THE DIARY OF ASSER LEVY

 

First Jewish Citizen

 

of New York

 

by

 

DANIELA WEIL

 

 

Genre: Historical Fiction / Middle Grade / Jewish / Colonial America

Publisher: Pelican (Arcadia Publishing)

Date of Publication: March 9, 2020

Number of Pages: 128

 

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For twenty-four years the Dutch colony of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil was a safe haven for Jews who had escaped the Inquisition in Europe. Recife, its capital, was known as “Colonial Jerusalem,” and it was from this religiously tolerant town that Asser Levy tells his story. When the Portuguese recaptured the territory in 1654, they brought the Inquisition and its torments with them, forcing Asser and his family and friends to flee to Holland. About fifteen ships arrive safely in Holland; Asser’s ship does not.

Through imagined diary entries based on real events, Asser tells the harrowing story of the Jewish refugees who arrived on the island of Manhattan and of some of the first court battles fought to allow religious freedom in America.

 

 

 

 

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Praise

 

“The book breathes life into a little-known yet important Jewish figure of early New Amsterdam and New York. Through a series of diary entries based on fact and the author’s creation, the author brings out the emotion, drama, and conflicts of Asser Levy’s turbulent journey to a new land in search of religious freedom. … The book will add color to classroom lessons on early US history and on Jewish immigration.” —Paul Kaplan, author of Jewish New York: A History and Guide to Neighborhoods, Synagogues, and Eateries

“What an extraordinary amount of research went into it! And what a creative way of combining historical fiction and contemporary pictures. Kudos!” —Cynthia Levinson, author of The Youngest Marcher

“What a fine job [Daniela] did with this story! … The diary-style keeps the pace moving, and the adventures make it exciting. Lots of setting details bring the scenes alive, and the dialogue engages the reader in the plot. I can see how it will be easy for a young reader to identify with Asser, worrying about how (and if) he’ll succeed in his quest.” —Gail Jarrow, author of Fatal Fever

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was quite a fascinating book because while aimed at middle grade, it is one of those books that anyone can learn something from the book, and perhaps it might even spur them to do additional research into the time period.  While this book is fictionalized, it is based on actual events and the author did an amazing job of researching Asser Levy, the time period, New Amsterdam, and many other facts in the book. The bibliography is extensive and staggering.

The main aspect that I appreciated was that this story reflected that inequality has affected everyone in one form or fashion since the beginning of time. This story is set in the early to mid 1600s during the inquisition when a Jewish community was forced to leave Brazil. They ended up in New Amsterdam (now New York) and were treated unfairly despite assurances from the Dutch West India Company, that settled New Amsterdam and ran businesses from there and many other locations. Asser Levy was a young man, possibly around 18, and his determination to make his way no matter what obstacles are thrown in his path.  He won’t let anyone tell him he can’t do something and keeps focused on the end goal.

I am not a history buff by any means, but this story intrigued me. It has inspired me to learn more about the inquisition and those that settled in the colonies. The author does an outstanding job including photos and other historical information peppered throughout the chapters that enhance the story being told. A timeline is included near the end that highlights what was known of Asser Levy’s journey. There is even a glossary at the end for certain words she uses in the book that may be new to younger readers, and possibly even an older reader. I was even surprised to learn that in New York there are still plaques and statues that share this history, even of someone that was not well liked in the town and made life harder for the new immigrants.

I highly recommend this book for teachers to include in their classrooms, and for anyone that would like to take a look into the past and imagine a world long before what we know today.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniela Weil was born in Brazil. She attended the International School in São Paulo, where she was surrounded by people and cultures from around the world. It was also there that she developed a passion for nature, art, and writing. After earning a BA in biology from Brandeis University in Boston, Weil became a field research biologist. She participated in various whale projects, including illustrating the first field guide for whales and dolphins in Brazil.

Being a mother rekindled her desire to share her passion about the natural world. She joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and attended workshops on writing nonfiction and science for kids. After writing several articles on science and history, she ventured into books. Weil attended the Texas Library Association annual conference with her SCBWI group and met the folks from Pelican, who were intrigued by her middle-grade book idea. As the project developed, her research took her back to Brazil and across the world, chasing Asser’s experiences.

When not on the hunt for new experiences, Weil makes her home in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Erik, and daughter, Lucy.

 

 

 

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9/23/20	Author Interview	Max Knight
9/24/20	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
9/25/20	Sneak Peek	Texas Book Lover
9/26/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
9/27/20	Author Interview	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
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SOMETHING WORTH DOING

 

A Novel of an Early Suffragist

 

by

 

Jane Kirkpatrick

 

 

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Publisher: Revell

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Number of Pages: 336

 

 

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Some things are worth doing—even when the cost is great

In 1853, Abigail Scott was a nineteen-year-old schoolteacher in Oregon Territory when she married Ben Duniway. Marriage meant giving up on teaching, but Abigail always believed she was meant to be more than a good wife and mother. When Abigail becomes the primary breadwinner for her growing family, what she sees as a working woman appalls her—and prompts her to devote her life to fighting for the rights of women, including the right to vote.

Based on a true story, Something Worth Doing will resonate with modern women who still grapple with the pull between career and family, finding their place in the public sphere, and dealing with frustrations and prejudices when competing in male-dominated spaces.

 

 

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PRAISE

 

“I have long admired Jane Kirkpatrick’s rich historical fiction, and Something Worth Doing is well worth reading! Oregonian Abigail Duniway is a vibrant, fiercely passionate, and determined activist who fought for women’s suffrage. Women of today have cause to respect and admire her—as well as the loving, patient, and supportive husband who encouraged her to continue ‘the silent hunt.'” —Francine Rivers, author of Redeeming Love

 

“On the trail to Oregon, young Jenny Scott lost her beloved mother and little brother and learned that no matter what, she must persist until she reaches her goal. Remembering her mother’s words—’a woman’s life is so hard’—the young woman who became Abigail Scott Duniway came to understand through observation and experience that law and custom favored men. The author brings alive Abigail’s struggles as frontier wife and mother turned newspaper publisher, prolific writer, and activist in her lifelong battle to win the vote and other rights for women in Oregon and beyond. Jane Kirkpatrick’s story of this persistent, passionate, and bold Oregon icon is indeed Something Worth Doing!” —Susan G. Butruille, author of Women’s Voices from the Oregon Trail, now in a 25th anniversary edition

 

 

 

 

Interview with Abigail Scott Duniway,

of Something Worth Doing by Jane Kirkpatrick

 

 

Abigail, what about you made the author decide to devote a whole book to you?

 

I’m quite the character, actually. I traveled the Oregon Trail in 1852 as a teenager. I became a wife, a mom, a sister; I had several siblings, including one brother with whom I had a terrible rivalry. But I think it was my struggle between career and family that made my story so compelling. There have been several books written about me, and a documentary film made about me, but Something Worth Doing is the first novel. In a novel, the author can explore not just what I did and when I did it, but why and how I might have felt.

 

What was your career?

 

For seventeen years I owned and edited a newspaper that supported women’s rights, especially getting women the right to vote. I also traveled around the country, without a chaperon, giving speeches to support suffrage. People threw eggs at me, but sometimes they listened. I also taught school, ran a millinery, was a caregiver, and wrote twenty novels—all in the 1800s. I guess I’d say “writer” was my real career.

 

I’ve read about suffrage women marching through the streets with banners. What makes your story different?

 

I never urged unladylike actions, like taking over a saloon. Holy cow chips, that was not a good strategy. I promoted the “still hunt,” winning over the hearts of men who would ultimately grant women the right to vote. I visited legislatures and listened to their worries about women becoming full citizens and gave them sensible arguments.

 

How did your husband feel about you doing this suffragette work?

 

First, I must correct you. We were suffragists, not suffragettes; that little “ette” extension minimizes the enormous risks we took during more than forty years of effort. And my dear Ben supported me 100 percent. Otherwise, no one would have taken me seriously.

 

I must ask about your brother-sister rivalry. What was that about?

 

I can’t give the story away, now can I? Let’s just say that our sibling rivalry is still talked about two centuries later!

 

 

 

 

Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling and award-winning author of more than thirty books, including One More River to Cross, Everything She Didn’t Say, All Together in One Place, A Light in the Wilderness, The Memory Weaver, This Road We Traveled, and A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center.

 

Her works have won the WILLA Literary Award, the Carol Award for Historical Fiction, and the 2016 Will Rogers Gold Medallion Award. Jane divides her time between Central Oregon and California with her husband, Jerry, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Caesar.

 

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1st: Copy of Something Worth Doing + Oregon Map Bag

 

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9/16/20	Review	Jennifer Silverwood
9/17/20	Excerpt	Max Knight
9/18/20	Review	Forgotten Winds
9/19/20	Author Interview	Librariel Book Adventures
9/20/20	Scrapbook Page	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
9/21/20	Review	It’s Not All Gravy
9/22/20	Deleted Scene	Texas Book Lover
9/22/20	BONUS Post	All the Ups and Downs
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Synopsis

 

Based on true events, The Paper Daughters of Chinatown in a powerful story about a largely unknown chapter in history and the women who emerged as heroes.

 

In the late nineteenth century, San Francisco is a booming city with a dark side, one in which a powerful underground organization—the criminal tong—buys and sells young Chinese women into prostitution and slavery. These “paper daughters,” so called because fake documents gain them entry to America but leave them without a legal identity, generally have no recourse. But the Occidental Mission Home for Girls is one bright spot of hope and help.

Told in alternating chapters, this rich narrative follows the stories of young Donaldina Cameron who works in the mission home, and Mei Lien, a “paper daughter” who thinks she is coming to America for an arranged marriage but instead is sold into a life of shame and despair.

Donaldina, a real-life pioneering advocate for social justice, bravely stands up to corrupt officials and violent gangs, helping to win freedom for thousands of Chinese women. Mei Lien endures heartbreak and betrayal in her search for hope, belonging, and love. Their stories merge in this gripping account of the courage and determination that helped shape a new course of women’s history in America.

 

 

 

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Praise

 

“Recommend to fans of compelling, character-driven historical fiction inspired by true events, such as Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours (2017). YAs will be drawn to the dramatic stories of the young Chinese women brought to America.”  -Booklist, starred review

 

“Despite the disturbing subject matter, meticulously researched book is unputdownable. The book is as much a history lesson about a shameful piece of American history as it is a glimpse into the life of a heroine whose legacy lives on today. Readers will come to care about all the women featured in the book and will marvel at the extraordinary accomplishments of a determined woman ahead of her time. Based on true events…Fascinating.” – Historical Novel Society

 

 

Review

 

I have read several books lately that depict events in history, and even though it is fictionalized, the books are based on enough facts to educate the reader (and me) about tragic events in the past.

We hear a lot in the news today about slavery, racism, and trafficking, but I was not aware of the Chinese women that were sold into prostitution and slavery in San Francisco (and other areas) in the late 1800s in the early 1900s. This book sheds a light on the events of that time and the work of one woman, Donaldina Cameron (Dolly), to rescue as many of those young girls and women as possible.

I was amazed at the amount of research the author did prior to writing this book. She shares that information at the beginning and the end of this book. Make sure to read those, especially at the beginning, because it will set up the story for you and perhaps give you an insight into this book while you are reading the novel.

This story weaves together both hope and tragedy. Not every rescue was a success but Dolly never gave up and continued to fight for these young girls to show them that life could be better for them outside of the brothels and opium dens. It broke my heart that some of these girls were as young as 9 (potentially younger) and in many cases, I do not think their parents knew what was going to happen to them when they sent them to the United States. The sad part is that it was their own countrymen that forced them into this life and sold them over and over again.

There are two storylines that are told, the one of the home and another of a young woman, Mei Lien. The story of the home starts in the late 1800s and Mei’s story starts in 1903, however, we find the stories merging several years later. While many of the characters were actual people that were involved in the Occidental Home, Mei Lien is a fictional character. However, her story could easily be one of the many women that came through the home and was probably a combination of many of the women that did come through and were impacted by Dolly and the home.

Dolly was definitely a force to be reckoned with during her time at the home. Her bravery astounded me and gave me hope that there are those out there fighting for those that cannot defend themselves. She put herself in harm’s way more than once and must have had angels watching over her as she rushed to extract those in trouble from their situations. She also gave her life to this pursuit and while she never had children, considered all of the Chinese girls her children and they looked fondly upon her as well.

This book could easily have been twice as long and gone into more depth of what Dolly did for the home and her personal life. While we see glimpses of her family, a man she loved, and some of her history, it was not the main focus of the book (nor should it have been). Her life, her calling, was the Occidental Home and she realized that and gave up any sort of life outside of the home because she felt this is where she needed to be. You have to admire those that realize their calling in life and go full force into that life.

This is a wonderful book and we give it 5 paws up. Anyone that is a fan of historical fiction based on actual events will most likely enjoy this book.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

HEATHER B. MOORE is a USA Today bestseller and award-winning author of more than seventy publications. She has lived on both the East and West Coasts of the United States, including Hawaii, and attended school abroad at the Cairo American College in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. She loves to learn about history and is passionate about historical research.

 

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ENEMIES OF DOVES

 

by

 

Shanessa Gluhm

 

Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery

Publisher: TouchPoint Press

Publication Date: March 20, 2020

Number of Pages: 324 pages

 

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Told in alternating timelines from World War II to 1992, debut author Shanessa Gluhm’s Enemies of Doves is a tale of family secrets, jealousy, and deception perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Katherine Webb.

On a summer night in 1932, twelve-year-old Joel Fitchett wanders into an East Texas diner badly beaten and carrying his unconscious brother, Clancy. Though both boys claim they have no memory of what happened, the horrific details are etched into their minds as deep as the scar left across Joel’s face.

Thirteen years later, both men still struggle with the aftershocks of that long-ago night and the pact they made to hide the truth. When they find themselves at the center of a murder investigation, they make a decision that will change everything. A second lie, a second pact, and, for a time, a second chance. In 1991 college student Garrison Stark travels to Texas chasing a rumor that Clancy Fitchett is his biological grandfather. Clancy has been missing since 1946, and Garrison hopes to find him and, in doing so, find a family. What he doesn’t expect to discover is a tangle of secrets spanning sixty years involving Clancy, Joel, and the woman they both loved, Lorraine.

 

 

 

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Praise

 

“Enemies of Doves weaves a timeline of events that makes for compelling reading. It’s an ecological system of interlocking decisions, discoveries, and circumstances that spans some sixty years of love, danger, and revelations.” —D. Donovan, senior reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“I’ve read some amazing thriller and suspense stories this year, but Enemies of Doves takes the mid-year prize. I’m not one for dual timelines, but this one was perfection with the fifty-year time-span moving forward in tandem. Garrison’s search will cause time to collide, unlocking a lifetime of secrets, and THE PLOT TWIST OF 2020!” —author Felicia Denise

“Shanessa Gluhm is a brilliant writer. I very seldom read a book that I cannot figure out how it will end, but this one literally blew me away!” —Lori Thomas Harrington, author of The Point

 

 

 

 

 

While not officially on this tour, I wanted to share this amazing book with everyone.  This book held me captive from the beginning until the end.  I loved the span of 6 decades that covered the lives of Clancy, Joel, Lorraine, and Garrison, which gave me the opportunity to get to know each character and how they fit into each other’s lives.  I was also drawn into this book because of the location – East Texas, specifically Longview.  I lived for a time in this town and I could imagine this sleepy little town before it grew to the size it is now.

This book is about family, relationships, and has a bit of a mystery twist too.  Garrison is trying to find his grandfather Clancy based on something his grandmother said to him. This sets him on a trail in the early 1990s before technology and where research means looking at microfiche instead of the internet.  What he won’t know is that the truth will be right in front of him in more ways than one.  As secrets are revealed throughout the book, I was kept on the end of my seat wondering what could possibly be revealed next.

Joel and Clancy endured a lot as children including an event that they kept secret until near the end of the book. These twists are part of what kept me engaged in the story.  How did Joel get the scar on his face? What really happened that day? The answers are quite surprising and explain a little more about their fear of birds. There is also the question of how Joel ended up in prison.  Was he really guilty of killing his father? Again, another plot twist I didn’t see coming when all is revealed.

A good story is not without some romance or at least an inkling. Lorraine is loved by both Joel and Clancy, but Clancy is the one that captures her heart with their shared love of books. Their relationship is not smooth and while he is away fighting in the war, Joel and Lorraine become closer. It is hard when Clancy comes back because he was missing for many months and suffers from battle fatigue, or what we know today as PTSD. The scenes where Clancy gets lost in the past reflect what it feels like for those that have PTSD and the flashbacks they endure reliving horrific events over and over.  Will this end his relationship with Lorraine?

Garrison has a girlfriend, Amber, back home. While he is in Longview, he meets Molly who is just as intrigued by his potential family and believes that Joel doesn’t belong in prison.  Working together sparks something between the two.  Will he stay with Amber or move forward with Molly?  I enjoyed watching Garrison and Molly’s friendship bloom. There are some plots twists regarding Molly and her family that were unexpected.

This is a debut book and it is one that I highly recommend and give it 5 paws up.  I don’t know what the author might have in store for her next book but if it is anything like this one it will be a winner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shanessa Gluhm works as a librarian at an elementary school in New Mexico, where she lives with her husband and children. It was during her own elementary days when a teacher encouraged Shanessa to write and share stories with the class. She hasn’t stopped writing since. Enemies of Doves is her debut novel.

 

 

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7/28/20	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
7/29/20	Top Ten List	Chapter Break Book Blog
7/30/20	Review	Max Knight
7/31/20	Review	Nerd Narration
8/1/20	Author Interview	All the Ups and Downs
8/2/20	Scrapbook Page	That’s What She’s Reading
8/3/20	Review	Jennifer Silverwood
8/4/20	Deleted Scene	Book Bustle
8/5/20	Review	The Clueless Gent
8/6/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight

 

 

 

 

 

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The Takeaway Men

 

by Meryl Ain

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

Publisher: Sparkpress

 

Release date: August 4, 2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

With the cloud of the Holocaust still looming over them, twin sisters Bronka and Johanna Lubinski and their parents arrive in the US from a Displaced Persons Camp. In the years after World War II, they experience the difficulties of adjusting to American culture as well as the burgeoning fear of the Cold War. Years later, the discovery of a former Nazi hiding in their community brings the Holocaust out of the shadows. As the girls get older, they start to wonder about their parents’ pasts, and they begin to demand answers. But it soon becomes clear that those memories will be more difficult and painful to uncover than they could have anticipated. Poignant and haunting, The Takeaway Men explores the impact of immigration, identity, prejudice, secrets, and lies on parents and children in mid-twentieth-century America.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

TWINS AS CHARACTERS

 

People often ask me why I chose to have twins as two of the main characters in my novel, The Takeaway Men. And also, since I am not a twin myself, how did I get into their heads?

The fraternal twin girls in my novel, Bronka and JoJo, come to New York with their parents from a Displaced Persons Camp in Europe in 1951. They are three-and-a-half years old when they arrive. Both of their parents carry with them not only their rucksacks, but also the baggage of the Holocaust and war-torn and post-war Poland. I wanted to show two sisters who shared the same environment, but had varying reactions to what they experienced. Since I was writing about children of survivors, I thought it was important to show that they were not all alike– even in the same family.

My research indicated that these children, “The Second Generation” (2G of Holocaust survivors) had a broad range of emotions and reactions to what they saw, heard, and experienced in their homes. Making them the same age and sex highlighted both the similarities and the differences. So, although the twins were dressed in matching outfits, they didn’t necessarily always see the world the same way. Bronka is very literal, so when JoJo is intrigued with a Tiny Tears doll that “sheds real tears,” Bronka is critical, saying it is a fake. When they have to duck under their desks as part of a take-cover drill, Bronka is sure a bomb is going to hit them. JoJo holds her hand and tries to comfort her, saying it is just a practice drill. As the more intense of the two, Bronka takes their father’s mood swings much more seriously than her twin.

As a first child myself, my intensive experience with twins began the day I met my husband, Stewart. His identical twin brother, Howard was actually my blind date on that occasion but by the time the night was over, Stewart had maneuvered a switch. Ever since that night, I have been watching and witnessing what makes the brothers alike and what makes them very different. It has been a long time. Stewart and I have raised three sons and have six grandchildren. Howard has two sons and five grandchildren.  While Stewart has been my live-in expert on the subject, Abigail Pogrebin’s book, One and the Same, helped me better understand female twins. And Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush’s book, Sisters First, gave me valuable insight into fraternal twin girls. In addition, I also spoke with several twin sisters.

To make my depiction of these Second Generation twins accurate, I also did a tremendous amount of research on the subject, including reading numerous books and conversations with children of Holocaust survivors.  I’m relieved and gratified that both my twin husband and my friends, who are 2Gs, said the book resonated with them and I “got it right.”

 

 

About the Author

 

Meryl Ain’s articles and essays have appeared in Huffington Post, The New York Jewish Week, The New York Times, Newsday and other publications. The Takeaway Men is her debut novel. In 2014, she co-authored the award-winning book, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last, and in 2016, wrote a companion workbook, My Living Memories Project Journal. She is a sought-after speaker and has been interviewed on television, radio, and podcasts. She is a career educator and is proud to be both a teacher and student of history. She has also worked as a school administrator. The Takeaway Men is the result of her life-long quest to learn more about the Holocaust, a thirst that was first triggered by reading The Diary of Anne Frank in the sixth grade. While teaching high school history, she introduced her students to the study of the Holocaust. At the same time, she also developed an enduring fascination with teaching about and researching the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case. An interview with Robert Meeropol, the younger son of the Rosenbergs, is featured in her book, The Living Memories Project. The book also includes an interview with Holocaust survivor, Boris Chartan, the founder of the Holocaust Museum and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, New York. Meryl holds a BA from Queens College, an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an Ed.D. from Hofstra University. She lives in New York with her husband, Stewart. They have three married sons and six grandchildren.

 

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Giveaway

 

Win 1 of 5 print copies of THE TAKEAWAY MEN or $25 Amazon Gift Card (USA only) (6 winners) (ends Aug 17)

 

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THE BLACK MIDNIGHT

 

by

 

Kathleen Y’Barbo

 

 

Genre: Fiction / Historical Mystery / True Crime

Publisher: Barbour Books

Publication Date: August 1, 2020

Number of Pages: 257

 

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Two killers, two detectives, and a menace called The Black Midnight may be the death of both of them.

Three years before Jack the Ripper began his murderous spree on the streets of London, a killer struck fear into the hearts of the citizens of Austin, Texas. Some believe one man is responsible for both, while others lay the blame at the feet of someone close to the queen herself. With suspicion falling on Her Majesty’s family and Scotland Yard at a loss as to who the Ripper might be, Queen Victoria summons her great-granddaughter, Alice Anne von Wettin, a former Pinkerton agent who worked the unsolved Austin murders case, and orders her to discreetly form a team to look into the London matter. One man is essential to her team, and she doesn’t want to consider taking on this challenge without his expertise. Unfortunately, he’s back in Texas, with a bad attitude and a new profession.

The prospect of a second chance at catching the man who terrorized Austin three years ago just might entice Isaiah Joplin out of his comfortable life as an Austin lawyer, even if it does mean working with the Queen’s great-granddaughter again. If his theories are right, they’ll find the Midnight Assassin and, by default, the Ripper. If they’re wrong, he and Annie are in a bigger mess than the one the lady detective left behind when she departed Austin under cover of darkness three years ago.

Can the unlikely pair find the truth of who is behind the murders before they are drawn into the killer’s deadly game? From Texas to London, the story navigates the fine line between truth and fiction as Annie and Isaiah ultimately find the hunters have become the hunted.

 

 

 

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Praise

 

“Warning! Don’t read this historical romantic suspense at night!” —DiAnn Mills, Expect an Adventure

“Impeccably researched with sparkling dialogue and riveting history, Kathleen Y’Barbo’s The Black Midnight puts a pair of star-crossed Pinkerton detectives on the trail of a Texas killer who may also be the notorious Jack the Ripper. Very highly recommended and sure to keep you reading well past your bedtime!!” —Colleen Thompson, RITA-nominated author of Deadly Texas Summer

“You’re in for a wild ride as Kathleen Y’Barbo takes you on a story through some of America and Britain’s grisliest murders and somehow manages to weave in a delicious romance. From Texas to London, the ties that bind may be more linked than you previously believed. Settle in for a novel of suspense and romance—just be sure to look over your shoulder every now and then!” —Jaime Jo Wright, 2018 Christy Award-winning author of The House on Foster Hill and 2020 Inspy Award-nominated The Curse of Misty Wayfair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee and author of more than eighty books, with almost two million in print. A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well as a Reader’s Choice Award and several Top Picks by Romantic Times magazine.

Kathleen celebrated her fifteenth year as a published author by receiving the Romantic Times Inspirational Romance Book of the Year Award for Sadie’s Secret, a Secret Lives of Will Tucker novel. Her novels celebrate life, love, and the Lord—and whenever she can manage it, her home state of Texas. Recent releases include The Pirate Bride, River of Life, and My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas.

 

 

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One Winner: Signed copy of The Black Midnight + $20 Amazon gift card 

 

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Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

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or visit the blogs directly:

 

8/6/20	Notable Quotable	StoreyBook Reviews
8/6/20	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
8/7/20	Author Interview	The Adventures of a Travelers Wife
8/8/20	Review	Missus Gonzo
8/9/20	Excerpt	The Page Unbound
8/10/20	Excerpt	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
8/11/20	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/12/20	Guest Post	Max Knight
8/13/20	Review	Book Bustle
8/14/20	Author Interview	KayBee’s Book Shelf
8/15/20	Review	That’s What She’s Reading

 

 

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A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher: Kensington (July 28, 2020)
Hardcover: 288 pages

 

Synopsis

 

In Dianne Freeman’s charming Victorian-era mystery series, Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, finds her sister’s wedding threatened by a vow of vengeance.

 

London is known for its bustle and intrigues, but the sedate English countryside can host—or hide—any number of secrets. Frances, the widowed Countess of Harleigh, needs a venue for her sister Lily’s imminent wedding, away from prying eyes. Risings, George Hazleton’s family estate in Hampshire, is a perfect choice, and soon Frances, her beloved George, and other guests have gathered to enjoy the usual country pursuits—shooting, horse riding, and romantic interludes in secluded gardens.

But the bucolic setting harbors a menace, and it’s not simply the arrival of Frances’s socially ambitious mother. Above and below stairs, mysterious accidents befall guests and staff alike. Before long, Frances suspects these “accidents” are deliberate, and fears that the intended victim is Lily’s fiancé, Leo. Frances’s mother is unimpressed by Lily’s groom-to-be and would much prefer that Lily find an aristocratic husband, just as Frances did. But now that Frances has found happiness with George—a man who loves her for much more than her dowry—she heartily approves of Lily’s choice. If she can just keep the couple safe from villains and meddling mamas.

As Frances and George search for the culprit among the assembled family, friends, and servants, more victims fall prey to the mayhem. Mishaps become full-blooded murder, and it seems that no one is safe. And unless Frances can quickly flush out the culprit, the peal of wedding bells may give way to another funeral toll. . . .

 

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About the Author

 

 

Dianne Freeman is the acclaimed author of the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. She is an Agatha Award and Lefty Award finalist, as well as a nominee for the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award from Mystery Writers of America. She spent thirty years working in corporate accounting and finance and now writes full-time. Born and raised in Michigan, she and her husband now split their time between Michigan and Arizona.

 

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Synopsis

 

Mitch Lovett, a recently divorced father of two, wasn’t looking for anything serious—but when he fooled around with an old friend, Dee Wynn, serious was what he got. Dee has decided that Mitch will be hers and nothing is going to stand in her way. But Gail, another member of their college group (and now their babysitting co-op), has had her eye on Mitch as well—nevermind the fact that she’s married to a jealous, abusive husband who just happens to have received a new gun for his birthday. When Mitch and Gail consummate their long-standing attraction—recklessly following their heart’s desires—they set into motion a series of events with ultimately tragic consequences for all involved.

Set in Takoma Park (a close-knit liberal community that borders Washington, D.C.) among a group of college friends now raising families together, Lady Killer explores spousal abuse and the ways that both long-standing friendships and marriages can unravel when put to the test. Ultimately, both Mitch and Gail will have to decide who they really are and what they really want—both for themselves and their children.

 

***

Set in Takoma Park, Maryland among a group of college friends now raising families together, domestic noir novel LADY KILLER explores spousal abuse and the ways that both long-standing friendships and marriages can unravel when put to the test. Mitch Lovett, a recently divorced father of two, is in love with Gail Strickland. Ed, Gail’s jealous, abusive husband just happens to have received a new gun for his birthday. Dee Wynn decides she loves Mitch as well, and that nothing is going to stand in her way. According to Matthew Norman (Domestic Violets), “this quick burst of a book” reminded him of “some of John Updike’s famous suburban romps.” An explosive novel that sets in motion a series of events with tragic consequences for all involved.

 

 

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Listen to an Excerpt

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

JEFF RICHARDS’ first book, Open Country: A Civil War Novel in Stories, was published by Paycock Press in 2015, and Lady Killer is his second novel. His fiction, essays, and cowboy poetry have appeared in over 27 publications including Prick of the Spindle, Pinch, New South, and Southern Humanities Review, and five anthologies including “Tales Out of School” (Beacon Press); “Letters to J.D. Salinger” (University of Wisconsin Press); and “Higher Education” (Pearson), a college composition reader. He lives in Takoma Park, Maryland, with his wife and two dogs and travels often to Colorado where his kids live.

 

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Folley at the Fair (An Annie Oakley Mystery) by Kari Bovee

Category: Adult Fiction (18 + yrs), 322 pages

Genre: Historical Mystery

Publisher: Bosque Publishing

Release date: June 2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

She never misses a target. But unless she can solve this murder, she’ll become one… Chicago World’s Fair, 1893. “Little Sure Shot” Annie Oakley is exhausted from her work with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. But when a fellow performer scuffles with a man who threatens her harm, she has to keep her eyes peeled. And when the heckler is found dead under the Ferris Wheel, Annie won’t rest until she proves her defender is innocent. Before she can rustle up any clues, an old friend asks Annie to protect her young daughter. And as more bodies turn up around the grounds, she’s going to need all her sharpshooting skills just to stay alive. Can Annie live up to her reputation and put a bullseye on the killer? Folly at the Fair is the third book in the Annie Oakley Mystery historical fiction series. If you like strong heroines, Wild West adventures, and suspenseful twists and turns, then you’ll love Kari Bovee’s fast-paced whodunit.

 

 

 

 

Interview with Kari

 

Today we welcome Kari to StoreyBook Reviews and sharing her thoughts about writing and what it means to her.

 

Talk about when you realized you wanted to be an author. Life-long dream or happened late on?

 

I think I’ve known I wanted to be an author before I really knew what that meant. When I was about eight years old I asked for a typewriter for Christmas. I got one of those plastic Smith-Coronas—it was turquoise with white keys—and I banged on that thing for years, writing stories, poetry, rants, etc. I also had a diary from when I was about the same age and would spend hours writing in it. When I was about twelve or thirteen years old I read Gone with the Wind and was so blown away by it, it was then I decided how wonderful it would be to be an author. In college I majored in English literature with an emphasis in creative writing and started writing more in-depth stories and even a novel when I got out of school, but it was terrible! When my daughter was just 9 months old, my husband—good soul that he is, encouraged me to go to the Santa Barbara Writers Conference (we were living in Ventura, CA at the time) and that’s when I really got serious about becoming a novelist.

 

Talk about being a healthy writer. How do you deal with long hours of sitting? Do you write standing up? Exercise?

 

I tried writing with a stand-up desk but found it distracting for some reason. When I am working I make sure to take lots of breaks. The longest I allow myself to sit is for about two hours. Then I get up, make some tea, or get a snack. Sometimes, I go out to visit my horses in the field, or just walk around outside. My breaks vary from 15-30 minutes, and then I get back to work. I will also move from my desk to the sofa just to give my body a break. I exercise regularly and my routines include riding my horses three to four times a week, walking four to five times a week, and doing Pilates two to three times a week. Exercise is crucial for me—I need to get out of my head and do something physical or I go a little nuts!

 

Share the best book marketing advice you ever received.

 

When I was newly published, and really for the first two years after being published, I felt I had to do anything and everything right away to get my name out there and to get my books discovered. As I was lamenting this to a friend of mine, who is also a writer, and telling her I was fast approaching burn-out, she reminded me that this career endeavor is a marathon not a sprint. It’s a long-game. There is plenty of time to market yourself and it doesn’t all have to be surrounding the launch. So, breathe and relax. There is plenty of time.

 

Talk about what you want to achieve as an author.

 

What is really important to me is connecting with other people through my books. Whether that connection serves to entertain, inspire, or educate, it’s all good to me. One of my favorite things to hear is when someone has read my books and it has inspired them to look into the history of that time period or that character to find out as much as they can about it or them. It’s great to have that particular interest in common with someone. I’d love to continue writing novels as long as I am able. I have so many different ideas, and writing novels allows me to transport to a different time period or reality, and it takes me out of myself. I plan to keep writing and being open to people and opportunities that come my way!

 

Tell readers how they can help support you as a writer.

 

Reviews, reviews, reviews! Also, reach out and drop me a line. I love hearing from readers and being able to connect with them. A great way to do this is through my website and subscribing to my newsletter.

 

Do you believe you write the kind of book you’d want to read?

 

Absolutely. I believe that if a writer is not completely invested and interested in what they are writing no one else will be. Writing a novel is hard enough! If there wasn’t enjoyment in the challenge and process I don’t think it would be worth doing, at least for me.

 

What advice would you give aspiring writers?

 

Be kind to yourself (it’s harder than it sounds!) Write what you want to write. Don’t write to what is selling at the moment because it changes all the time. If you have a story in you don’t let the current market dictate how you tell that story. It is yours and yours alone.

 

 

About the Author

 

When she’s not on a horse, or walking along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovee is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined, and helping them to find order in the chaos of her action-packed novels. Empowered women in history, horses, unconventional characters, and real-life historical events fill the pages of Kari Bovée’s articles and historical mystery musings and manuscripts.

An award-winning author, Bovée was honored with the 2019 NM/AZ Book Awards Hillerman Award for Southwestern Fiction for her novel Girl with a Gun. The novel also received First Place in the 2019 NM/AZ Book Awards in the Mystery/Crime category, and is a Finalist in the 2019 International Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Awards and the International Chanticleer Goethe Awards, as well as the Next Generation Indie Awards. Her novel Grace in the Wings is a Finalist for the 2019 International Chanticleer Chatelaine Awards and the International Chanticleer Goethe Awards. Her novel Peccadillo at the Palace is a Finalist in the 2019 International Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Awards and the 2019 International Goethe Awards, as well as a Finalist in the 2019 Best Book Awards Historical Fiction category.

Bovée has worked as a technical writer for a Fortune 500 Company, has written non-fiction for magazines and newsletters, and has worked in the education field as a teacher and educational consultant. She and her husband, Kevin, spend their time between their horse property in the beautiful Land of Enchantment, New Mexico, and their condo on the sunny shores of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

 

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The Rebel Wears Plaid

 

by Eliza Knight

 

Publication Date: 6/30/2020

 

Synopsis

 

Toran Fraser encounters a mysterious rebel, and he can’t resist being recruited to her cause…

Toran Fraser is hell-bent on taking down the Jacobites. On a late-night mission, he’s intercepted by a woman known only as “Mistress J,” who’s determined to put Prince Charlie back on the throne of Scotland. Toran can’t resist her appeal—especially with her pistol pointed at his heart—and suddenly finds himself joining the rebellion…

By day, highborn Jenny Mackintosh runs her estate in the Highlands. By night, she’s one of Prince Charlie’s Angels—a band of Jacobite rebels. Scoffing at mortal danger, she raises coin, delivers weapons, and recruits soldiers for the rebellion. When she encounters a handsome Highlander who is clearly on the run, she is more than a little intrigued. She isn’t expecting to be his enemy…

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Toran jerked around. Suddenly, figures melted out from the shadows. Scots, but in the dark and dressed as they were, he couldn’t make out what clan they hailed from. At the center of the five men stood a lass. Aye, she wore trews and had her hair up under a cap, wisps of golden strands peeking through, but there was no hiding the curves beneath her shirt and waistcoat. In the moonlight filtering through the trees, she looked bonnie—high, arching cheekbones, a mouth that puckered into a frown. But what struck him most was the spark of fire in her gaze. Her eyes reflected the light of the moon, almost making her look like she was glowing.

And the muzzle of her pistol was pointed right at him. Outlaws… Of all the bloody luck. He reached for his own pistol tucked into his belt.

“Dinna move,” the lass said. Her voice was throaty, sensual. “Else I put a bullet through your heart.”

A slow grin formed on Toran’s face. “What’s to say I won’t put a bullet in yours first?”

The lass looked down at Archie and then flicked her gaze back to his. “Ye’re outnumbered. Let’s say ye were willing to pull your weapon before I took my shot, and then ye were to waste your bullet, there’d be five more cutting through ye before ye were able to see the result.” Again, she looked at Archie. “And your friend doesna seem like he will be much help.”

“We’re verra close to the English garrison, lass. Any shot ye make will be a beacon to the dragoons lurking about. And trust me, there are hundreds of them headed this way as we speak.”

“Is that so?” She glanced at Archie once more. “A prison break? So ye two are rebels, aye?”

Toran didn’t answer. Let her come to her own conclusions.

“We have horses.” She kept her gaze on his, and he had the intense urge to draw closer. “Ye and your friend can have one when we return to my camp—for a price. Why not donate your coin to the cause and join us? We’ve a need for more rebels.”

Toran did not want to join her. Now, if she’d asked him to join her for some mutual warmth under a plaid, that would be another story. Then again, she had a point about the bullets. And he truly did not want to die.

“I’m guessing from your current circumstances ye are in need of a helping hand, sir.” Her voice was smooth, even melodic, but still filled with authority. And considering that she was the one speaking, she certainly gave the impression that she was the one in charge. Fascinating.

A group of men led by a woman? Not a common thing, and intensely intriguing. Whoever she was, she had ballocks as full of steel as his own. And if he weren’t trapped in the woods with her, a hundred redcoats on his tail, he might have asked her to join him for a dram.

“Who are ye?” Toran asked.

A soft laugh escaped her, and her hand waved dismissively. “Not yet, sir. Ye’ll have to prove yourself first.”

Prove himself? He gritted his teeth. “All right, we’ll join ye.” There really was no other choice. He and Archie needed a quick escape, and her horse would provide that. Just because he was taking her up on the offer now didn’t mean he had to stick it out. In fact, as soon as he could, he’d steal the horse and somehow get Archie back to Fraser lands where he could make certain the rest of his family was safe from Boyd.

“Good.” She nodded to Dirk. “Search them for weapons, and then help the wounded man onto your horse.”

Toran stood still for the inspection, gritting his teeth as his weapons were removed. “I’ve said we’d join ye. Why then are ye treating me like a prisoner?”

The lass cocked her head to the side, a slight grin curling her upper lip. “We must first see that ye are trustworthy.” With an added challenge echoing in her words, she said, “Ye can ride with me. And dinna try any tricks, else ye find yourself verra dead.”

The lass didn’t beat around the bush, and there was no hint of humor in her tone at all. She meant what she said.

Toran climbed onto the back of her horse, his cold, wet body flush to her warmer, dry back. Beneath the icy exterior was a lass full of lush curves. Mo chreach… Good heavens, but she felt good. Hesitantly, he placed an arm around her waist.

She shuddered. “Blast, but ye’re soaked,” she hissed. “Ye should have warned me. And ye smell like the devil’s own chamber pot.”

Toran chuckled. “A hazard of escape, lass.”

Her back straightened, and she leaned forward, away from him. “Ye can call me Mistress J.”

Mistress J? Why did that sound familiar?

“And ye are?” she urged.

“I’m called Toran,” he said slowly as realization struck him. The night had taken a very interesting turn. For he was holding onto the woman he suspected might be responsible for his mother’s death.

 

Excerpted from The Rebel Wears Plaid by Eliza Knight. © 2020 by Eliza Knight. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

About the Author

 

ELIZA KNIGHT is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty sizzling historical romances. Under the name E. Knight, she’s known for riveting tales that cross landscapes around the world. When not reading, writing, or researching, she chases after her three children. In her spare time she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, and visiting with family and friends. She lives in Maryland.

 

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