Category Archives: Historcial Fiction

Reader’s Log 052: Biblical Fiction

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Written by Biblical Scholars Part I

My top favorite genre is Historical Fiction and I’m always on the lookout for Biblical Fiction. Though through the years I’ve read several but I haven’t really delved in this genre like I should.

Dr. Carmen Joy Imes is an Old Testament Scholar whose work I’ve been following and this summer she has been conducting a summer reading series on Youtube about the books she recommneds and they are fantastic for in-depth biblical knowledge and spiritual growth. In one of her videos I mentioned “The Lost Letters of Pergamum” by Bruce W. Longenecker that I have and she said she was going to do a historical fiction recommendation video for that genre and that it was one of the books she is going to talk about. When she uploaded the video, I clicked on it so fast! What is unique about her recommendations for this genre is that the books are written by Biblical Scholars which this tells me that these books are well researched. I am familiar with a few of the author names and had not realized they wrote historical fiction. Be sure to watch Dr. Imes recommendation videos. She gives great commentary on why she recommends them.

The first book I have listed during the intertestamental period and I’ve read a several of nonfiction works on this time period and love it! I was thrilled she included this book on her list and can’t wait to read it.

Day of Atonement: A Novel of the Maccabean Revolt by David DeSilva

In the blank pages between Malachi and Matthew, the course of an entire nation was changed . . .

His brother, the high priest Honiah, enjoyed the authority of the high priesthood, and all-important decisions needed his approval. But it was Jason who was shaping the future of Jerusalem and with it, all Judea. He breathed in again, imagining that he could feel the wave of destiny impelling him forward toward his vision as he exhaled . . .

The Greeks have taken over the world, but Jerusalem is still the same backwater city Jason has always known. He wants to help his hometown rise to a new age of prosperity and influence. If that means stretching the terms of the city’s divine covenant, so be it. But how far is he willing to go to achieve Greek greatness for this Jewish city? It will take the willingness of a handful of Jews to die rather than violate the covenant in order to turn the tide back to God.

Written by an internationally recognized expert in the period between the Testaments, Day of Atonement invites readers into Judea during the tumultuous years leading up to the Maccabean Revolt. It was this pivotal decade that reminded Jews of the centrality of the covenant to their national security and taught them that the covenant was worth dying for. The story is so foundational, it is still told every year at Hanukkah. The lessons learned during this turbulent time also shed light on just what was at stake in the ministry of Jesus, whose radical message seemed to threaten the covenant once again.

I have been looking into stories about women in the Bible and the next three books listed look fantastic!  

Phoebe: A Story by Paula Gooder

Sometime around 56 AD, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. He entrusted this letter to Phoebe, whom he describes as the deacon of the church at Cenchreae and a patron of many. But who was this remarkable woman?

Biblical scholar and popular author and speaker Paula Gooder imagines Phoebe’s story―who she was, the life she lived, and her first-century faith―and in doing so opens up Paul’s world, giving a sense of the cultural and historical pressures that shaped his thinking and the faith of the early church. After the narrative, Gooder includes an extensive notes section with comments on the historical context, biographical details, cultural practices, and more. Rigorously researched, this is a book for anyone who wants to engage more deeply and imaginatively with Paul’s theology.

Priscilla: The Life of an Early Christian by Ben Witherington III

Who was Priscilla?

Readers of the Bible may know her as the wife of Aquila, Paul’s coworker, or someone who explained baptism to Apollos. Biblical references to Priscilla spark questions: Why is she mentioned before her husband? Does the mention of her instruction of Apollos mean that women taught in the church? What is her story?

Ben Witherington addresses these questions and more. In this work of historical fiction, Priscilla looks back on her long life and remembers the ways she has participated in the early church. Her journey has taken her to Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome, and she’s partnered with Paul and others along the way.

Priscilla’s story makes the first-century world come alive and helps readers connect the events and correspondence in different New Testament books. Witherington combines biblical scholarship and winsome storytelling to give readers a vivid picture of an important New Testament woman.

A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman (A Week in the Life Series) by Holly Beers

A young wife meets her daily struggles with equanimityand courage. She holds poverty and hunger at bay, fights to keep her child healthy and strong, and navigates the unpredictability of her husband’s temperament. But into the midst of her daily fears and worries, a new hope appears: a teaching that challenges her society’s most basic assumption. What is this new teaching? And what will it demand of her?

In this gripping novel, Holly Beers introduces us to the first-century setting where the apostle Paul first proclaimed the gospel. Illuminated by historical images and explanatory sidebars, this lively story not only shows us the rich tapestry of life in a thriving Greco-Roman city, it also foregrounds the interior life of one courageous woman―and the radical new freedom the gospel promised her.

The next two look great and I can’t wait to read them. About the middle of next year or towards the end I’m take a journey forward to the 1st century again so these will be perfect. This whole entire list of books is perfectly really. As I read each one, I will be sure to post about what I thought of the stories and if I would recommend them to my readers.

A Week in the Life of a Roman Centurion (A Week in the Life Series) by Gary M. Burge

Enter a world of warfare and treachery, of duty and honor, of love and loyalty, interwoven with the inner workings of a Roman centurion’s household. And then trace it as the road curves toward little Capernaum.

Follow the story of Appius, a proud centurion, and Tullus, his scribe and slave. From a battle with the Parthians, through a tragic personal crisis, to the gladiator arena at Caesarea Maritima, their tale finally leads to the backwater village of Capernaum on the shores of Galilee. There, in a culture not their own and during a week they will never forget, they encounter a Jewish prophet from Nazareth.

A Week in the Life of a Roman Centurion gives us a first-century view of the world of the Gospels. In entertaining historical fiction, splashed with informative sidebars and images, we capture a view of Jesus’ world from the outer framework looking in.

Killing a Messiah: A Novel by Adam Winn

As Passover approaches, the city of Jerusalem is a political tinderbox. Judah, a resistance leader, plots to overthrow the Roman occupation. Eleazar and his father, the high priest Caiaphas, seek peace in the city at all costs. Pilate, the Roman governor, maneuvers to keep order (and his own hold on power). Caleb, a shopkeeper, is reluctantly caught up in the intrigue. When rumors start spreading about the popular prophet Jesus, hailed by many as the Messiah, Roman and Jewish leaders alike fear unrest and violence during the upcoming festival. Then, in the midst of this tension, unexpected alliances emerge.

In Killing a Messiah, New Testament scholar Adam Winn weaves together stories of historical and fictional characters in a fresh reimagining of the events leading up to Jesus’ execution. Based on what we know of the first-century context, Winn’s narrative offers compelling explanations for gaps in the Gospel accounts. The social, political, and religious realities of Jesus’ world come to life and shed new light on our reading of the biblical texts. In a city full of political entanglements, espionage, and competing interests, the blame for the crucifixion is complex and can’t land on just a single party. It takes more than one to kill a messiah.

Stephanie

Book Review: The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman

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Publication July 29, 2025 by Kensington

In rural 1930s Virginia, a young immigrant mother fights for her dignity and those she loves against America’s rising eugenics movement – when widespread support for policies of prejudice drove imprisonment and forced sterilizations based on class, race, disability, education, and country of origin – in this tragic and uplifting novel of social injustice, survival, and hope for readers of Susan Meissner, Kristin Hannah, and Christina Baker Kline.

When Lena Conti—a young, unwed mother—sees immigrant families being forcibly separated on Ellis Island, she vows not to let the officers take her two-year old daughter. But the inspection process is more rigorous than she imagined, and she is separated from her mother and teenage brother, who are labeled burdens to society, denied entry, and deported back to Germany. Now, alone but determined to give her daughter a better life after years of living in poverty and near starvation, she finds herself facing a future unlike anything she had envisioned.

Silas Wolfe, a widowed family relative, reluctantly brings Lena and her daughter to his weathered cabin in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains to care for his home and children. Though the hills around Wolfe Hollow remind Lena of her homeland, she struggles to adjust. Worse, she is stunned to learn the children in her care have been taught to hide when the sheriff comes around. As Lena meets their neighbors, she realizes the community is vibrant and tight knit, but also senses growing unease. The State of Virginia is scheming to paint them as ignorant, immoral, and backwards so they can evict them from their land, seize children from parents, and deal with those possessing “inferior genes.”

After a social worker from the Eugenics Office accuses Lena of promiscuity and feeblemindedness, her own worst fears come true. Sent to the Virginia State Colony for the Feebleminded and Epileptics, Lena face impossible choices in hopes of reuniting with her daughter—and protecting the people, and the land, she has grown to love.

My thoughts:

Eugenics is an extremely evil ideology that many people look away or don’t want to believe people would go to such extremes, especially in the United States. I’ve had many discussions over this topic with people online and in person who even defend it still to this day. I may get a lot of criticism for say this but it still goes on to this very day. They may “try” to disguise it but if you really pay attention, you will see the truth.

I have been reader of Ellen Marie Wiseman’s work since her first publication. I applaud her for her bravery in exposing people’s struggle, abuse, oppression and often death at the hands of people in power.

Wiseman doesn’t hold back with the opening of her story and we are meeting Magdalena (Lena), her mother and brother for the first time at Ellis Island. How they were treated was subhuman. My emotions were high at the very beginning of this story and there were times I had to step away but I finished the story and I am more than glad I did. The Lies They Told is a beautifully written story and I appreciate Wiseman’s ability to do so because of such a heartbreaking story to write. Also, her character development is outstanding and her focus on the human mind and heart is what drives this story to the reality of this fallen world we live in. That said, there are beautiful and happy moments in this story and even in the end but I still felt completely sadden despite the outcome.

A must read.

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

I must caution you, there is suicide scene in this story.  

Stephanie Hopkins

Book Review: The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz

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Publish Date Jun 10, 2025 by Tyndale House Publishers | Tyndale Fiction

Christian | Historical Fiction | Romance

About the Story:

Lawyer James Kinney isn’t looking for love, and laundress Sara O’Connor doesn’t want to be found. When their paths cross in a British colony on the brink of rebellion, a marriage of convenience may be their best hope of survival.

Canada, 1837. Widower James Kinney knows his precocious daughter, Evie, needs more than his lessons on law and logic, but Toronto offers few options. Classes with the neighbor children seem ideal until James discovers Evie is secretly spending her time with Sara O’Connor, a kind and mysteriously educated servant. For propriety’s sake, James forbids their friendship. But then Evie falls victim to the illness ravaging the city, and James must call upon Sara’s medical knowledge and her special bond with Evie to save his daughter’s life.

When Sara’s presence in his household threatens scandal, however, James offers an unexpected solution: become his wife, in name only, and help him raise Evie to be a proper young lady.

If Sara can ignore the sparks she feels when they’re together, his logical proposal could keep her secret secure forever. But soon, the forces of rebellion unravel their tidy arrangement. When James is accused of treason, Sara must find the courage to face a past that could save her husband’s life.

My Thoughts:

The Lawyer and the Laundress is a beautiful faith based, wholesome, clean story blended with history of the British colony in Canada, 1837.

There aren’t too many fiction stories I’ve read based in Canada so I was delighted to chose this story and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Christine Hill Suntz story flows really well and she pulls the reader in with her fantastic character development. After I read this story, I went to search for her other works and discovered that this is her debut novel. Her characters Sara, Sara’s grandma, James, and Evie now hold a special place in my heart and I felt such a deeply emotional tie to their story as if they were my own family. I wanted to reach out and protect them from danger. That means a lot when a story evokes such emotions. Be sure to have a tissue box next to you while reading this story!

Christine Hill Suntz is now one of my new favorite Christian writers and I look forward to reading more of her stories.

I rated this book five stars! If there was an option for ten stars I would rate it thus.

My thanks and appreciation to Tyndale House Publishers for a galley copy though NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie

Book Review: The Secrets of Good People by Boo Walker; Peggy Shainberg

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Pub Date Mar 18 2025 by Lake Union Publishing

On a tiny island off Paradiso, Florida, in 1970, neighbors gather to toast two new arrivals: shy Catherine and her taciturn husband, Dr. Frank Overbrook, who is taking over an old friend’s medical practice. It’s an intimate welcoming for the newlyweds, who have abandoned city life for swaying palms and an ocean breeze. But the morning after is anything but peaceful when Frank is found dead on the beach.

Detective Quentin Jones has his eyes on the island’s residents and the welcome party’s guest list. There’s the retiring doctor and host, as well as his nurse. Volatile marrieds Miriam and her husband, David, constantly at each other’s throats. The Carters, a strangely antisocial young couple. And Sylvie, a blind sculptor to whom Quentin lost his heart years ago.

But which one is a murderer? As the investigation unravels a close-knit group of friends, secrets are exposed—and more than one of them is worth killing for.

My thoughts:

I love a good mystery with all the right elements and this one is just the ticket. The story is compelling with intriguing and complex characters. Anyone of the people on the small island could have been the murderer and the motives are stacked high! Quentin Jones makes a great laid-back detective and completely unassuming with his breezy, casual Florida attire which helps him fit right in with the close-knit community.

I must confess I haven’t read stories by these authors before and what first caught my attention to the book was that it takes place in Florida-my home state. The premise sounded so intriguing and I wanted to know how the authors depict the setting for the story. Florida is an interesting place to say the least and what I mean by that is the people. I was thrilled that they chose the 1970s for this story because that period is still remnants of old Florida. If you’re not from Florida, you may not know what I’m talking about. Well, this story depicts a little of that and the small-town atmosphere of its native Floridians. I am pleased I chose this story and I found it engaging and the mystery had me guessing until the big reveal.

I rated this book four stars and I obtained a review copy from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

I must caution you, there is a little spice in this story. I did skip over it but luckily, the scene was brief. Also there is a little profanity but not so much that it overwhelming or on a whole lot of pages, thankfully.

Stephanie

Book Review: Last Light Over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright

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Historical \ Fiction Christian \ Fiction

Expected publication August 12, 2025 by Tyndale

About the book:

Galveston, Texas. September 1900. Only months ago, Kathleen McDaniel returned from finishing school in Switzerland to her family home in New York’s Hudson Valley with a future of promise and privilege set before her. But one horrific event shattered her picturesque life. Now she has fled as far as the train line and a pocketful of money would take her, finding refuge at the St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum on Galveston Island, where she helps the nuns care for their young charges and prays her past will not find her. Despite her tenuous standing at the orphanage—and the grief and betrayal that drove her from home—Kathleen slowly begins to make friends. There is Emily, the novice nun she rooms with; Maggie, the tempestuous young girl who only bonds with Kathleen; and Matthew, a kind, handsome man recently employed by Isaac Cline at Galveston’s office of the US Weather Bureau.

Then in one fateful day, Kathleen’s fragile new life begins to crack as it becomes clear that she can’t run far enough to escape the reach of her former life. Meanwhile, as troubling news about a storm crossing the Gulf from Cuba swirls in the Weather Bureau offices, Matthew holds fast to Cline’s belief that no hurricane can touch Galveston. But as darkness falls on the island, Kathleen must gather her courage and reach for a strength beyond her own if she—and those she loves—are to survive.

My thoughts:

Last Light over Galveston is a story of perseverance during the historic, deadly and catastrophic hurricane in Galveston, Texas in September of 1900. This story also touches on human greed, selfishness, and cruelty at the expense of others that people tend to look down on in life. What is even more maddening is how the people involved justified their corrupt actions. Jennifer Wright does a marvelous job at showing the realities of life that is too often overlooked in my opinion.

The main character Kathleen McDaniel is a person who -at all odds- breaks away from the cruelty of her situation in life and on doing so finds herself in greater danger as the storm hits land. I was completely immersed in her plight and I felt as I if was right beside her going through what she was going through.

I did know about this hurricane prior to reading this book but I didn’t know all the details and how bad it actually was. Once I finished this story, I did a bit of research and I was really struck more so on Wrights depiction of the storm and the period in which the events took place.

The author does a brilliant job at pulling in her readers and I highly recommend this story to all and I want to encourage everyone who read the book to embrace the message of this story with an open heart.

I rate this book five stars and my gratitude and thanks to the publisher for an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie

Book Review: The Dark Library by Mary Anna Evans

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Publish Date June 24, 2025 by Poisoned Pen Press

Historical Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers

Years after leaving home due to her father’s suffocating and oppressive treatment, Estella receives a phone call from Annie-her family’s housekeeper-that she must come home. Estella’s father has had a stroke that caused his death and her mother has gone missing. When she returns home, everything is disjointed and up in the air and she takes a teaching position at the college where her father influence was powerful to say the least. Not only that, their family house is celebrated throughout the decades and her Father’s library holds rare books that her father closely guards and with strict orders, Estella is not allowed to touch the books.

With her father’s death, her mother missing and the war that is raging on, Estella must figure out how she will support Annie, the house and the gorgeous land it sits on. The more she looks into her father’s and mother’s life, she realizes how much she doesn’t know about them and the secrets they have kept.

This Gothic tale of mystery, buried secrets, death, family and local town intrigue begins slowly and half way through the story, unfolds in a major way. I must confess, at first, I didn’t have high hope for this story but as the plot reveals itself, you have a better understanding of why the story starts out the way it does. It gave me a better understanding of the-bread crumbs-if you will- the author was dropping. You won’t be shown an explanation of why the story is called “The Dark Library” until the second half of the book and it is a shocker! I did not see that coming a mile away. The premise of this story is unique and the author sure can weave a story of intrigue and deceptive people that leaves you trusting no one. The ending does tie up loose ends the reader wonders about and I want to encourage readers who might be frustrated with the beginning to rally on. You won’t regret it.

A truly atmospheric story with Gothic themes, deadly secrets and twisty turns of events that has you racing to the end to discover the deceptions, truths and the fate of Estella and the people in her life.

I rated this book four stars and I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie

Book Review: The King’s Messenger by Susanna Kearsley

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Publish date:  March 4, 2025 by Sourcebooks Landmark

1613:  King James – sixth of Scotland, first of England, son of Mary, Queen of Scots – has unified both countries under one crown. But the death of his eldest son, Henry, has plunged the nation into mourning, as the rumors rise the prince was poisoned.

Andrew Logan’s heard the rumors, but he’s paid them little heed. As one of the King’s Messengers he has enough secrets to guard, including his own. In these perilous times, when the merest suggestion of witchcraft can see someone tortured and hanged, men like Andrew must hide well the fact they were born with the Sight.
 
He’ll need all his gifts, though, when the king sends Andrew north to find and arrest Sir David Murray, once Prince Henry’s trusted courtier, and bring him a prisoner to London to stand trial before the dreaded Star Chamber.
 
My thoughts:

In 1613, Andrew Logan- King James’s Messenger- is given the task of arresting David Murray and bringing him back to England to stand trial.

Logan is a man of duty while holding true to a moral compass and discipline despite the pressures and opinions from his peers. I began to see this about Logan early on and was curious on how this task at the King’s demand would play out. His convictions to do right by others at his own peril had me cheering for him. Without giving too much away, I will say that Logan exemplifies the best of what a king’s messenger ought to be.

I must confess it isn’t often I read historical fiction stories that take place in the 1700s regarding King James’s – sixth of Scotland court. What do I mean by that? I have read a couple books and articles about King James and there was always something about his character and ruling I disliked or mistrusted-if you will. I was curious on how Kersley would depict him and I was surprised-in a good way-by her characterization of him. It I how I imagined him to be.

For me, the story really took off when Logan and others began their dangerous journey to arrest Sir David Murray. The interactions and growing camaraderie between the characters made the story all the more praise worthy and heart-felt in my eyes.

I must confess, I had my doubts upfront about the theme of, “Born with the Sight.” Will it overpower the story? How will it be dealt with and weaved through the story and will it be heavy handed? Kearsley’s out depiction of the Sight was balanced and well-drawn out and I was quite relieved.

What a wonderfully woven historical story with a fantastic cast of characters and a suburb historically depiction of court life, perilous duty and adventure. This is my top favorites of Kersley’s work and seeing as I have been a bit critical of her stories in the past, I’m giving The King’s Messenger five stars.   

Be sure to read the author’s notes at the end. You won’t be disappointed and you will learn a few historical details that will enhance your thoughts on the story.  

Stephanie  

I received a review copy from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

Reader’s Log 035: Historical Fiction

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Are you currently reading a historical fiction book? What is the title? Are you enjoying the story?

I’m currently reading, “The King’s Messenger” by Susanna Kearsley and it is fantastic so far! By the way, I LOVE the cover! I certainly have high hopes for this story. Kearsley’s depiction of King James character is very close to what I’ve imagined it to be by what I know of him through history books. I’ve been busy of late and haven’t had as much time for reading fiction as I would have liked but I’m playing catch-up this coming weekend. Excited! Lots of reviews to get out.

The next Historical Fiction book I plan on reading and reviewing is, Paris Undercover (A Wartime Story of Courage, Friendship, and Betrayal)by Matthew Goodman

Stephanie

The King’s Messenger by Susanna Kearsley

1613:  King James – sixth of Scotland, first of England, son of Mary, Queen of Scots – has unified both countries under one crown. But the death of his eldest son, Henry, has plunged the nation into mourning, as the rumours rise the prince was poisoned.

Andrew Logan’s heard the rumours, but he’s paid them little heed. As one of the King’s Messengers he has enough secrets to guard, including his own. In these perilous times, when the merest suggestion of witchcraft can see someone tortured and hanged, men like Andrew must hide well the fact they were born with the Sight.

He’ll need all his gifts, though, when the king sends Andrew north to find and arrest Sir David Murray, once Prince Henry’s trusted courtier, and bring him a prisoner to London to stand trial before the dreaded Star Chamber.

A story of treachery, betrayal and love…

Book Review: Babylonia by Costanza Casati

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Pub Date Jan 14 2025 bySOURCEBOOKS Landmark

When NetGalley added, “Babylonia” by Costanza Casati and I read the description, I was completely elated and was thrilled to be accepted a review copy. I knew when I first discovered this story, it would be special. Casati did not disappoint.

Semiramis was orphaned as a baby and grew up in Mari, a village located in Eber-Nari. Her upbringing was wrought with abuse by her adopted- father who shepherd of the village-and the boys of the town. She longed to escape the cruelty of life she was given. When she is at a marriageable age, she has a chance of escape when Onnes- the new governor- of Eber-Nari arrives to her village. Onnes notices something in Semiramis that has captivated him and he wants her to become his wife. He takes her to the capital of the Assyrian empire-Kalhu-and she soon discovers her life in the capitol will not be as easy to say the least.

Semiramis’s ascent to a throne was extraordinary told and when she becomes entangled in a love triangle of two powerful men-her husband and the King-and experiences war, politics and betrayal, she must fight for very survival.

Casati leads the reader through the tragic events unfolding and to the rise of power Assyria’s one and only female ruler. The blend of mythology and the ancient world of Assyria empire and the interactions with other kingdoms including the Babylonians is stunningly and beautifully told. The reader is transported to time and place and your senses are heightened by the sights and sounds of the characters daily lives, past experiences and the wars they wage on each other. You feel the character’s depth in their journey of life, love and conflicts with each other.

My only problem with the story is that I didn’t want it to end. I wanted to read about Semiramis’s time as ruler. I rated this this story five stars.

I highly recommend the reader to read the author’s notes at the end. I will most assuredly be adding a physical copy to my book stacks.

My thanks to the publishers for an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie

Book Review: Death Comes in Threes by Michael Jecks

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Book 9 of A Bloody Mary Tudor Mystery

Pub Date Jan 07 by Severn House

Princess Elizabeth’s unlikely assassin finds himself on the hook for two murders in this light-hearted Tudor mystery series!

August, 1558. As London is bustling with growing trade from foreign lands, and Queen Mary’s health is once again a hot topic, Jack Blackjack has much to keep him busy. And that’s before his new tenant – a Dutch merchant – disappears under a cloud of suspicion, quickly presumed murdered, and Jack’s latest female companion’s body is found mere streets from her dwelling place.

People around Jack keep inconveniently getting murdered, and he seems to be the most likely culprit! With both the authorities and the unsavoury echelons of London on his tail, nowhere is safe for Jack to hide. He must go about proving his innocence – and uncovering the mirky truth – while ensuring he doesn’t find himself dancing the Tyburn jig!

The question is – can he rely on friends in high – and very low – places to get him out of this ever-increasing mess?

My thoughts:

I must caution you, stepping outside the door of your home and taking a stroll down the streets in 1558 London, may be at your peril. At least it is for Jack! How he manages to survive through the whole story is anyone’s guess. I would like to step inside the book and shake some sense into Jack.  Whichever way he seems to turn, he gets himself in a tight spot and also, he seems to have a knack at putting other lives in jeopardy. 

I enjoyed reading Jack’s adventures and his troubles he finds himself in is hilariously comical, and it is highly entertaining how others perceive the kind of man they believe Jack to be and when we read what Jack is thinking in the moment, it’s not like how others perceive him or is it? More times than not, the reader must discern if this was an actual character flaw in Jack or some clever ruse.

Jack is questioned or interrogated so many times, I don’t know how he keeps a clear mind with all his excuses. I couldn’t stop chuckling. My goodness! He says anything to just stay alive which is understandable in his situation.  

What a fun historical mystery!

I’ve rated this book four stars. Now I must read the other books in the series before this one. Stephanie Hopkins

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.