July 2023 MBR The Historical Fiction Shelf

The Historical Fiction Shelf

Starring Adele Astaire
Eliza Knight
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063209206, $18.99, PB, 400pp

https://www.amazon.com/Starring-Adele-Astaire-Eliza-Knight/dp/0063209209

Synopsis: Adele Astaire was a glittering, glamorous star, dancing with her brother, Fred, endearing herself to audiences from New York to London. But although she is toasted by royalty and beloved by countless fans, Adele Astaire has dreams of a loving husband and a houseful of children. And when she meets Lord Charles Cavendish, her wishes may just come true - but at what cost?

Ever since Violet Wood could walk she's wanted to dance on the London stage. Befriended by Adele, filled with ambition, she is more than willing to make the sacrifices it will take to becomes a star herself, and her rags-to-riches hopes are within reach. But the road to fame is never easy.

From the fast-paced world of roaring 20s New York to the horrors and sacrifice of wartime London, Adele's and Violet's lives intertwine, and each must ask themselves is fame worth the price you must pay?

Critique: An expertly written World War II era biographical fiction novel, "Starring Adele Astaire" by Eliza Knight is a fully engaging read from cover to cover and one that will have a special appeal to readers with an interest in well-wrought fiction featuring truly memorable characters involved with an inherently fascinating and entertaining storyline. While highly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Starring Adele Astaire" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Eliza Knight (https://elizaknight.com) is an award-winning author whose love of history began as a young girl when she traipsed the halls of Versailles. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and Novelists, Inc., and the creator of the popular historical blog, History Undressed.

The Lost Diary of George Washington
Johnny Teague
Addison & Highsmith
Histria Books
www.histriabooks.com
9781592112005, $34.99, HC, 598pp

https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Diary-George-Washington-Revolutionary/dp/1592112005

Synopsis: With the publication of "The Lost Diary of George Washington: The Revolutionary War Years" by novelist Johnny Teague you are invited to travel by horse with the General, stay in his quarters, hear what he thinks, weigh upon his decisions, listen to his prayers, and fight by his side.

Sometimes he will sound redundant. You will realize this is because many of the problems he faced were repetitive. Sometimes there will be little action. This will bother you. Please keep in mind, it bothered him more. You will see him in anguish and distress. You will experience his frustrations.

You will grieve because of those who betrayed him. You will be a fly on the wall as he strategizes with his men. You will see some of those strategies carried out, while others were not executed. Even knowing the glorious outcome beforehand, you will see no possible way for victory to be had - until finally it is.

You will be surprised to learn that this stoic figure had an inner turmoil few have ever faced. In the end, because of his own writings, you will know General George Washington more for who he was, above and beyond what he did or what others have said. You will hear it from his lips, in his own words.

Critique: Although a work of fiction, in writing "The Lost Diary of George Washington: The Revolutionary War Years" novelist Johnny Teague has paid meticulous attention to historically accurate details. The result is a true 'you are there' experience for the reader. Especially and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Historical/Biographical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists tht "The Lost Diary of George Washington" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99).

Editorial Note: Dr. Johnny Teague (https://links.johnnyteague.com/home) is an author and historian, having earned five degrees, culminating with a doctorate in exposition from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

The Spectacular
Fiona Davis
Dutton
c/o Penguin Group USA
https://www.penguin.com
9780593184042, $28.00, HC, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Spectacular-Novel-Fiona-Davis/dp/0593184041

Synopsis: New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion Brooks knows she should be happy. Her high school sweetheart is about to propose and sweep her off to the life everyone has always expected they'd have together: a quiet house in the suburbs, Marion staying home to raise their future children. But instead, Marion finds herself feeling trapped. So when she comes across an opportunity to audition for the famous Radio City Rockettes (the glamorous precision-dancing troupe) she jumps at the chance to exchange her predictable future for the dazzling life of a performer.

Meanwhile, the city is reeling from a string of bombings orchestrated by a person the press has nicknamed the "Big Apple Bomber," who has been terrorizing the citizens of New York for sixteen years by planting bombs in popular, crowded spaces. With the public in an uproar over the lack of any real leads after a years long manhunt, the police turn in desperation to Peter Griggs, a young doctor at a local mental hospital who espouses a radical new technique: psychological profiling.

As both Marion and Peter find themselves unexpectedly pulled in to the police search for the bomber, Marion realizes that as much as she's been training herself to blend in (performing in perfect unison with all the other identical Rockettes) if she hopes to catch the bomber, she'll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. In doing so, she may be forced to sacrifice everything she's worked for, as well as the people she loves the most.

Critique: Of immense appeal to readers with an interest in historical fiction and murder mysteries, "The Spectacular" by author Fiona Davis showcases her undeniable storytelling talents. Original, deftly crafted, and with more unexpected plot twists and turns than a Kansas tornado, "The Spectacular" is the stuff of which blockbuster movies are made and is unreservedly recommended for community library fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Spectacular" is also readily available in a digital book format ($14.99).

Editorial Note: Fiona Davis (https://www.fionadavisbooks.com) is the author of several novels, including The Dollhouse, The Address, The Masterpiece, The Chelsea Girls, The Lions of Fifth Avenue, and The Magnolia Palace. She is a graduate of the Columbia Journalism School.

A Story With No Name
Patricia Burks
TriMark Press
www.TriMarkPress.com
9798986550268, $13.12, PB, 141pp

https://www.amazon.com/Story-No-Name-Patricia-Burks/dp/B0C2S6783L

Synopsis: A family secret is revealed against the backdrop of Rural Mississippi of the 1920s, where freed African slaves mingled with settlers from outside America; where norms and values clashed when love was spoken -- and then broken. They met in front of the mansion and were photographed separately, sitting on the same lawn. It was a love that segregation could not end.

Critique: A deftly crafted novel of racial history and romance in the American South, "A Slavery With No Name" by author Patricia Burks showcases her genuine flair as a novelist for the kind of narrative driven storytelling that will keep and hold the reader's rapt attention from first page to last. A memorable read for fans of unique and very special historical romance stories, "A Slavery With No Name" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections.

Editorial Note: Patricia Burks has called Florida her home for the past three decades. Her other works include "Biography of Dr Irving Williams, I Was Really Walking Mom" and other short stories, to be published, and "Site of Conduction Delay and Electrophysiologic Significance of First Degree Heart Block in Children with Heart Disease."

The Snake That Did Not Bite: Nuriye's World
Louis Mitler
Canoe Tree Press
c/o DartFrog Books
https://dartfrogbooks.com/canoe-tree
9781951490133, $12.99 Paper, $4.19 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Snake-That-Did-Not-Bite/dp/1951490134

The Snake That Did Not Bite: Nuriye's World offers fictional reflections on about seventy years of Turkish history and change from the perspective of Ottoman aristocrat Nuriye, who speaks into a recording device to capture her memories.

Any anticipation that her voice or this history will be staid is immediately put to rest by the lively opening lines of Louis Mitler's story as the narrator reflects on her motivations for remembering, and the forces that try to thwart her efforts: "It is little closer to daylight than the three o'clock that, I believe Napoleon said, was the hour that frightened even his bravest generals when they awoke. The ghosts in the old house are silent tonight and not likely to contradict me when I talk into this machine. Rats scuttle through the walls while the clap-slap; slap-clap of the boots of the armed patrols has almost died away in the lane. We had another minor military pronouncement about two years ago and were forbidden to go out at night. I know that prohibition is not in force with all this rejouissance over the Bridge but no danger of me gadding about tonight."

From the start, the narrator's deeply personal experiences, her observations of living history in the making, and her reflections on the impact of social and political change on her life and position make for compelling reading - even for those who may know little about Turkish affairs or who lack an intrinsic attraction to the historical fiction genre.

Mitler's ability to capture a wise great aunt's recitations to her great niece introduces the work with the reason why she takes this time to document this point in her life: "Aylin, in far way America, you asked me to tell you about our family. Remember this rule in life: never ask a question if you are not prepared to hear the answer." Readers won't expect that this aristocrat will have encountered, interacted with, and influenced different cultures in the course of her life, from the religious ideas and influences of the Bambara African slave who helped rear her to the contrasting rigidity of her British governess and the restrictions on her role which are dictated by her Ottoman Empire heritage as Turkey enters the modern age. From questions about how an orderly society is to be regulated to the influences that separated the Turkish family and carried her nephew to America to study under a scholarship, these lively reflections are embedded with observation and emotion to attract and educate readers with rich descriptions and richer realizations about this bygone world and the cultural forces that separated families from ideals and status.

The Snake That Did Not Bite is one of the more attractive historical fiction works about this time and place. Steeped in Turkish history and affairs, yet requiring no prior familiarity of the times or region from those who might know little about either, The Snake That Did Not Bite crafts a compelling voice that builds a tale filled with thought-provoking events and fast action. All this is powered by a character able to step outside her status and role to see the end results of extraordinary events.

Libraries and readers seeking an evocative, moving work of historical inspection will find The Snake That Did Not Bite suitable for individual reading and group discussions about Turkish affairs and contrasting cultural influences.

The Rogue and the Jade
Steven Clark
Independently Published
9798375041155, $10.99 Paper, $5.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Rogue-Jade-Part-One/dp/B0BVDF6VT3

The Rogue and the Jade Part 1: A Buried Home opens with Amanda anticipating a rescue from the island she's stranded on, only to realize that the two-masted sloop is there to toss bodies overboard - not exactly the rescue opportunity she'd envisioned. Likewise, readers won't anticipate that a Regency romance could incorporate swashbuckling pirates, a woman survivor who is "an Eve, but one who quickly primed and loaded pistols," or the meeting of two spirited souls who harbor different ideals of their future, both separately and together.

Amanda's encounter with cocky, ambitious sailor Jack Hobb evolves into their alternate personas of "The Rogue and The Jade" as they join forces to forge new pathways of opportunity in their lives, only to find their ambitions thwarted by an opportunistic young lady and her mother, who see Amanda as a threat to their own visions of Jack's role in their lives. Killing another means nothing to Amanda. But can she thwart the dangerous influences of Lady Brayhope and her daughter Lucy, whose plots involve a way of eliminating Amanda for good?

Steven Clark does more than follow a relationship between two headstrong, ambition-seeking individuals. He charts the course of special interests and nautical lives whose disparate paths dovetail in unexpected ways, creating a novel that sings with action and confrontations both physical and mental. The clashes between personalities are compellingly described as these characters find they are often motivated by forces beyond their control: "I see now that Amanda must know why she is hated. To tell her," Claudia steepled her hands, "will complete our enmity. I will tell her when she is helpless and condemned, when all she strove for dashed and obliterated."

It should be noted that this story concludes with a cliffhanger (part of the word is literal). Readers can anticipate further action from a story which is set to end, but likely will live on in future books as Amanda faces the certainty of death and the end of her relationship with Jack. Steven Clark's vivid story of family ties, adversity in love and aspiration, and swashbuckling pirate and social encounters will delight Regency readers seeking novels steeped in the times and women who are powerful characters and adversaries.

Libraries and readers interested in action-packed encounters, emotionally charged romantic relationships, and historical backdrops will find The Rogue and the Jade Part 1: A Buried Home thoroughly involving, marked by satisfying twists and turns Regency novel readers won't see coming.

Paper Dolls
Robert Tucker
Tell-Tale Publishing Group, LLC
Wise Words Publishing
http://www.wisewordspublishing.com
9781952020254, $6.95 ebook, $35.00 Hardcover

https://www.amazon.com/Paper-Dolls-Robert-Tucker/dp/1952020255

The second book in Robert Tucker's Paper Dolls trilogy focuses on the high society lives and loneliness of Gwen and Tess Vanderveer, sisters who live in a Beacon Hill mansion in Boston in the 1930s and 40s, and whose distance from their family is as great as that of friends whose companionship doesn't withstand the test of time. As with the opening book, The Discontent of Mary Wenger, Tucker creates this story with an eye to capturing and exposing both societal pressures and the trials and tribulations of women who rebel against their seemingly set life courses, only to find them again changed by World War II.

Paper Dolls unfolds the drama behind Gwen and Tess's lives and the unexpected directions they take, but it's equally adept at exposing the undercurrents of rebellion and defiance which lie at the heart of each young woman's decisions and flight. The first-person revelations trace how these acts of defiance grow from small choices to bigger decisions, bucking societal and family pressures: "I was never sure how they became friends in the first place, because Tess and I weren't supposed to associate with "the riff raff" down the hill, as our mother called them. But since she almost never paid attention to us, we mingled anyway. Tess said 'Mother didn't tell us we couldn't mingle. So we're not associating. We're mingling.' Although I didn't understand the difference, Tess explained that associating meant going to parties, like Mother did. Mingling meant doing things with friends of our own choosing."

Issues of privilege build the story early on to form the foundation for events which solidify the then-radical nature of each sister's changing choices and progression. The contrast between how women acted and were perceived post-war versus its aftermath is particularly thought-provoking here. This compliments insights into the aristocracy in America, the interactions and motivations of characters who find themselves resisting expectations, and the circumstances which lead the sisters to both admire one another and struggle with envy, dominance, and independence. As these young women break free of the expectations surrounding them and enter into new and unfamiliar territory of personal and social achievement, Tucker's compelling story brings the times and their world to life.

Libraries looking for powerful historical fiction that captures the lives, motivations, and psyches of young women on the cusp of blossoming and transforming against their culture's expectations will find Paper Dolls both an excellent addition to the trilogy and a fine stand-alone story. The questions and issues it raises will attract book clubs interested in historical portraits of women changed by shifting society and personal ambition alike.

The Lost Books
Mo Conlan
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639888009, $17.99

https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Books-Romance-Adventure-Tudor/dp/1639888004

Historical novel readers attracted to tales set in Tudor times will find the characters, background history, and events that play out in The Lost Books - Romance and Adventure in Tudor Times a draw, but the real surprise of this story lies in its attraction and accessibility to those not well versed in this era. From its opening descriptive paragraph, Mo Conlan sets an atmosphere and history that seamlessly winds into surprises to draw readers gently into the times and the challenges one woman faces in navigating the romantic and political threads of her world: "When the large parcel arrived, Morwenna Goodwin was busy in the barn helping Da repair the sheep pen. She heard a commotion and ran to the front of their cottage, adjusting her kirtle and cap as she ran. This was a fine winter day in north Cornwall, a blessing amidst so many killing freezes that battered England in this reign of the Tudors."

The unexpected humor that immediately follows is just one fine example of a story in which romance does not evolve on expected paths, but fully embraces the devices of irony, wit, and a foray into different choices than is usually portrayed by historical novels depicting this era: "On the doorstep, Morwenna found a pear tree. In its branches sat a fat partridge, giving her a rather cheeky look. A scroll at the base of the tree read. "I would wed ye, dear heart. H. Truelove."

Well, isn't that just like him? she thought. Henry Truelove must think I am going to cook up this partridge into a pie for him and make him a pear posset. Hah!" Delightfully evocative from the start, it's immediately evident that this is no ordinary historical novel or romance, but a romp through Tudor times, culture, and expectations that involves men and women in a dance of discovery and transformation.

Religious figures and nefarious objectives towards wealth-building opportunities are not immune to Conlan's descriptive touches, which lay hands on the special interests that swirl through these times: "As he wound down his thunderous tirade, the Abbot made a small, dismissive gesture of his hand and in a less wrathful tone said, 'We ought, in Christian charity, give a tithe to holy folk turned out and beggared. I will attend to it.' He was thinking in terms of pence, not pounds." From the special trails of navigating "an upturned world in which popes and queens and holy houses did come and go" to Mistress Morwenna's foray into danger and a search for holy books that could change this world, Conlan creates a vivid saga of tumultuous times, political moves, social conundrums, and Henry Tudor's treatment of illuminated manuscripts, which are destroyed when he takes over England's rich monasteries and convents.

Conlan's intersection of personal and political special interests creates a vivid account of the times which is unexpectedly witty, historically enlightening, and a pleasure to read as Tom, Morwenna, Daniel, and others become immersed in the fate of holy books and their own souls. Libraries interested in choosing historical novels for genre readers that hold the rare potential to reach into a wider audience will find The Lost Books - Romance and Adventure in Tudor Times especially attractive for its lively characters and a sense of purpose and humor that makes the times come to life in unexpected ways. Simply delightful!

Enduv Road
Gwen Banta
Next Chapter
9798387368073, $32.99 Hardcover, $10.99 Paper, $4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Enduv-Road-Gwen-Banta/dp/B0BYR5PVV5

Enduv Road is a novel that follows the Jackson family's rich, unconventional journey through life, in which a sudden uprooting to Utah is sparked by eccentric Aunt Beaners' Ouija board messages.

Cimarron (Simmy) Jackson's journal begins the story in 1960 with the young teen's account of how her aunt's prediction of another impending holocaust unwittingly drives her family straight to a doomed rural town near Park City where an irrepressible and hilarious ranch hand becomes their life guide. Simmy and her younger brother, Lefty, find the impulsive family decision intriguing without knowing the underlying reason for this sudden move, an act motivated not only by Beaners' capricious predictions but also by the hidden truths behind secret lives.

As rich in Utah history as in its characters, Enduv Road is a generational study in contrasts that juxtaposes perspectives, experiences, honesty and lies. As Simmy and Lefty reach adulthood, this heart-warming saga creates a detailed and engrossing portrait of colorful and disparate family members that draws readers through excellent character development and the surprising twists that emerge from these contrasts in lives and realities.

Gwen Banta holds the uncommon ability to follow the evolution of family relationships in a manner that is at once eye-opening and compassionate. The revelations that rock the younger generations, whose history of their roots proves flawed, makes for thought-provoking introspection as the wise and lovable family members encounter changes in life and in each other: "My father just accepted the craziness because he knew that Arty and Beaners, who was my mom's older sister, had huge hearts, even though he would often wink and refer to them as the 'Hoover Twins' due to the 'big vacuum on their top floors.'"

Underlying themes of tolerance, discovery, and growth accompany this journey through intergenerational experiences as Enduv Road unfolds generous humor in its dialogues and life examinations: "Yeah yeah, I've heard all the tales," Simmy told Lefty in private, "and you really can't make up that kind of stuff. But he amuses me. There are so many people in his head it's always a party."

"Sure, we all get it, Sim. But a person could have a better conversation with fungus." "I know, Lefty, but every now and then, we hit on a topic on which he is surprisingly entertaining - from historical battles to random works of art and literature."

"Rick can read?" The result is a study in unforgettable characters whose lives are touched by love, truth, and a purpose to "squeeze the day" against all odds, shaping and maintaining the family and life connections that bring the characters full circle to present day and into new realities and revised ways of living.

Libraries and readers seeking an evocative, intergenerational story packed with whimsical personalities and fulfilling revelations will find Enduv Road a glorious journey well worth taking.

German Days
Steven Clark
Independently Published
9798840621165, $16.99 Paper, $4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/German-Days-Steven-Clark/dp/B0B71CCPP7

1930s Germany and its lasting legacy on the 1970s and GI Patrick Walden, who does his tour of duty in the country and discovers love and new challenges in his military service and the ongoing impact of the Nazi era, comes to life in German Days as author Steven Clark combines a love story, a coming-of-age tale, winding the account of Germany's history and ongoing impact and legacy into a story that sparkles with depth and insights as Patrick unwittingly enters into personal and political milieus well beyond his experience.

Clark cements these encounters with succinct dialogue that capture the character and nature of this world: "What's it like here?" "It's fucked up." He leads readers through a Germany still divided by both its past and the threat of Russian invasion as he follows Patrick's mission to go behind the Iron Curtain to retrieve a missing work of art that has obsessed his new lover Sieglinde with the possibilities it holds for healing Germany. Patrick's ultimate mission, however, circles around matters of the heart as well as the legacy of a war that has never really left Germany's borders.

As the legend and allure of Tannhauser comes to life and leads each character to step outside their comfort zone to effect return, readers receive a powerful education about German psyche and history that moves from World War II events to present-day angst over unresolved issues. The price of returning Tannhauser to its home may ultimately cost everything Patrick has newly envisioned for building a life in this strange new world.

Readers receive a powerful blend of intrigue, historical fiction, love story, and military observation in German Days, which supplements action with the psychological profiles and developments of characters who are all influenced by the ghosts of World War II -- whether they know it or not. Its literary and historical reflections makes German Days a strong recommendation not just for library acquisition, but for book club and reading group debate over modern German culture and life in the shadow of a war that ended over fifty years ago, but still holds influence today.

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