Thorvald Longsword can’t believe all he has to do is kidnap the daughter of his jarl’s enemy to get his land back. Easy. But when he finally snatches the princess up and tosses her over his shoulder, the beautiful spitfire makes him question his determination to get his land back at any cost.
Alodie gladly agrees to impersonate the princess so the bloodthirsty Northmen will take her instead. While Alodie might be ready to die for her people, she wasn’t prepared for how her pulse races for the maddeningly noble captor whom she’d just as soon hate.
But what happens when Thorvald finds out she’s not who she says she is...
Ingrid Hahn is a failed administrative assistant with a B.A. in Art History. Her love of reading has turned her mortgage payment into a book storage fee, which makes her the friend who you never want to ask you for help moving. Though originally from Seattle, she now lives in the metropolitan DC area with her ship-nerd husband, small son, and four opinionated cats. When she’s not reading or writing, she loves knitting, theater, nature walks, travel, history, and is a hopelessly devoted fan of Jane Austen.
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on December 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
The Viking's Captive
London 1666
Elizabeth 'Bird' Carpenter has a wonderful singing voice, and music is her chief passion. When her father persuades her to marry horse-dealer Christopher Knepp, she suspects she is marrying beneath her station, but nothing prepares her for the reality of life with Knepp. Her father has betrayed her trust, for Knepp cares only for his horses; he is a tyrant and a bully, and will allow Bird no life of her own.
When Knepp goes away, she grasps her chance and, encouraged by her maidservant Livvy, makes a secret visit to the theatre. Entranced by the music, the glitter and glamour of the surroundings, and the free and outspoken manner of the women on the stage, she falls in love with the theatre and is determined to forge a path of her own as an actress.
But life in the theatre was never going to be straightforward - for a jealous rival wants to spoil her plans, and worse, Knepp forbids it, and Bird must use all her wit and intelligence to change his mind.
Based on events depicted in the famous Diary of Samuel Pepys, Entertaining Mr Pepys brings London in the 17th Century to life. It includes the vibrant characters of the day such as the diarist himself and actress Nell Gwynne, and features a dazzling and gripping finale during the Great Fire Of London.
The third in Deborah Swift's atmospheric trilogy, bringing to life the women in Pepys' Diary. Each novel features a different character and can be read as a stand-alone book.
'A remarkably beguiling read. It transported me to the glitter and filth of seventeenth century London' - Martine Bailey, author of The Almanack
'The fusion of historical facts and fiction is so flawless that it is hard to know where reality ends and fiction begins' - Readers Favourite Review
'Swift is a consummate historical novelist, basing her books on immaculate research and then filling the gaps between real events and real people with eloquent storytelling, atmospheric scene setting and imaginative plot lines' - The Visitor
'A novel that transports readers with astonishing and engrossing detail' - Readers Favorite 5*
'Pepys and his world spring to vibrant life… Gripping, revealing and stunningly imagined' -Lancashire Evening Post
My Take:
Entertaining Mr. Pepys is the third book in Deborah Swift's trilogy telling the stories of the lives of women that appear in Samuel Pepys's famous diary. The novel also works as a stand alone. I haven't read the other two books and I was still able to thoroughly enjoy the novel.
Elizabeth "Bird" Carpenter is the main focus of Entertaining Mr. Pepys. When the novel begins, she is a young woman with a beautiful singing voice about to be married off so that her father and his new much-younger-wife can be alone to enjoy their new marriage. While Bird has ideas about what her husband should be like, her father is much more interested in getting her out of his house and make her someone else's responsibility. Sadly, her new husband, Mr. Knepp, married her simply to be his servant and to give him children. She must adjust to a life of hard work, scrambling to feed the yard hands on a pittance and avoiding her abusive husband.
Eventually Bird will be introduced to the theater by Livvy, her new friend and servant to her husband. Livvy introduces her to some of the women performing in the theater and Bird is stricken by a strong desire to sing and perform on stage. It is through her performances that she encounters Mr. Pepys.
Swift does a wonderful job of bringing the time period to life. I really appreciated how she brings the details of working-class life into the story. It helps the reader appreciate the vast differences of a woman's life today and during the 1600's. Swift also examines the issues of slavery as it was viewed at the time. The novel manages to explain the various conflicts that were causing tensions in England as well as the religious politics that play a large role in the era.
Entertaining Mr. Pepys is mostly about Bird and a few other women - Mr. Pepys himself is not a main focus. I really liked that Swift uses Pepys's diary as a jumping off point to imagine what Elizabeth Carpenter Knepp's life might have been like. I found the novel to be beautifully imagined with a cast of interesting and (mostly) likable characters. Mr. Knepp is not a sympathetic character for most of the novel, but Swift manages to allow even him to grow by the end.
Another character that is hard to like at first is an actor named Stefan. He had built his life in the theater playing women - before the change that allowed women to act on stage. Stefan isn't suited to playing the leading male roles and takes his frustrations out on Bird. However, as the reader learns more about his life, his motivations, and his secrets, he slowly becomes at least a person that can be sympathized with. He is allowed to grow as a person and has some interesting adventures.
There is something for everyone in this entertaining novel - from history buffs to theater lovers. Entertaining Mr. Pepys is definitely a book that I can recommend. I loved all the history - especially the amazing imagery of the Great Fire of 1666. I really enjoyed Entertaining Mr. Pepys and I look forward to reading the other books in the trilogy.
About the Author
Deborah Swift is the author of three previous historical novels for adults, The Lady’s Slipper, The Gilded Lily, and A Divided Inheritance, all published by Macmillan/St Martin’s Press, as well as the Highway Trilogy for teens (and anyone young at heart!). Her first novel was shortlisted for the Impress prize for new novelists.
She lives on the edge of the beautiful and literary English Lake District – a place made famous by the poets Wordsworth and Coleridge.
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a signed copy of Entertaining Mr. Pepys! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on December 12th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open internationally.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
Entertaining Mr. Pepys
Distant Signs is an intimate portrait of two families spanning three generations amidst turbulent political change, behind and beyond the Berlin Wall. In 1960s East Germany, Margret, a professor's daughter from the city, meets and marries Hans, from a small village in Thuringia. The couple struggle to contend with their different backgrounds, and the emotional scars they bear from childhood in the aftermath of war. As East German history gradually unravels, with collision of the personal and political, their two families' hidden truths are quietly revealed. An exquisitely written novel with strongly etched characters that stay with you long after the book is finished and an authentic portrayal of family life behind the iron curtain based on personal experience of the author who is East German and was 16 years old at the fall of the Berlin Wall. Why do families repeat destructive patterns of behaviour across generations? Should the personal take precedence over the political? Can we rise above our histories and political identities to forge a new understanding of the past and to welcome change?
Distant Signs tells the story of two families over three generations. There is so much that really impressed me about the book. The time span covered in the book is really important - I feel that most Americans are not very familiar with what Germany was like during these years after WWII and before the Berlin Wall came down.
While the novel does provide some very useful information about the various institutions of government, education, etc., I felt the insight into the generational differences was even more interesting. The author manages to show the reader a bit more about each character as the book progresses. I feel Richter does a great job of bringing to life the experiences of each generation and really demonstrates the reasons for their beliefs and world views. One doesn't have to agree with a particular worldview to empathize with the person. This is demonstrated throughout the novel. The examination of the families and the way they hurt each other, try to fix their errors, pull away from each other and try to heal and pull together felt really authentic and resonated.
I have a hard time finding the words to describe the book, but I feel strongly about it. It really made an impression on me. At times it is heartbreaking, at others it is hopeful and filled with love, but Distant Signs is a beautifully written novel that will stick with the reader long after closing it.
About the Author
Anne Richter was born in 1973 in Jena, in the former German Democratic Republic. Her degree in Romance languages and English included study periods in England, Italy and France. In 2011, Anne was nominated for the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize, a highly regarded German-language literary award. Her debut novel, Distant Signs, was published in Germany in 2013. Anne is currently writing her second novel.
Douglas Irving is Scottish. He studied German and Spanish at Aberdeen University. In 2014 he completed a Masters in Translation at Glasgow University. His first translation, Crossing: A Love Story by Anna Seghers was published in 2016 in the US to positive reviews. His translation of Anna Seghers’ last work published in her lifetime, Three Women from Haiti, is set to follow.
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a copy of A Distant Signs by Anne Richter! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
- Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on November 29th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
- Paperback giveaway is open internationally.
- Only one entry per household.
- All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
- The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
Distant Signs
In bestselling author Vanessa Kelly’s irresistible Clan Kendrick series, Christmas in the Highlands means family, celebration—and for one brother, the beginning of a passionate adventure . . .
Being thrown over by the man she expected to marry was humiliating enough. Now that Donella Haddon, grandniece of the Earl of Riddick, has also proven a failure as a nun, she has no choice but to return to her family’s estate. The brawny Highlander sent to escort her is brash, handsome, and the only thing standing between Donella and a gang of would-be kidnappers. But the scandal in her past can’t be so easily outrun . . .
Wealthy widower Logan Kendrick was expecting to meet a plain, pious spinster—not a gorgeous, sharp-tongued lass who can hold her own in any ambush. Though she’s known as the Flower of Clan Graham, Donella is no shrinking violet. In fact, she might be the perfect woman to bring happiness back to his lonely little son’s life, just in time for Christmas. But first he must protect her from ugly gossip and a mysterious threat—and convince her that their wild, unexpected desire is heaven sent.
Vanessa Kelly is a USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author who was named by Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, as one of the “New Stars of Historical Romance.” Her Regency-set historical romances have been nominated in a number of contests, and she has won multiple awards, including the prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance. Her books have been published in nine languages.
Vanessa’s latest book, The Highlander Who Protected Me, was a USA Today, Barnes & Noble, and BookScan bestseller. Her Renegade Royals Series was a national bestseller, as was The Improper Princesses Series. My Fair Princess was named a Goodreads Romance of the Month and is a USA Today and BookScan bestseller. The Highlander’s Princess Bride, book 3 in the series, was a Barnes and Noble top 50 bestseller.
When she’s not dreaming of plots for her next Regency novel, Vanessa is writing USA Today Bestselling books with her husband, under the pen name of V.K. Sykes.
You can find Vanessa at vanessakellyauthor.com or at vksykes.com. For all of Vanessa's latest news and contests--and to receive a free story--please sign up for her newsletter on her website.
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away signed copies of THE HIGHLANDER’S PRINCESS BRIDE and THE HIGHLANDER WHO PROTECTED ME + a $20 Amazon gift card! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on November 12th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open internationally.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen. The Highlander's Christmas Bride
The year is 1911 when twenty-year-old heiress Peggy Batternberg is invited to spend the summer in America’s Playground.
But the invitation to Coney Island is unwelcome. Despite hailing from one of America’s richest families, Peggy would much rather spend the summer at the Moonrise Bookstore where she works voluntarily, than keeping up appearances with Brooklyn socialites and her snobbish, controlling family.
But soon it transpires that the hedonism of Coney Island affords Peggy more of the freedom she has been longing for. For one, she finds herself in love with a troubled pier-side artist of humble means, whom the Batternberg patriarchs would surely disapprove of.
Disapprove they may, but hidden behind their pomposity lurks a web of deceit, betrayal and deadly secrets. And as bodies begin to mount up amidst the sweltering clamour of Coney Island, it seems the powerful Batternbergs can get away with anything…even murder.s
It is up to Peggy to overcome the oppression of her family and clear the name of her vulnerable lover, before she or her beloved sister become the next victims of Dreamland.
Extravagant, intoxicating and thumping with suspense, bestselling Nancy Bilyeau’s magnificent Dreamland is a story of corruption, class and dangerous obsession.
About the Author
"Dreamland" is Nancy Bilyeau's fifth novel of historical suspense. She is the author of the best-selling historical thriller “The Blue” and the Tudor mystery series “The Crown,” “The Chalice,” and “The Tapestry,” on sale in nine countries.
Nancy is a magazine editor who has lived in the United States and Canada. She studied History and English Literature at the University of Michigan. After moving to New York City, she worked on the staffs of “InStyle,” “Good Housekeeping,” and “Rolling Stone.” She is currently the deputy editor of the Center on Media, Crime and Justice at the Research Foundation of CUNY and a regular contributing writer to “Town & Country" and "Mystery Scene Magazine."
Nancy’s mind is always in past centuries but she currently lives with her husband and two children in Forest Hills in the borough of Queens. "Dreamland" is her first novel set in her adopted hometown of New York City.
Amid the fiery times and heated onslaughts from Denmark and England, as the rule of Scotland hangs in the balance, Gruah seeks to win the throne and bring revenge upon the monsters of her childhood, no matter the cost or amount of blood tainting her own hands; yet, an unexpected meeting with the King called the Confessor causes her to question her bloody path and doubt her once blazing pagan faith. Will she find redemption or has the blood of her past fire-branded her soul?
The story weaves the play by William Shakespeare with the actual history of Macbeth and his Queen in 11th-century Scotland.
“...a woman's story at a winter's fire...” (Macbeth, Act III, Scene IV)
“This beautifully written reworking of the Macbeth tale told from Lady Macbeth’s point-of-view flows from the page and you quickly become immersed in the politics and intrigues of feudal Scotland as she fights for her rightful place and her true love! A mesmerizing read that grips from start to finish and Gruah is now one of my all-time favorite literary crushes. “ - Iain Leonard, ARC Reviewer
“Brilliantly conceived and beautifully written, The Fire of Winter is a tale not to be missed by lovers of Shakespeare, lovers of history, or lovers of the written word.” - Riana Everly, Author of Teaching Eliza and Through a Different Lens
The Fire of Winter was quite a surprising treat to read! I love Shakespeare and usually jump at the opportunity to read an author's take on a Shakespeare play - especially when it is told from the woman's point of view. I was very impressed with how the author was able to bring Gruah to life and make her a very complicated, interesting, conflicted and thoroughly intriguing person.
I was totally drawn into her life - there is tragedy, violence, ambition, passion and enough revenge to satisfy most any reader. Eleventh century Scotland was still making a transition from the Celtic faith to Christianity and it wasn't a smooth, peaceful transition. The transition plays a part in the novel and helps to explain Gruah's beliefs and some of her justifications for some of her actions.
The Fire of Winter stays pretty true to Shakespeare's Macbeth with the added bonus of getting to explain some of the things that always made me wonder about the play. For example, who the "witches" are, why they do what they do, what the motivating factors are for Gruah's actions -- why does she urge Macbeth to kill the king? All of these and more are explained in very clever ways that tell a dark and complex tale about Gruah, her history, her family and helps explain the complicated relationship between the aristocracy of Scotland at the time.
Gruah is not an easy character to like, but she is definitely interesting and deserves to have her story told - even if it is completely fictionalized. Hers is definitely a story that sticks with the reader and Gruah is a memorable character. The Fire of Winter was a fun and clever book and I would happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys Shakespeare, historical fiction, women's history, and dark revenge tales.
About the Author
D. K. Marley is a historical fiction writer specializing in Shakespearean themes. Her grandmother, an English Literature teacher, gave her a volume of Shakespeare's plays when she was eleven, inspiring DK to delve further into the rich Elizabethan language. Eleven years ago she began the research leading to the publication of her first novel "Blood and Ink," an epic tale of lost dreams, spurned love, jealousy and deception in Tudor England as the two men, William Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe, fight for one name and the famous works now known as the Shakespeare Folio. She is an avid Shakespearean / Marlowan, a member of the Marlowe Society, the Shakespeare Fellowship and a signer of the Declaration of Intent for the Shakespeare Authorship Debate. She has traveled to England three times for intensive research and debate workshops and is a graduate of the intense training workshop "The Writer's Retreat Workshop" founded by Gary Provost and hosted by Jason Sitzes. She lives in Georgia with her husband and a Scottish Terriers named Maggie and Buster.
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away copies of The Fire of Winter + a surprise gift to three lucky winners! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on August 19th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
When a prominent citizen is murdered, former Captain of the Guard Owen Archer is persuaded out of retirement to investigate in this gripping medieval mystery.
1374. When a member of one of York’s most prominent families is found dead in the woods, his throat torn out, rumours spread like wildfire that wolves are running loose throughout the city. Persuaded to investigate by the victim’s father, Owen Archer is convinced that a human killer is responsible. But before he can gather sufficient evidence to prove his case, a second body is discovered, stabbed to death. Is there a connection? What secrets are contained within the victim’s household? And what does apprentice healer Alisoun know that she’s not telling?
Teaming up with Geoffrey Chaucer, who is in York on a secret mission on behalf of Prince Edward, Owen’s enquiries will draw him headlong into a deadly conspiracy.
A Conspiracy of Wolves is the eleventh novel in the Owen Archer
series. But don’t worry if this is your first introduction to Owen Archer – the
novel can easily be read as a standalone. Candace Robb is a master storyteller
and she truly understands the time period. Any needed back story is provided
within the novel as well as plenty of historical references for those of us who
are history nerds and need to know exactly when in time the story takes place and
who the important historical players would have been.
While the mystery regarding the violent and confusing deaths
is the main element of the novel – the rumors of wolves running wild and
killing people despite the evidence of murder, a new Archbishop of York brings
some challenging political changes that Archer must deal with, conflicting
loyalties, other characters keeping secrets – all work to make the story
complex and infinitely fun to read.
I was completely drawn into the challenges that Owen Archer
and his oftentimes annoying friend Geoffrey Chaucer face in trying to figure
out exactly what is going on. There are so many wonderful characters in the
novel besides Archer and Chaucer. I found them engaging and very real.
Usually when I read mysteries, I am really focused on trying
to figure out who the murderer is and solving the crime. But while reading A
Conspiracy of Wolves, I found myself more involved with the characters and
their lives and problems. I was so pleased at how real the story felt – from the
details of everyday activities to the historical accuracy.
A Conspiracy of Wolves was a real treat to read and I am embarrassed
to admit that this is the first Owen Archer novel I have read – but it won’t be
the last! I immediately ran to the library to check out the first two books in
the series. I would wholeheartedly recommend A Conspiracy of Wolves to anyone
who enjoys historical fiction and/or mysteries.
About the Author
I’m Candace Robb, a writer/historian engaged in creating fiction about the late middle ages with a large cast of characters with whom I enjoy spending my days. Two series, the Owen Archer mysteries and the Kate Clifford mysteries, are set in late medieval York. The Margaret Kerr trilogy is set in early 14th century Scotland, at the beginning of the Wars of Independence. Two standalone novels (published under pseudonym Emma Campion) expand on the lives of two women in the court of King Edward III who have fascinated me ever since I first encountered them in history and fiction.
I am a dreamer. Writing, gardening, walking, dancing, reading, being with friends—there’s always a dreaming element.
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a Hardcover copy of A Conspiracy of Wolves by Candace Robb! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on August 15th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
Conspiracy of Wolves
The Love in Provence characters are celebrating a glorious spring on the Côte d’Azur. There are sweet-smelling blossoms, buds bursting into bloom, explosions of golden mimosa, dazzling sunshine, a shimmering sea… and a worrying disappearance! A hidden past is uncovered and shocking truths are revealed. But life goes on. Kat and Philippe welcome their first B&B guests to the Villa and continue to be busy with other demands, all the while keeping hope alive as police search for their friend. A special request from Simone and an unexpected appearance turn a planned motorcycle trip in Corsica into so much more. Springtime at the Villa des Violettes is filled with secrets and surprises.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patricia Sands
lives in Toronto,
but her heart's other home is the South of France.
An avid traveler, she spends part of each year on the Cote d'Azur
and once a year leads a women- only tour of the Riviera and Provence.
Her award-winning 2010 debut novel, The Bridge Club,
is a book club favorite.
The Promise of Provence,
which launched her three-part Love in Provence series
was a finalist for a 2013 USA Best Book Award and a 2014 National Indie Excellence Award,
an Amazon Hot New Release in April 2013,
and a 2015 nominee for a #RBRT Golden Rose award in the category of romance.
Drawing Lessons, Sands’ fifth novel, also set in the south of France,
was released by Lake Union Publishing on October 1, 2017.
Book Two in her new mini-series, A Season of Surprises at The Villa des Violettes, releases June, 2019.
Patricia also contributes to such Francophile websites as The Good Life France and Perfectly Provence.
Connect with Patricia on Facebook,
on Twitter, on Instagram,
or on her website,where there are links to her books, social media, and the women’s tour she leads each summer in Provence, based on her novels.
Sign up for her monthly newsletterthat has special giveaways and sneak peeks at her next book. She would love to hear from you.
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Fifteen years ago, Heidi White’s parents were shot to death
on their Bad Axe County farm. The police declared it a murder-suicide and
closed the case. But that night, Heidi found the one clue she knew could lead
to the truth—if only the investigators would listen.
Now Heidi White is Heidi Kick, wife of local baseball legend
Harley Kick and mother of three small children. She’s also the interim sheriff
in Bad Axe. Half the county wants Heidi elected but the other half will do
anything to keep her out of law enforcement. And as a deadly ice storm makes it
way to Bad Axe, tensions rise and long-buried secrets climb to the surface.
As freezing rain washes out roads and rivers flood their
banks, Heidi finds herself on the trail of a missing teenaged girl. Clues lead
her down twisted paths to backwoods stag parties, derelict dairy farms, and the
local salvage yard—where the body of a different teenage girl has been
carefully hidden for a decade.
As the storm rages on, Heidi realizes that someone is
planting clues for her to find, leading her to some unpleasant truths that
point to the local baseball team and a legendary game her husband pitched years
ago. With a murder to solve, a missing girl to save, and a monster to bring to
justice, Heidi is on the cusp of shaking her community to its core—and finding
out what really happened the night her parents died.
My Take:
I was very excited for the chance to read this novel by John
Galligan, who I learned is a Wisconsin author. The description of the novel piqued
my interest and I was not disappointed.
Bad Axe County is a dark, twisting kind of crime/mystery/suspense
novel. While it is very dark and grim, I was completely drawn into Interim
Sheriff Heidi Kick’s search for an endangered girl and the man who has her
during a fierce spring ice storm – all while also trying to solve the mystery
of her parents’ supposed murder-suicide and a long ago missing girl case.
Heidi Kick is a great heroine – she has her issues, for
sure, but she is smart, determined and tough as nails. She has a lot to contend
with besides the endangered girl case. She is the first female to act as
sheriff in Wisconsin and at least half of the county wants to make sure she doesn’t
get to keep the job. Heidi finds there was a lot of corruption within the sheriff’s
department before the sheriff’s death and she is determined to find out how far
it went.
The area has a major drug problem as well as human
trafficking. There is much that makes this a difficult book to read. It gives a
very frank and graphic description of the predicament of some of the girls who
are run through the area and what happens to them. Grim stuff. But the story is
compelling and I was completely pulled into Heidi’s investigations.
After reading through much of the night to finish the book,
I was haunted by the story for a long while afterwards. The writing is beautiful
despite much of the subject matter. I would love to read more by Galligan. I
can’t believe this is the first book of his that I’ve read.
About the author:
Photo credit: Johnny Ring
JOHN GALLIGAN is the author of the novels Red Sky, Red
Dragonfly, The Nail Knot, The Clinch Knot, The Wind Knot, and Bad Axe County.
He lives and teaches writing in Madison, Wisconsin.
Website: https://www.johngalligan.com/
BAD AXE COUNTY by John Galligan
Atria Hardcover | ISBN: 9781982110703| On sale: July 9, 2019 | 336 pages |
$26.00
eBook: Atria | ISBN: 9781982110727 | On sale: July 9, 2019 | 336 pages | $13.99
eAudio: Atria | ISBN: 9781508294245 | On sale: July 9, 2019 | 336 pages |
$19.99
Ingrid Hahn is a failed administrative assistant with a B.A. in Art History. Her love of reading has turned her mortgage payment into a book storage fee, which makes her the friend who you never want to ask you for help moving. Though originally from Seattle, she now lives in the metropolitan DC area with her ship-nerd husband, small son, and four opinionated cats. When she’s not reading or writing, she loves knitting, theater, nature walks, travel, history, and is a hopelessly devoted fan of Jane Austen.
