nearby Crow become involved.
Harris' depictions of Montana, late 19th-century
life, and the independent people who settled the West captivate the
reader to such an extent that the outside world disappears. Humor and
love are intertwined with regret and rugged determination. The reader
will long remember and savor the experience of reading this
inspirational western romance.
(Originally reviewed for
Historical Novels Review, May 2011)
WINGS OF MORNING
by Kathleen Morgan
Revell, 2006, ISBN 0800759648
Regan MacLaren loves her
husband, but
an argument on their wedding night results in his departure, and the
next
day she finds herself a widow. Her brother-in-law claims Iain Campbell
shot Roddy in the back, and Walter convinces Regan they must right this
wrong. Regan has second thoughts and sets off to stop Walter.
The Scottish Highlands in 1566 are
a dangerous place for a woman riding alone during a storm. When her
horse
spooks, she hits her head and is dragged far from home. On regaining
consciousness,
she finds herself under the care of Iain Campbell and his mother. But
Regan
doesn’t realize he’s her enemy; she doesn’t know who she is. As she
struggles
to remember, she falls in love with Iain. Intrigues and political
struggles
soon intrude into the Highlands, complicating and endangering Regan’s
life.
Morgan weaves a charming tale that
seamlessly intertwines clan life with romance and the struggle to heed
God’s wishes. History, however, plays a minor role, and as a result,
the
story could easily take place in another time without endangering the
storyline.
(Originally reviewed for Historical
Novels
Review, May 2006)
