Chanticleer Book Reviews

Category: Reviews

A BIT of CANDY in HARD TIMES by Blaine Beveridge – Historical Fiction, Political, Prohibition, Pacific Northwest

It’s midnight in May and Prohibition is the law of the land. A boat packed with Canadian liquor is racing through the waters off Portland, Maine, and a heavily-armed US Coast Guard Cutter is in hot pursuit—hungry for another kill. The smugglers are about to get paid for their sins—one way or another.

Emmett Dougal has a penchant for working on boats the Coast Guard loves to shoot at. As he hits bottom and realizes he’s out of options, he returns to his home turf near Seattle weighed down by an identity crisis—Emmett’s a wanted man. Even his brother, a county sheriff, swears out a warrant against him. It’s hard to survive when you’re always looking over your shoulder, or your only skill sets involve fishing and smuggling. To make matters worse, he doesn’t even have a boat.

Blaine Beveridge’s initial foray into the world of fiction is a winner with his smooth, confident, and engaging writing style. A Bit of Candy in Hard Times is set in a time where alcohol was illegal, but people wanted it more than ever and were willing to pay handsomely for it.

Beveridge’s clever yet restrained use of syntax and vocabulary is smart, entertaining, and brings the settings, characters, and story alive, grabbing the reader immediately and never lets go. He displays real talent for crafting vivid, yet measured descriptions of the Puget Sound area, boats, fishing styles and equipment, residences of the poor to the affluent, and other items that resurrect the Prohibition era. Of note is his solid and consistent artistry crafting bright, vibrant scenes ranging from a ride at Coney Island, to a seedy bar where a man can buy bootleg beer, attending an opulent holiday celebration, or the grittiness of a dark, waterside warehouse filled with illegal liquor and suspicious clientele.

The well-crafted characters are compellingly believable. As Beveridge trowels on the conflict his characters act, react, or rebel accordingly, adding delicious texture and tension to the story. Trust between parties can sometimes be measured in what remains in the bottle. The usual concrete line between right and wrong is about as real as the yellow brick road. Characters stagger between moral and immoral guided only by the immediate situation, mood, relationships, or the amount of money or liquor involved.

Beveridge is an award-winning screenwriter, an alumnus of The Writer’s Program at UCLA, former Program Administrator for Film and Television at UCLA Extension, served as an executive board officer of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, and a US Army Vietnam Veteran.

A Bit of Candy in Hard Times starts with a bulls-eye and enthralls to the last page. It’s tough to put down, so arrange your schedule accordingly. You’ll be waiting for Beveridge’s next book.

September 8, 2017
DEAD SILENT: An ELIZA GORDON MYSTERY by Amy Beth Arkawy – Cozy Mystery, Amateur /Woman Sleuth

Cleverly plotted and well-paced, Amy Beth Arkawy’s Dead Silent: An Eliza Gordon Mystery will satisfy the appetite of cozy mystery readers and gourmets alike, especially those who enjoy an occasional side of gossip with their novel.

The story picks back up in the small town of Goodship, New York, where Eliza Gordon, former soap star, serves up the daily specials at her restaurant dutifully named “Soup Opera.” A popular eatery, she and her sidekick, Midge Sumner, can’t help but overhear the daily drama spilled by the town locals as they argue and bicker about the latest rumors posted on The Goodship Grapevine, the town’s toxic new gossip site.

Eliza’s life outside work is on the up-and-up, as she and her boyfriend, Tom Santini, the town’s police chief, entertain the idea of moving in together. But things get put on hold when ill-received radio jockey Paul Hackett is found strangled to death with his headphone cord wrapped around his neck in the studio of WHSP. The only evidence police have to go on are the initials V.O.S. scrolled on the studio mirror in red lipstick.

Was it Victoria Salinger, Hackett’s third ex-wife, who scrolled her initials at the scene of the crime? Or were they written with the same lipstick worn by his latest fling, the young and alluring studio assistant, Ashley Hoyns? From there the list of possible suspects only grows, and the table is set for a classic whodunit mystery, as Eliza and Midge get back into their usual swing of finding clues.

Hackett’s murder isn’t the only mystery in the story, either. A secretive cult is going around releasing fliers that urge people to join “The Silent.” What’s more, Jonas, the mysterious playboy brother of Eliza’s late husband, is back in town and his motives seem to be beyond the scope of simply collecting the family estate – it doesn’t help that Eliza is beginning to grow feelings for her newly arrived brother-in-law.

Dead Silent makes for a great cozy read, perfect for the beach or any occasion when you have a couple of hours of free time. The plotline and ongoing suspense will keep fans of the genre quickly turning the pages and leave them satisfyingly entertained.

This is the second book in the Eliza Gordon Mystery series, between Killing Time and Murder, She Tweets. Arkawy is also the author of several plays, including Psychic Chicken Soup (McLaren Comedy Award nominee) and Listening to Insomnia: Rage Amongst Yourselves. Her work had been produced in New York City and featured in several anthologies.

Arkawy’s skills as a playwright sit center stage as she effortlessly seams together fast, witty dialogue between the colorful characters who make up the town of Goodship. The culinary delights described throughout the novel are brilliantly provided in a recipe file at the end of the book. A smart move that is sure to leave readers’ mouths watering and clamoring for next book in the Eliza Gordon Mystery series.

“If you’re hungry for a fast, fun and deadly cozy mystery, Amy Beth Arkawy’s Dead Silent, the second book in the Eliza Gordon Mystery series is what’s on the menu.” – Chanticleer Reviews

September 6, 2017
The ROMANCE DIET: BODY IMAGE and the WARS WE WAGE on OURSELVES by Destiny Allison – Memoir, Weight Management, Body Image

A woman struggling with external self-image finds that inner self-awareness is the true key to permanent, meaningful reshaping, in Destiny Allison’s unusual, memorable true story, The Romance Diet – Body Image and the Wars We Wage on Ourselves.

Happily married and successful, metal sculptor Destiny Allison was forced to give up her chosen profession when an unexpected health disaster—damage to her spine— took its toll. A year later, after fighting with pain and subsequent weight gain, she was further devastated to learn that her cholesterol was dangerously high. Fortunately, she found support from her husband, Steve, a thriving entrepreneur. Having gained a lot of unnecessary pounds himself, and concerned about his wife’s declining health, he agreed to go on a diet with her. At first, it didn’t seem too difficult; the couple would simply order or prepare one meal and split it. They took up dancing at nightclubs, reviving lost youthfulness as the pounds disappeared. The exercise made their bodies more attractive; their sex life regained its energy.

Gradually, though, the process began to fray. Destiny, now running her own business in cooperation with her spouse, wanted more credit for the work she did but began to notice that clients and colleagues always preferred to do business with the man. Steve, innocently, basked in the attention and took his superior status for granted. His wife began to suspect, was sure, that he was having an affair. As their relationship fractured, it became increasingly difficult, sometimes impossible, to communicate. Destiny felt that she was the one always conceding and sacrificing. Things came to a head when she was molested by a man in one of the bars where the couple liked to show off their sometimes suggestive dancing feats. The incident brought back memories of a rape that happened when she was still in her teens, and Steve’s attempts to console her turned into a shared nightmare.

Told with utter frankness, The Romance Diet reveals, what Allison describes as “…my personal hell, my deepest shame.” Women will recognize and learn from the many ways that this bold, feminist autobiographer examines her many rationalizations, her self-abnegating strategies for getting along with men, and most importantly, readers will share Destiny’s growing sense of pride and empowerment as she learns that these tactics are not necessary, either in casual social context or in the center of a hard-won, long term, committed relationship.

Author (Shaping Destiny, Pipe Dreams, Bitter Root) Allison has developed her artistry as a well-practiced wordsmith, but just as importantly, here she demonstrates her ability as an explorer of that perilous country, the mind. She and Steve lost weight, nearly lost their marriage, and were able to recoup the companionship and mutual sense of responsibility that marriage requires without the extra pounds—all in all, a truly remarkable accomplishment.

In this highly emotive memoir, a couple’s shared commitment to improvement takes longer and hurts more than originally planned, but the result is a new, better and brighter promise—one that can endure in Destiny Allison’s The Romance Diet.

September 6, 2017
DEATH of a DIVA: from BERLIN to BROADWAY by Brigitte Goldstein – Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

An innocent man is charged with the murder of a stage diva in 1941. Misia Safran’s mission is to save him while unraveling the layers of a woman’s life she idolized, in Brigitte Goldstein’s exceptionally well-researched novel, Death of a Diva: From Berlin to Broadway.

Misia Safran stops in a horrified state of shock in front of a newsstand, headlines reading: Stella Berger brutally murdered in her dressing room! Stella was Misia’s mentor, and as heartbroken as she is, the police are charging an innocent man in her murder and she must do everything in her power to save him.

The police investigation begins when two New York City Police Officers take Misia into custody for questioning. The two detectives’ interrogation turns verbally abusive and threatening body language before she is finally released, remaining under suspicion as an accomplice. Her motivation to take every risk, investigate every clue, and follow every trail to the end anchors her determination to exonerate an innocent man, restore her good name, and punish the real villain who killed Stella Berger.

The murder of Misia’s beloved Stage Star is the axle that turns the wheel of the story. Misia’s long journey begins, wading through uncertain relationships with friends (or are they foes?) and uncovering dark conspiracies. She examines each possible culprit for motive and studies their behavior throughout her search for the true killer. Energized during the eras of WWI and WWII, the murder mystery is rich in character studies, historical accounts, and plot twists.

Misia Safran, a German Jewish immigrant, escaped the pending cruelties of Hitler, and experiences double doses of prejudice from a few in America. The Diva, Stella Berger, was also a German (but kept her Jewish heritage a secret) who had emigrated to America because of her open and vocal hatred of Hitler and the Nazis during her monologues after every stage performance.

Brigitte Goldstein presents a sharp analysis of events from the big picture to the minute – often, stream of consciousness – detail, revealing her historical expertise and keen research skills. Readers who appreciate the intricacies of the English language and sophisticated prose will enjoy Goldstein’s work. A dictionary might enhance the enjoyment for some readers as the author does utilize German and French in her dialogue.

The author’s unique style manages intricate character studies via mini-memoirs for each key player. The reader gains an understanding of their involvement, motivation and actions surrounding the winding twists of the tale, and their relationships to each other.

The proof reading is near perfect and the story proceeds at a good pace and grips the reader—Death of a Diva is a mystery novel hard to put down. The resolution closes the case and though it may take time, we believe the damaged hearts might heal. Brigitte Goldstein is an author to watch.

August 28, 2017
A CHERRY BLOSSOM in WINTER by Ron Singerton – Historical Fiction, Literary, War/Military, Romance

The story behind any war is a difficult one to tell. A Cherry Blossom in Winter by Ron Singerton takes us into not just one, but two, cultures at the turn of the last century in an attempt to show us both sides of a decisive naval conflict that would shape both countries and people for years to come.

Alexei Brusilov is a young man destined for a talented future. He is bright and courageous, lightning-quick with a saber, and longs to join the Russian Naval Academy at the turn of the 20^th century. Like his father before him and many nobles of the Russian court of Tsar Nicholas II, Alexei sees his path as a military one, full of honor and discipline. Trouble always begins at home, however, as Alexei’s best friend becomes involved with Marxist revolutionaries ready to overthrow the Tsarist regime. Luckily, elements beyond his youthful control are in motion and before he can be caught for treason, Alexei will find himself in another world, another culture, and called upon to use all of his wits for the sake of love.

Ron Singerton’s book, A Cherry Blossom in Winter, is a blending of historical and romantic fiction as we follow the young Russian Alexei to Japan and his first true test of manhood. He is there to accompany his father, Count Brusilov, a man of violent temper who disdains all things Japanese. But politics are politics, and all hints are pointing to a coming war between their two countries. It could be strategically important for young naval officers to understand Japanese in the near future, but Alexei’s goals are of a more personal nature. Readers will struggle with him as he attempts to make friends and learn the language, absorbed by the beauty and culture he sees. High Society, Religion, and Honor will all have different definitions by the time Alexei unexpectedly returns home.

Yet the Moscow court and the Tsar have not been idle. A violent peasant revolution seems closer to reality all the time, as Alexei enters the Academy on the cusp of a family crisis. Everything seems to be on the verge of great, though not necessarily peaceful, change as the young man, now a brave naval cadet, attempts to finish school.

In this way, Singerton’s book does a great job in presenting this pre-war time as one of both personal and national conflict. History buffs need only go to the official record to discover the facts, the dates, and the battle locations of the Russo-Japanese war, but A Cherry Blossom in Winter works hard to make it a visceral experience. By pulling in the geopolitics of the beginning of the last century, along with developments such as the introduction of Marxist ideology, the near-collapse of Russian court nobility, anti-Jewish pogroms, the mistreatment of Russian peasants, and widespread anti-Asian sentiment, the overall effect is a slow-build to the climatic and brutal naval battle. Singerton’s use of the actual historic names for places, battle ships, and generals on both sides of the conflict also help the reader to feel right in the middle of that dangerous time. And yet the wartime reality is carefully balanced with not just one, but several love stories. Passion, whether for love or war, is keenly portrayed.

Complex in its historical scope and list of characters, A Cherry Blossom in Winter is more successful in understanding men at war than the background love stories. This book won’t be for every romance reader as the plot points issue from exceptionally visceral entanglements – however, history buffs and those who love wartime epics will devour the read. Reminiscent of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, readers will journey through an emotional landscape as dangerous as the raging battles themselves.

August 26, 2017
A MATTER of JUSTICE by Keith Tittle – Mystery & Suspense, Thriller

When Jefferson Dawes is called in on a cold case, he will be forced to revisit his past – both professional and personal. His old friend and former workmate Alex Burwell, now deceased, was sure that Jeff was the right man to investigate a series of suspicious “accidental” deaths, all linked directly to a trial that took place three years ago. Those deaths now include Burwell’s own mysterious demise.

Three years ago, a nice young man with no blot on his name was imprisoned when circumstantial evidence piled up to convict him of a brutal, sexually tinged killing. He never denied the crime. He died in prison. Now the judge who tried the case, the jury foreman, and several others connected to the conviction are also dead, each lost to freak happenings: a boat explodes; a man jumps off a bridge; a body is found in a rental car.

Tough-minded District Attorney Cynthia Orbison, who sees bonds of coincidence between the current killings and a vicious Latino drug lord she is trying to bring down, hires Jeff away from his job with a security firm and sets him up in his former workplace among her staff. He’s tasked with using his investigative skills to go through the evidence Alex compiled before he suddenly passed away. Cynthia gives Jeff a team: Samantha, or Sam, young, smart and anxious to prove herself; and Paul, a little older, seasoned and cautious. Their lives are at risk despite measures taken to keep the case under wraps. And even as they plug away at a solution, a methodical killer is stalking and slaying more hapless victims.

Tying all the threads together will be Jeff’s job, as he examines a jumble of apparently unrelated facts. He discerns links to the Russian mafia, Latin drug cartels, and some sad but very human motivations that have remained hidden over the years. As the team gathers testimony from various witnesses, Dawes sees the circle tightening around one suspect whose deviant brilliance may yet prevent the hoped-for apprehension.

Author Keith Tittle rings all the challenges in this complex, gripping mystery. His story combines diverse elements lending the story opportunity for multiple mayhem. Jeff Dawes is a believable hero – determined, diligent, dogged by past failures that spur him to try harder. The setting – Portland, Oregon, with its scenic natural environs makes for a variety of well-staged scenarios.

A gripping, page-turning novel poised to entertain thriller fans across a wide spectrum. A Matter of Justice by Keith Tittle provides the lead-in for a new series from a promising new author.

August 26, 2017
WILLOW’S DISCOVERY by Joanne Jaytanie – Romantic Thriller, Military, Genetic Engineering

More danger lurks around the Winters Corporation with Willow as the next target in Willow’s Discovery, book three of the romantic thriller series by Joanne Jaytanie.

Willow enters her office one morning to find it completely trashed. Fortunately for them, the Winters Corporation’s files weren’t touched. But Wyatt Farraday, Tristan’s brother, believes that this was an inside job and he thinks Willow should use her newfound aura skills to interview the corporation’s staff in an attempt to uncover a mole. The interviewing process leads to clues that Biotec (connected to the infamous Kaleidoscope Group) is indeed spying on the Winters Corporation.

Meanwhile, Willow plans to meet with a potential buyer for her parent’s old complex. But when she gets there, things go from eerie to dangerous as a strange man attempts an attack. Although Willow narrowly escapes, she can’t shake the memory of the event – which is understandable – but moreover, there is something about the man that seems familiar… Willow is shocked to realize she knows the man’s voice. Now, if only she can place it.

Willow’s experience is nothing less than unnerving. Yet, she has no idea that there will be more attempts on her life. Amid unsettling scenes, a burgeoning romance ripens between Willow and her protector, Wyatt. Whether or not Wyatt can successfully shield her from harm remains to be seen, especially when she finds herself face-to-face with her stalker.

Winters series’ fans have much to look forward to in Jaytanie’s third installment. Willow’s Discovery is a nail-biter and as more familial secrets surface, danger mounts for Willow! Jaytanie surrounds Willow with both favorite and dark characters from the previous novels—plus a few new members—and then places her cast within settings that are a balanced mix of engaging dialogue, suspense, romantic tension, and steamy love scenes. Of course, as with Victory and Payton in books one and two, Willow not only discovers but also must find a way of embracing her own set of telepathic abilities in order to survive the road ahead.

Joanne Jaytanie aptly incorporates back-stories from the previous books a little at a time and savvy readers new to the series will want to go back and read from the beginning. Each book is truly a stand-alone story, but readers of the romantic thriller genre won’t want to miss one word of Jaytanie’s hot, steamy action scenes and compelling storylines. Jaytanie closes Willow’s Discovery with an eye-opening cliffhanger—a perfect set-up for book four, Corralling Kenzie.

Thrilling and tantalizing, Joanne Jaytanie’s third book in the Winters Sisters series, is sure to please loyal fans and have new readers begging for more in Willow’s Discovery.

August 24, 2017
UNDER an ENGLISH HEAVEN by Alice Boatwright – Cozy Mystery, Amateur/Woman Sleuth

Can a Californian College Professor find true love with her English Vicar husband while under suspicion of murder in his small town?

Under an English Heaven – An Ellie Kent Mystery by Alice K Boatwright is a cozy mystery with a very American protagonist set in a very English village. Ellie Kent is said American, newly married to the village Vicar, Reverend Graham Kent. It’s the second marriage for both of them. Ellie is a former University English Classics Professor from California and her husband, Graham oversees St. Michael’s and All Angels’ Church in Little Beecham and is the widowed father of a college-age daughter.

Ellie is also a skeptic about faith, something her new husband seems bemused by. Although she has taken to wearing tweeds and walking the Jack Russell named Hector, Ellie can’t help but feel out of place in the shadow of Graham’s first wife, Louise, whom all the village seemed to hold in the highest esteem. Louise also was the one many of the congregation turned to with their secrets. As Ellie says to her new husband in the very beginning of the novel “No matter what I wear I’ll never be Mrs. Vicar of Little Beecham. People will always think of me as the young wife who snared you on that unfortunate sabbatical in California”.

Ellie is just settling in when she finds a body in the graveyard next to the vicarage after some mischief in the church on Halloween Night. No one in town seems to know the man, but his new British clothes are at odds with his worn Italian underwear (this is important to the plot…I promise).

As with most cozy mysteries, the police suspect Ellie for the simple reason that her first husband was an Italian-American poet and they once lived in Italy, and she is a “foreigner”.

When another death occurs, and Ellie is given a found book of Italian poetry written by the first victim, the mystery deepens and Ellie finds herself trying to figure out who the killer is while also trying to figure out her place in the village, the church and in her marriage, while also trying to stay out of jail.

The events of the novel start the day before Halloween and extend to Remembrance Day (November 11^th) including All Saints Day, All Souls Day, and Bonfire Night-a tribute to the failed gunpowder plot of Guy Fawkes (made famous in the graphic novel and film “V for Vendetta”). Each of these days are unique celebrations for an American experiencing them for the first time.

Twists and turns a plenty, along with great pacing and quirky characters, make Under an English Heaven an entertaining classic cozy mystery. Boatwright adds just the right amount of descriptions of the bucolic village landscape and teas to make any one who loves all things British happy juxtaposed against an adventuresome contemporary American amateur sleuth. A second delectable Ellie Kent Mystery is promised sometime this year.

August 23, 2017
The TOWERS of TUSCANY by Carol Cram – Literary, Historical Fiction, Pre-Italian Renaissance

Powerful written and richly depicted, historical fiction novel, The Towers of Tuscany by Carol Cram brings to life 14^th century Sophia, a talented artist who must find a way to continue her art in secret or have her life put in danger.

“The bells for nones caught her by surprise…,” drawing Sofia’s mind away from the panel of the Nativity she is painting. She rises, steps over to the narrow tower window, and gazes out across the towers of San Gimignano, in central Tuscany. It is mid-afternoon of a day in March 1338.

In little more than a page, Carol Cram’s expertly crafted prose transports us across time and space to Sofia’s world. But what we find is not exactly what we might have expected—at least, not I. Sofia is assailed by the pounding of hammers and clanging of iron tools deriving from the endless construction in this rapidly growing town. The air is filled with dust, causing her to squint. Her tower view is so filled with other towers that she has but a tiny, oblique view of the countryside beyond the city walls. She longs to escape the cacophony.

Hearing her husband below, Sofia does not smile. He was once her Romeo, but not after their marriage. Now she longs to escape Giorgio’s brutish sexual assault on her body night after night, as well as his rigid control over her daily life. At this moment, his angry voice assaults her sensibility: “Wife! What the devil are you doing up there?” She gasps, fearful that Giorgio will learn she is painting and destroy her work! (In the fourteenth century, well-married women were forbidden to engage in “manual” activities.) She hurriedly wipes her hands and scrambles down the tower ladder.

Thus begins the saga of Sofia, daughter of a master painter who, behind closed doors, taught her from early childhood how to draw and paint. Still in secret, she now works as his apprentice. While Maestro Antonio Barducci is often overtly critical of her work, he is aware that her skill might one day surpass his own, though how she could continue to employ it after he is gone is a quandary contemplated by both. That time arrives sooner than either expected when local political violence leads to Barducci’s death.

Her father’s dying words reveal a way forward for Sofia, though it turns out to be not an easy one. Leaving Giorgio through subterfuge, she escapes to Siena disguised as a boy (named Sandro, from Alessandro), and her artistry continues in the painting workshop of her father’s friend, Maestro Manzini. Sofia/Sandro lives with few amenities and no small danger of discovery, which could end her life. But, she is painting again, and nothing else matters—at least not for the time being.

Cram cleverly takes advantage of the workshop setting to share with us some of the techniques and practices of pre-Renaissance painting, which was usually done on wooden panels (carefully smoothed and prepared with gesso), rather than canvas. Paints were made with pigments from natural substances—usually plants—mixed with urine and other materials, some of them poisonous. Painting in 14th century Italy could be dangerous work! Certain techniques are described by Maestro Barducci, whose fatherly voice Sofia often hears in her head, guiding her work as well as her life.

The best and worst parts of this dramatic, spellbinding work of historical fiction, with its many intriguing characters, deserves of your private reading—every word of it. Readers will find delight in a delicious love story, horror in a representation of the deadly bubonic (black) plague that decimated a large part of the European population of that time, and, in the end, a hint of peace and hope for the future.

Carol Cram, the author of The Towers of Tuscany and A Woman of Note, is lauded for her skillful and colorful writing, intricate weaving of a many-faceted plot, and minute attention to the details of daily life in a Europe approaching the Renaissance—all in a read you’ll not forget.

One woman clandestinely practices her art, risking not only her reputation but her life, in pre-renaissance Italy. Carol Cram presents a masterpiece in prose with historical fiction novel, The Towers of Tuscany. A must read!

August 15, 2017
HEART-SCARRED by Theo Czuk – Literary Western, Coming of Age

Author Theo Czuk provides a refreshing wave of storytelling in his award-winning literary Western debut novel, Heart-Scarred.

Rory Casso works as a shotgun freighter with the Pinkerton Detective Agency alongside his partner, Juke Bauque, running capital (i.e., money, furs, gold) up and down the Platte for the Reynolds Savings and Loan payroll. Because bandits lay traps along the way, the partners travel separately. Rory, who lived among the Hunkpapa Indian tribe when he was a boy, uses his skill of trail scouting to keep away from the gang. Juke may be part Native American, but he isn’t familiar with indigenous skills since he was “privately tutored and socially cultured.”

Enter Bronwyn Mason, a childhood friend of Rory’s who plans to open the first one-room school house in Rawlings. Although she hasn’t seen Rory in years, Bronwyn is relieved to meet Rory’s partner, Juke so that she can hire him to be one of her drivers to transport three wagon loads of school material. Bronwyn’s joy about establishing a school house quickly turns to sorrow when she hears that the Thompson gang murdered her father, the esteemed Marshal Isham Mason. Even though she is grief-stricken, she is determined to fulfill her mission. Bronwyn’s traveling band faces various calamities en route, especially when they get held up by Indian warriors. What she doesn’t expect is that the person who comes to the rescue is none other than Rory. Romance blooms between the childhood friends and all appears to go well until the Thompson gang catches up with them.

Western enthusiasts in search of a refreshing take on their favorite genre have much to look forward to in Czuk’s award-winning novel. Czuk adds verisimilitude to his story by incorporating a host of realistic characters. Veering away from stereotypes, Czuk presents protagonists that mimic the educational and societal waves taking place during the mid to late 1800s.

Czuk creates three different people from three different educational backgrounds. Rory is a white man whose comes from a dysfunctional home but finds stability living among Native Americans. Juke, who is half black and half Native American, is brought up in the cultural surroundings of Boston—the antithesis of what would traditionally come out of western tribes. Bronwyn—who learned everything she needed to know about life through her father—in many respects reflects an “Annie Oakley” figure, but much more feminine.

There is more to the Old West than being chock-full of rough and tough characters. Much of the gruff personas came from merely surviving day to day. Czuk aptly weaves in plenty of historical information that shines a light on the differences of what life was like between the eastern and western territories. While pointing out Native American history (including connections with Ireland during the Great Potato Famine), Czuk gives attention to education, or the lack thereof, especially in the West, and thus Bronwyn’s desire to develop a one-room schoolhouse.

Czuk offers a well-balanced mix of storytelling, history, engaging dialogue, and thought-provoking themes that go beyond the good, bad and the ugly in his novel, “Heart-Scarred.”

August 15, 2017