Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Best Books

  • The Official List of the Chanticleer 2014 Grand Prize Winners of the Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions

    The Official List of the Chanticleer 2014 Grand Prize Winners of the Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions

    Blue-Ribbons-300x2001.jpgWe are excited and honored to have announced the 2014 grand prize award winners at the second annual Chanticleer Authors Conference’s  Awards Banquet held on Tuesday, Sept. 29th, 2015 at the Hotel Bellwether by beautiful Bellingham Bay, Wash.

    Our next Awards Banquet will be held on April 30th, 2016, for the 2015 winners. Enter your book or manuscript in a contest, today!

     

    CBR– Discovering Today’s Best Books with the CBR BLUE RIBBON Writing Competitions!  

    The Chanticleer Grand Prize Award 2014 for Overall Best Book:

    Gregory Erich PhillipsThe Love of Finished Years (Manuscript) by Gregory Erich Phillips

    Gregory Erich Phillips was awarded the $1,000.00 Grand Prize Cash Award and the gorgeous Chanticleer Grand Prize Blue Ribbon along with his digital badge and golden stickers when the work is published. This is the first time a manuscript has won this prize!

     

    The Chanticleer Genre Grand Prize 2014 Winners are as follows:

    Enemy of Existence Yuan JurThe Cygnus Grand Prize for SciFi and Fantasy Fiction 2014 was awarded to: 

    Citadel 7, Earth’s Secret: Enemy of Existence
    by Yuan Jur

    View Cygnus Category 1st Place Winners

    five thousand brothers in law Shannon hagerThe Journey Grand Prize Ribbon for Narrative Non-fiction 2014 was awarded to:

    Five Thousand Brothers-In-Law: Love in Angola Prison
    by Shannon Hager

    View Journey Category 1st Place Winners

    The Only Clue Pamela BeasonThe M&M Grand Prize Ribbon for Mystery & Mayhem Fiction 2014 was awarded to:

    The Only Clue: A Neema Mystery
    by Pamela Beason

    View Mystery & Mayhem Category 1st Place Winners

    Legacy Jesikah SundinThe Dante Rossetti Grand Prize Ribbon for YA Fiction 2014 was awarded to:

    Legacy: Biodome Chronicles Book One
    by Jesikah Sundin

    View Dante Rossetti Category 1st Place Winners

    Gregory Erich PhillipsThe Chaucer Grand Prize Ribbon for Historical Fiction 2014 was awarded to:

    The Love of Finished Years (Manuscript)
    by Gregory Erich Phillips

    View Chaucer Category 1st Place Winners

    Not on My Mountain Jared McVayThe Laramie Grand Prize Ribbon for Western, Pioneer, Civil War Fiction 2014 was awarded to:

    Not On My Mountain
    by Jared McVay

    View Laramie Category 1st Place Winners

    Find Me Again Janet ShawgoThe Chatelaine Grand Prize Ribbon for Women’s Fiction and Romantic Fiction 2014 was awarded to:

    Find Me Again
    by Janet Shawgo

    View Chatelaine Category 1st Place Winners

    The Red Ribbon Rachel B LedgeThe CLUE Grand Prize Ribbon for Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Fiction 2014 was awarded to:

    The Red Ribbon
    by Rachel B. Ledge

    View CLUE Category 1st Place Winners

    An Ex to Grind In Deadwood Ann CharlesThe Paranormal Grand Prize Ribbon for Paranormal/Supernatural Fiction 2014 was awarded to:

    An Ex to Grind in Deadwood
    by Ann Charles

    View Paranormal Category 1st Place Winners

    The Manipulator Steve LundinThe Somerset Grand Prize Ribbon for Literary, Contemporary, & Mainstream Fiction 2014 was awarded to:

    The Manipulator
    by Steve Lundin

    View Somerset Category 1st Place Winners

    Now this is something to CROW about!

    Enter Your Book or Manuscript in a contest!

    Please note that the above awards are for submissions that we received in 2014. The award winners were acknowledge at the 2015 annual Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Banquet on Tuesday, Sept. 29th,2015.  The 2013 award winners were recognized at the inaugural Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards held September 2014. The winners of the 2015 Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions (works entered in 2015) will be recognized at the 2016 Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Banquet held in April 2016.

    We invite you to read the Chanticleer editorial book reviews of these stellar works. The reviews will be published on our website and in the Chanticleer Reviews online magazine. If they are not currently posted, they will be posted as they are reviewed! Congratulations, again, to the authors of these stellar works!   

    We are currently accepting works into the 2015 Paranormal and Somerset Writing Competitions and are accepting 2016 entries: CBR International Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

    We would like to thank our sponsors who make the Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions and the Chanticleer Authors Conference possible.

     

  • MURDER AT THE LEOPARD by R.M. Vassari and Lucia Olivia Lampe, a historical mystery novel

    MURDER AT THE LEOPARD by R.M. Vassari and Lucia Olivia Lampe, a historical mystery novel

    Many times, collaborative efforts by authors—especially with regard to their debut novel—suffer from fledgling attempts to master both the craft and the melding of two writing styles. Not so for this stunningly well-written, debut historical mystery.

    Murder at The Leopard, the first book in the Vespers Series set in Palermo, Italy during the thirteenth century, brings to life a fascinating time in European history. Vassari and Lampe have captured the essence of this era, providing a wonderfully complex tale of greed, past betrayals, revenge, and murder.

    With a deft hand and a talent for storytelling, the authors introduce you to a rich cast of characters, from local tavern owners to spies under the employ of a despot ruler. A simple farmer and his very pregnant wife travel to Palermo, hoping that God will grant their wish for a boy.

    A long-lost brother, an old crusader who has returned home after decades and harbors old secrets, accompanies them. A wealthy merchant sends his ne’er-do-well nephew to guide them on their journey whilst placing him under orders to spy on King Charles’ preparations for war. Local tavern and inn owners hope for good commerce during the upcoming Holy Week celebrations. Against this backdrop, an engaging and entertaining murder mystery unfolds.

    The main heroes of the Vespers Series are the tavern owners Ysabella de Rogerio and her charming husband Amodeus. In this first novel, they’ve timed the opening night of their new neighborhood tavern with Holy Week, to take advantage of the pilgrims who are flooding into Palermo. Unfortunately, the religious holiday also brings together old enemies, and the celebrations at The Leopard quickly turn serious when a wealthy merchant, Ludovico, is murdered. The sheriff arrives, and after a brief investigation, wrongfully arrests Amodeus for the crime.

    Soon after, a second murder occurs, further jeopardizing the reputation of The Leopard and the life savings Ysabella and Amodeus have poured into their tavern.

    It’s up to Ysabella to prove Amodeus is innocent, find the real killer, and save their business. As she begins to dig deeper into the lives of those involved, she uncovers past betrayals, greed, a thirst for revenge that hasn’t faded in the forty years since the Crusades, and even the dirty deeds of spies working to topple the current king.

    Vassari and Lampe have employed accurate historical detail—along with likable and complex characters that quickly become old friends—to give readers an entertaining and engaging read from the very first page. Highly recommended for those who love historical fiction or a good rousing mystery!

     

  • SECOND CHANCE by Linell Jeppsen, a western thriller

    SECOND CHANCE by Linell Jeppsen, a western thriller

    In the early years of the twentieth century, the northern woods of Idaho were known for their booming mining towns. Families filed and worked claims, hoping to make a decent living and create a home for themselves on the Western frontier. Unfortunately, those booming mining towns also had their fair share of crime. Claim jumping, the violent practice of stealing valuables and producing claims, was commonplace.

    In the fifth book of The Deadman series Second Chance, Linell Jeppsen uses this fascinating setting to craft a story about a trio of rich and powerful men who have made it their goal to acquire mining claims in Wallace, Idaho, using whatever means necessary. The local miners and their families who get in their way tend to end up dead.

    Matthew Wilcox, recently retired from law enforcement, has established a new detective agency with his son, Chance. He and Chance are just coming off their first case, a successful sting operation against an illegal boxing scheme. Matthew is looking forward to some relaxation and training sessions with a new stallion they’ve acquired. But the newly installed telephone rings, and the news on the other end isn’t good: Matthew’s lady friend, Annie Thurston, has been nearly beaten to death and her friend is murdered.

    This new case, Matthew quickly learns, is larger in scope than what he and Chance have handled in the past. What begins as a series of relatively simple-looking claim jumps and acts of violence  in the Northern Idaho woods ends up stretching all the way to the playgrounds of the rich and powerful in Seattle. The Wilcoxes are up against very powerful, very connected, evil villains.

    Jeppsen has written a fast-paced, entertaining historical mystery set in the Northwest in a timeframe that is unusual for the western genre—the early twentieth century.

    Using extensive research and her in-depth knowledge of the area, she provides an authentic blend of mystery and western genres, plenty of action, and even a bit of romance. Her ear for the vernacular of the time is dead-on, and her knowledge of the locales, from Idaho to Puget Sound, is clearly extensive.
    Readers will be drawn to the characters from the very beginning, and will enjoy spending time with them again as they take on a trinity of bad guys.  The Deadman series is an action-packed, engaging blend of western and mystery fiction not to be missed. 

  • LASTING, LEAVING, LEFT by Robin Dyke, a poetry collection

    LASTING, LEAVING, LEFT by Robin Dyke, a poetry collection

    Every experience is a brush stroke on our life’s canvas. When our life ends, the artwork is completed; what will we leave behind for the world to see? Robin Dyke’s collection of poetry Lasting, Leaving, Left penetrates the deeper questions of what it means to live: Will I make a lasting impression on the world? How has the world made a lasting impression on me?

    Dyke’s works are the perfect balance of poetic eloquence with modern language. Lasting, Leaving, Left will engage and inspire poets and non-poets who seek to reflect and question their lives.

    Dyke’s book is organized into three sections: Lasting, Leaving, and Left. The first section, Lasting, groups together poetry focused on memories or concepts that have emotionally influenced each poem’s speaker. Such ideas ranged from recollections of a deceased grandfather, to the relationship between war and humanity.  

    The next section, Leaving, discusses the different stages people go through in their lives. One of the most unique poems I found in this section described a person playing a pinball game. The individual goes through several strategies to win the game, but once it is over, a new game begins. As time passes, we constantly leave one moment to enter another.

    The last section of the book, Left, introduces the notion of what people have left behind when they are gone. The final poems of this collection leave the reader to question him or herself about how they live their lives. With every poem, the speaker is thoughtful and gently pushes the reader to contemplate such profound questions.

    While the poetry incorporated numerous literary devices, the level of diction is perfect for readers who are not die-hard poetry lovers. Dyke’s poems are inviting to read, but they still leave the audience with wonder and opportunity to reflect upon their own life experiences.

    Nonetheless, poetry fanatics will appreciate the simple, yet thought-provoking ideas Dyke presents. Pretentious vocabulary would only overshadow the rich and naked moments of life that his poetry illustrates.

    Lasting, Leaving, Left allows individuals to find themselves reflected in poetry and use it as a lens to look into their own way of living. Readers can relate to the moments when they have endured losing a loved one, felt true love, or wondered where their life is going. Poetry is intended to connect us with the different facets of humanity. It is a vital form of expression that brings awareness to our intellectual and emotional selves.

    Dyke calls himself an “imagined dream caster” and that “poetry is a new expression of his work as a consultant and educator.” The final notes by Dyke point out that with the three Ls of this book, there is one final L to consider: Living. Through every leg of life’s journey, we need to embrace each moment to the fullest.

    Dyke’s poetry offered me a different perspective of living; life is a fluid cycle that is beautiful in the pain and pleasure it brings. Lasting, Leaving, Left is a poetically pristine read for individuals searching for another viewpoint on how they live their lives, with a dash of alliteration and rhyme.

     

  • I REMEMBER HORSEBUNS by Rafe Mair, a historical memoir

    I REMEMBER HORSEBUNS by Rafe Mair, a historical memoir

    In this delightfully well-written, very personal memoir, Rafe Mair, who describes himself as a British Columbian first and a Canadian second, tells the story of his childhood and beyond as he grew up in Vancouver. Mair was a politician in Premier Bill Bennett’s cabinet in Victoria, then left politics behind to host the radio show Open Line. An opinionated commentator and a lover of history, Mair describes himself as having a “revolutionary bent.” His reminiscences of Vancouver and British Columbia during a time of great growth and change are insightful and fascinating.

    Mair begins his story on a humorous, explanatory note of the book’s title, recalling the early years of Vancouver, during which commodities such as bread, eggs, and milk were delivered to one’s door by horse-drawn wagons. One side effect of these deliveries was the frequent pile of “horsebuns” left behind in the street, which came in very handy for the fertilization of the “Victory Gardens” during the war! Mr. Mair also gives a humorous, yet serious definition of what it is to be a true British Columbian.

    Yet underneath the humorous anecdotes and light-hearted reminiscences, this memoir is a modern historical record of British Columbia and Canada, as told by a man who deeply understands the politics, culture and history of his homeland. He juxtaposes intimate portraits of his family with detailed renderings of events that shaped his hometown and province. His childhood, spent in Vancouver’s neighborhoods, provides a picture of the immigrant communities that became the foundation of the city’s modern, cosmopolitan culture. His love for his country, as well as his in-depth knowledge of it, shines through on every page.

    As an adult, Mair was active in fighting for or against legislation he strongly believed would aid or threaten the very survival of his province and its cities. These events are described with an insider’s understanding of what was at stake. Mair continues his work to this day, as an environmental activist and community leader.

    Readers of this memoir are entertained and also given an insightful rendering of Canada and its culture that they would never glean from reading history books. Highly recommended for Canadians who want a deeper understanding of the events that have shaped their country and culture, as well as for Americans who want to better know their neighbors to the north.

  • THE SEARCH OF GRACE by James Gottesman, a suspenseful women’s fiction novel

    THE SEARCH OF GRACE by James Gottesman, a suspenseful women’s fiction novel

    In November 1972, the sisters of St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Missoula, Montana were stunned to find that a small child, approximately two years old, had been left on their doorstep in the middle of the night. Though she appeared to be in good health and had clearly been well cared for, she carried no identification. After six weeks of attempts by the orphanage and the police to discover who she was, the sisters decided to name her Grace Helena Pine, and to give her a birth date of January 1st.

    This incident was the first of several that led Grace to believe—as many orphaned children do—that no one would ever truly want her. Her biological parents, an absent yet silently malevolent force in her life, had never wanted her; potential adoptive parents who loved her were forced to give her back to the orphanage. And once she turned eighteen, even the orphanage asked her to leave.

    Through luck and no small amount of determination, Grace eventually meets and marries a young doctor, has children, and achieves her own professional success as a professor in linguistics. Years of counseling and hard work have paid off in terms of a reasonably normal life with a family she deeply loves. Nonetheless, she remains haunted by the traumas of her childhood, many of which are similar to those suffered by children in her circumstances. Deep down, she understands that she will never be completely whole until she knows where she came from.

    Through serendipity, her daughter and her nephew both see a woman on the news who looks so much like Grace that both children think she is Grace. The woman even has the same unique mannerisms. Grace decides to investigate, and as she slowly unravels the truth about her past, she unknowingly threatens the lives of others as well as her own. Someone very powerful doesn’t want the truth revealed.

    A former oncologist, James Gottesman uses his extensive medical knowledge as well as detailed research into the psychology of abandoned children to craft a fascinating suspense novel. He accurately portrays the plight of illegitimate children in the late twentieth century, institutionalized by wealthy and powerful families afraid of the potential stain on their good name. Gottesman also shows how such an emotionally fraught situation can cause the biological family members to react with denial and suspicion, making it difficult for the child to ever develop a meaningful relationship with them. However, as Dr. Gottesman reminds us: genetics are irrefutable and will almost always cause the truth to come out.
    Gottesman’s characters are engaging and well-developed; his story builds on itself as the tension heightens and the suspense builds. Highly recommended for those who enjoy women’s fiction novels with literary complexity, but that are still page turners. The Search of Grace is a riveting and satisfying read.

  • VALHALLA REVEALED by Robert A. Wright, a historical thriller

    VALHALLA REVEALED by Robert A. Wright, a historical thriller

    The year is 1945, and governments around the world are debating how to navigate the political and economic fallout from World War II. The trials in Nuremberg seek to punish those who participated in the Third Reich, whether they are members of the military, or businessmen who produced the armaments that gave Germany its fearsome power. Former officers of the Third Reich have fled to South America, hoping to evade capture. Though the Marshall Plan is helping to rebuild the war-ravaged economies of Western Europe, all eyes are turning toward the Stalinist Soviet Union, wondering whether an even larger threat now looms.

    Businessman Paul Hoffman, whose family was first introduced in Beyond Ultra, struggles to deal with his grief over the ravages the war has forced upon his family. With a mother and brother dead, another brother missing, and a father exiled in Spanish Guinea, Paul must hold the family together while managing its business interests on three continents—the vineyards in Spain, commodities businesses in Africa, and import/export companies in the United States.

    While dealing with divided family loyalties and attempting to lead his family forward, Paul also copes with his grief and survivor’s guilt over the deaths of his family members, as well as a haunting desire to discover what happened to his missing brother Hans, a German U-boat captain who disappeared at the end of the war. Paul’s search for answers will take him to the corners of the globe and uncover secrets with ties to international military and spy networks.

    Employing meticulous research, in-depth knowledge of real historical events, and a deft hand for describing famous figures of the post-World War II era, Robert Wright has crafted a novel rich in detail and amazing in scope. Readers are introduced to people such as Heinrich Mueller, infamous leader of the Gestapo, exiled former SS officers in Paraguay, Stalinist Soviets, and William Donovan, head of the wartime OSS and predecessor to the CIA.

    While the people of Western Europe and America re-awaken after a long and arduous war, complacent in the knowledge that their governments are back in control of world events, Wright reveals the true historical impact of decisions made by a small group of powerful businessmen largely unknown outside their inner circle. Valhalla Revealed is an astonishing novel—it is hard to cover the breadth of it in a review. The informative 540 pages will fly by with intrigue and surprise. Fortunately for its readers, Beyond Ultra, the prequel, will help satisfy the desire to unravel more of Robert Wright’s epic saga of two families whose destinies are intertwined.  

    Highly recommended to those who love historical fiction and international espionage thrillers.

  • THE TREASURE OF MALAGA COVE by John Gillgren, an adventure children’s novel

    THE TREASURE OF MALAGA COVE by John Gillgren, an adventure children’s novel

    Reading John Gillgren’s The Treasure of Malaga Cove is its own enjoyable treasure hunt. I was immediately immersed in the adventures of history, the ocean, and more suspense than I anticipated from a children’s book. The author takes his readers on a captivating series of diving adventures and page-turning treasure hunts with the Cali Family as they try to solve mysteries of the high seas.

    The story begins in 1577 on Sir Francis Drake’s flagship the Golden Hind. While looking for an easier path to Asia, this ship endure storms, battles with the Spanish and Portuguese, and Drake himself faces the mutiny of his own crew members.

    The plot fast forwards four hundred years into the future. The novel’s protagonist Carmine Cali discovers a skull while learning how to dive in the Malaga Cove in southern California. Waves of mystery wash over the setting as Carmine can’t find the skull on a second dive. He spends several years with his wife, Elaine, and his three children, Snail, Carmen, and Caroline, trying to prove that the skulls exist, and link them to the flagship the Golden Hind and its crew members.

    Gillgren is extraordinary at crafting a realistic and engaging narrative. The planning that Carmine and his family do for each of their dives, in addition to the time constraints, are point on with how a divemaster would construct his or her plans. Readers will anticipate every moment of action as the story pulls them in with the dangers that lurk in the ocean, whether it be the high tides or the sharks casting shadows beneath the water’s surface.

    Readers will appreciate that Gillgren has created such a dynamic protagonist. Carmine’s protective watch over his family highlights his strong character as a father and protector. His reluctance to leave the water when they’ve found new information is realistic and captures the reader in the moment of discovery. He’s a character all readers will love and root for to find the truth in the end.

    Suspense is the buried treasure in and of itself in this tale, and readers will never experience a dull moment. The plot twisted and turned in every direction, revealing by the end which character is deemed untrustworthy. The things I learned about Carmine’s family are presented in such a way that readers look forward to learning more about their individual character arcs in subsequent novels.

    While many events unravel quickly, this is still an appropriate book for a younger audience and for a family to read together. It’s a fun story with straightforward dialogue and plot. And while the author judiciously presents responsible diving techniques and know-how, readers without diving knowledge will be able to follow along with it.

    If anything, I think more detail of the reefs around Malaga Cove would have been a great addition to the story. The ocean adds a rich context to the tale, as well as an element of unexpected danger. However, the lack of some description made me revel in the details that were present.

    Gillgren has delivered a mystery story ala Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew, but with more contemporary individuals playing those roles. The Treasure of Malaga Cove is a fantastic novel for children and their families wanting to dive into the depths of mystery and adventure. I will certainly read the next books in the series:  The Treasure of Ching Shih and The Treasure of Ocracoke Island.

    This is the first book in an adventure series that will invite readers of all ages to set sail into the high seas of their imagination with the adventures of the Cali Family as they hunt for mysterious treasure.

     

  • The SOMERSET 2014 AWARDS First Place Category Winners for Literary and Blended Genre Fiction

    The SOMERSET 2014 AWARDS First Place Category Winners for Literary and Blended Genre Fiction

    Chanticleer Book Reviews is honored to announce the First Place Category Winners for the SOMERSET  AWARDS 2014 for Literary and Blended Genre Fiction, a division of Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.

    SomersetThe SOMERSET Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Literary and Blended Genre Fiction. The First Place Category Winners will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala held in late September 2015.

     

     

     

    Congratulations to The SOMERSET FIRST PLACE Category 2014 Award Winners:

    • Social Issues:  Thomas McNeely for Ghost Horse
    • Satire: Steve Lundin for The Manipulator, a Private Life in Public Relations
    • Literary: Tom Glenn for No-Accounts, Dare Mighty Things
    • Contemporary: Judith Kirscht for Home Fires
    • New Adult: Tanya Fife for Lost and Found in Missing Lake 
    • YA/Juvenile Fiction:  E. F. Winters for Memeloose, The Island of the Dead
    • Adventures/Suspense: Jim Hennigan  for Recording a Kill
    • International Intrigue: Rian Everest for The Tangerine Trio
    • Mainstream: Nancy Adair for Soon Coming
    • Women’s Fiction: Jessica H. Stone for The Last Outrageous Woman
    • Blended Literary Fiction: Michael Olin-Hitt for The Homegoing 

    Honorary Mentions:

    • Enid Harlow for Good to Her
    • Thomas Whaley for Leaving Montana
    • Kate McKenna for True Stories of Local Heroes
    • Angela Brackeen for Lark, in Her Element
    • Laurie Fitzpatrick for Niello
    • Michael Hurley for The Vineyard
    • Ken Swarmer for Family of the Year

    CONGRATULATIONS!

    To view the 2014 Somerset Finalists whose works made it to the short list, please click here.

    Good Luck to the Somerset First Place Category Winners as they compete for the Somerset AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position!

    The 1st Place Category Winners compete for the SOMERSET AWARDS 2014 GRAND PRIZE position. The 2014 SOMERSET category winner was announced at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala in September 2015. See the Grand Prize Winners.

    The deadline for The SOMERSET Awards 2014 was November 30, 2014.
    The deadline for The SOMERSET Awards 2015 is November 30, 2015.

    GRAND PRIZE Overall SOMERSET  Awards 2013 Winner was:

    Jeremy Bullia for Individually Wrapped

    The OVERALL CHANTICLEER GRAND PRIZE WINNER for 2013 came from the Somerset Awards: Michael Hurley for The Prodigal

    To view the 2013 SOMERSET Award Winners, please click here.

    To enter the 2015 SOMERSET  Awards, please click here. The deadline is November  30, 2015.

    To enter your work into a Chanticleer Writing Competition, please click here. 

    CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are the reason literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also another reason our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors.Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, L.L.C. retains the right to not declare “default winners.” Winning works are decided upon merit only. Please visit our Contest Details page for more information about our writing contest guidelines.

    Please do not hesitate to contact Info@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions about CBR writing competitions. Your input and suggestions are important to us.

    Thank you for your interest in Chanticleer Book Reviews international writing competitions.

  • MASTER OF WESTFALL PLANTATION by Bonnie Stanard, a historical novel

    MASTER OF WESTFALL PLANTATION by Bonnie Stanard, a historical novel

    Bonnie Stanard exposes some of the greatest plights of those who suffered from human bondage and slavery in her book Master of Westfall Plantation. Readers will be pulled into the novel’s eloquent prose that paints the tragic moments of the antebellum South. This captivating and well-researched story will resonate with you long after you read the final page.

    Set in Charleston, South Carolina and a nearby island shortly before the Civil War, the book introduces the central character Tilmon Goodwyn. He is cold toward his beautiful wife Georgiana (who is secretly shamed by her humble background), manipulative and suspicious of his widowed mother Phoebe, (who may be flirting with a sophisticated con man), and extremely cruel to slaves (while believing himself benevolent).

    Tilmon blunders through the business of running a large plantation, yet, underpinned by the pernicious institution of slavery, manages to prosper nonetheless. Given to gambling and pleasing himself, he has already impregnated one slave and developed a seething lust for another—young Kedzie, who has a mind towards freedom and a deep hatred of her master that only stirs his passion more.

    Passing his days in questionable business dealings, watching as his foreman lashes his slaves for the smallest infractions, Tilmon gives us little to like. The only time this arrogant husband, indifferent father, maladroit manager, and cruel overlord shows a smidgen of tender feeling is when Billy, a favorite slave, dies, probably having ingested poison meant for Tilmon himself—but administered by whom?

    Meanwhile Georgiana, meeting by chance with the abolitionist preacher who raised her, plots to have Kedzie sent north via the Underground Railroad, not in sympathy for the girl’s terrible circumstances, but as revenge for her husband’s flagrant infidelity.

    In a telling moment, Georgiana hears the laughter of gypsies and wonders how “a person of such poor circumstance could find anything funny,” not grasping that it is freedom, not wealth, which brings happiness. Readers will no doubt want to cling to hope for Kedzie to find a way out of hardship. As the novel ends, there are muted mentions of events in Kansas and elsewhere that may influence Tilmon’s dark empire that he rules with an iron hand and a perverted morality.

    Bonnie Stanard is a freelance writer and editor whose skills come to the fore in this work, with finely honed language that at times borders on the poetic. Master of Westfall Plantation is part of a series, for which Stanard has assiduously researched her subject matter, even attaching a lengthy bibliography. She focuses on the evil of slavery, expressing, in a brief introduction, her conviction that “a man of good will who conforms to a bad culture is more bad than good.”

    The hopeless plight of those who suffered from human bondage and slavery is fervently depicted in the authentic voices of the “low country.” Stanard’s portrayal of Tilmon and other slave masters who believed themselves “righteous and good” chronicles the juxtapositions that permeated the antebellum South. This unrelenting pessimism and, at times, almost complete lack of even a ray of hope can make the read intense and uncomfortable. Nevertheless, Master of Westfall Plantation is a brilliant work speaking honestly of an unspeakable wrong.

    The Master of Westfall Plantation is a companion novel to Kedzie, Saint Helena Island Slave (2012),  Sonny, Cold Slave Cradle (2013), and Westfall, Slave to King Cotton (2014). All four novels compose the well-researched and well-told Westfall series by Bonnie Stanard.