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The Frequency

by

Randall D. St. Claire

 

Atmospheric noir and non-stop action!

 

The Frequency by Randall D. St. Claire is a riveting new mystery that blends memorable characters, an intriguing storyline, and atmospheric settings with effective, timely suspense and non-stop action. I was immediately invested in Bronx Rousselle’s story, and it proved to be one that kept me glued to his narrative way past any reasonable bedtime. 

The main character is minding his own business when Heather Li enters his store, her drugged-up brother in tow, along with a box of Inuit artifacts that originally belonged to their great-grandfather. An RN, Heather has liberated George from the mental institution where she’d gotten herself hired in preparation for this very thing. They now need to leave town quick, fast, and in a hurry before whoever is behind George’s committal catches up with them and the mysterious maps and papers with the artifacts. She’d found that Bronx was the man to make that happen, and the box of valuables was what she wanted to use as payment. 

Bronx is intrigued as the artifacts prove to be the real deal and the accompanying papers evoke a mysterious dread in the cultural expert he consults. His interest deepens when the fleeing pair quickly become “persons of interest” with the local beat cop, and his shop comes under the menacing nighttime scrutiny of mysterious, unidentified law enforcement types. He becomes irrevocably involved when bullets start flying, bodies start dropping, and Bronx is in for a journey that stretches from small-town Minnesota to Texas to above the Arctic Circle. 

Bronx is a pawnshop owner in the small town of Warroad, Minnesota, and a bit of a figure of renown among hockey fans, having played semi-professionally earlier in his lifetime, and with the local gendarmes for skirting the boundaries of what’s legal in his business dealings. He runs his business ruthlessly and views his clients with a jaundiced eye. Yet, he has acquired a low-key reputation as a “fixer,” which is what brought Heather Li, George Tikaani, and his box of Inuit artifacts his way. Bronx’s opening vibe is the classic noir protagonist, and I was there for it all the way. His ensuing adventures undeniably affect him, as the wonderful epilogue shows. 

The plot gains traction quickly, and the suspense builds as Bronx investigates what’s in the box and why someone is so deadly interested in getting their hands on it. The story unfolds like a film with the author’s evocative descriptions of the places Bronx journeys to so vividly you’ll feel like you are on the scene with the characters. For example, early in the story, I could almost smell the dumpster detritus knocked about as Heather and George made their first furtive moves to safety. Yes, ugh, but even this little bit was perfect imagery. 

I recommend THE FREQUENCY to readers of suspense, mystery, and thrillers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Literary Life Book Campaigns.

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Let’s Hide From Mom

by

Parimalasri Docktor

 

Children will relate to the vividly illustrated and simple story.

 

Let’s Hide From Mom is the fun sequel to author Parimalasri Docktor’s children’s book Tortoise Goes to the Vet. It features Radha, an Indian Star Tortoise who, like many young children, doesn’t want to go to bed at her established time. Along with her tortoise companion, Krishna, she scrambles to hide from Mom when she comes to put them to bed. 

Radha is a precocious little tortoise who knows all the best hiding places. She also tries to coach Krishna in finding the perfect spot. Small children will love hearing about how they escape detection, maybe seeing themselves in Radha’s desire to stay up past bedtime. 

The author also illustrates the story and uses bright colors in her often intricately detailed scenes. Her style gives readers plenty to look at and discover on each page. At the end of the book, there is an entertaining section devoted to finding specific items hidden in plain sight, such as birds, butterflies, and insects. That bumblebee is a tricky one! 

I recommend LET’S HIDE FROM MOM to young readers and adults for reading aloud. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

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Fire and Rain

Rain Mystery Trilogy, #3

by

David Homick

 

This final entry blazes across the pages with riveting, non-stop action and edge-of-your-seat suspense.

 

When Jenn's secret former husband, Finn Rafferty, showed up on the ranch house doorstep and announced they were still legally married, Dillon Bishop put his plan to propose on hold until things got figured out. Although Jenn swore the marriage had been annulled, Finn claimed there was no record to prove it had ever actually been filed in court, and he wanted HIS HALF of Jenn's ranch! 

Finn was a conman, and his arrival at the ranch coincided with the appearance of Riverdale Gaming in the nearby town of Redfield, with money in hand and hoping to buy up numerous sections of land to open up a large-scale casino operation. Some local property owners took the offers and sold out, but many didn't, and soon word of more aggressive persuasion began to filter into the sheriff's department, where Dillon now worked part-time as a deputy. Unfortunately, Jenn's ranch was right in the middle of the area Riverdale Gaming proposed to build the casino, and she was most definitely not interested. She was so close to fulfilling her promise to her Uncle Roy to open an equine therapy center. However, rumors that the casino people were urging the town to consider eminent domain to help them acquire the needed properties had started circulating. 

Finn refused to back off on his demand for half of the ranch and threatened to go to the authorities and nullify Jenn's adoption of her son, Alex. With his family at risk, Dillon starts investigating Finn's connections to the casino project and the rash of suspicious accidents on the properties of owners who refused to sell to Riverdale Gaming. He breaks into Finn's room at the local motel to search for evidence of his collusion with the casino gang when Finn walks in on him. Later, when Finn is found dead from a gunshot wound, Dillon becomes the number one suspect. 

Fire and Rain is the final book in author David Homick's excellent suspense series, the Rain Mystery Trilogy. This group of books has been so good that I was reluctant to start this final entry and have it end, but read it I did, and it was full of the same action, intrigue, and breathtaking suspense that made the previous books some of my favorites of the year. Dillon Bishop is a great character and has grown and healed so much since his first appearance on the page. He's overcome the debilitating effects of PTSD and the nightmares that had plagued him since his tour in Afghanistan. As a result, he's become much more stable and reliable. He's just a good man. While he's still somewhat impulsive in his investigations, his unpredictability makes for exciting reading and a sense that anything could happen next. 

One plot thread concerns the universal interest of property owners and community members in general. What do you do when an undesirable business comes into town and wants to be your neighbor? It's one thing if the company talks your neighbors into selling them their property, but what about the holdouts? What if the business can convince the local government to compel the holdouts to sell through eminent domain? 

In this story, the business (a casino) is aggressive in its land acquisition and PR campaign, selling the community and the town council on the economic benefits the town stands to gain from the business opening there. But strange accidents (fires) and other occurrences (damaged equipment, fences, and animals gone astray) suspected of being the handiwork of Riverdale Gaming henchmen, specifically Finn Rafferty, bring in a sinister level of danger that Dillon and Sheriff Ziggy Scott must unravel. Add in an attempt on Jenn's life, a couple of murders, and kidnapping, and what could have been just an ugly and tragic real estate caper blazes across the pages with riveting, non-stop action and edge-of-your-seat suspense. 

I recommend FIRE AND RAIN and the entire RAIN MYSTERY TRILOGY to mystery readers who enjoy lots of action and excitement featuring an imperfect, flawed hero but a hero, nonetheless. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

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Rain Dance

Rain Mystery Trilogy, #2

by

David Homick

 

Another stellar entry in the Rain Mystery Trilogy!

 

After solving the mysteries of his missing younger brother and his father's murder, Dillon Bishop and his mother left Bradley, Texas, in their rearview mirror for the Red Valley Ranch in Redfield, Colorado. The ranch is home to the woman Dillon thinks may be "the one," Jenn Myles, and for him, home is where the heart is. 

Their arrival surprised and pleased Jenn, but Dillon also had a shock waiting. The young boy he'd saved from the rubble of an Afghani village was there. Jenn had gotten close to the child while overseas and had gotten him into the country. She was in the middle of arrangements to adopt Alex. But that wasn't all. Jenn had inherited the ranch equally with her cousin, Seth McDonald, and Seth made it clear he thought Dillon, his mother, and Alex didn't belong there. 

Not to be run off from the woman he loved, Dillon pitched in on the ranch, ready to do whatever it took to fit in. But as the days passed, little things about Uncle Roy's final days and death failed to add up. And when secret deals that Seth made behind Jenn's back with a large, commercial marijuana-growing conglomerate come to light, something Roy had wanted nothing to do with, Dillon starts to dig into the truth behind Roy's death. It quickly becomes clear that someone doesn't like it. 

Rain Dance is the second book in author David Homick's exciting Rain Mystery Trilogy, and it is another riveting page-turner of a story. This go-round, Dillon Bishop and Jenn Myles investigate the final days before her Uncle Roy's death and have a number of possible culprits for a murder that's been covered up as natural causes. Each suspect muddies the waters by adamantly pointing the finger at another candidate. 

Dillon is still showing signs of recovery from the PTSD that had plagued him since Afghanistan: Colorado had been good for him in addition to the Rain Dance tea provided by the shaman, Leota, in book one. His apprehension about becoming a father (adoptive) and formalizing his relationship with Jenn was thoughtful and understandable, and I liked that he was working on both. On the other hand, Jenn still has some secrets to explain, and I will anxiously await the final book in the trilogy for those revelations. 

This author's writing style continues to hit all the right notes. The dialogue throughout and Dillon's inner voice are perfect. The plot is intriguing, as Dillon and his pal, Cooper Hill, follow the money and outsmart the bad guys. It's a clever, well-thought-out investigation. 

Readers are introduced to Dillon's new stomping grounds of Redfield, Colorado, and the small town brings with it some fresh new supporting characters. Hattie Scott is a quirky and lovable throwback to the 60s, as is Charlie "Buck" Owens. I was midway through the story before the penny dropped and I realized his nickname. (But of course, that's what it would be!) I hope both return in the next book. Alex is a wonderful addition to the family that is forming, and I really liked his storyline. With the inclusion of Alex, the horse rescue setting, and Dillon's inner monologue, I am somewhat reminded of David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series, only grittier and more serious. 

With its compelling plot, engaging characters, and bold-as-brass tactics of the bad guys, I was thoroughly absorbed into another stellar mystery by David Homick. I recommend RAIN DANCE to mystery readers who enjoy a solid plot with an intelligent investigation or a Colorado setting that makes you feel like you're right next to the characters. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

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Don't Curse the Rain

Rain Mystery Trilogy, #1

by

David Homick

 

An Afghanistan veteran returns home to face his past and solve a cold-case missing-person case.

 

Dillon Bishop had fled his hometown of Bradley, Texas, as soon as he could, enlisted in the military, and ended up in Afghanistan. But after rescuing a young local boy when his parents had been killed, his vehicle was hit by an RPG, sending Dillon to the hospital and months of rehab at the V.A. Medical Center back in Dallas. His physical wounds eventually healed, but his struggle with PTSD haunted him every waking moment, and nightmares prevented him from truly resting. He always wondered what had happened to the small boy he'd tried to save. 

Helping Dillon work through his continuing trauma was Jenny Lee, a woman he met after his release from the Dallas hospital. They had a comfortable arrangement, though Dillon hesitated to call it a relationship. An uncle had left Jenny a horse ranch outside of Colorado Springs, and she hoped Dillon would accompany her to take possession in the upcoming month. He was almost convinced to do so until the letter arrived. 

His father's attorney had mailed the letter weeks earlier to a ten-year-old address, so it took time to reach Dillon's current location. His father had passed away, and the attorney needed Dillon, his only heir, to return to Bradley to settle his father's final affairs. 

Dillon had been raised by his father. His mother left him, his younger brother, Luke, and their father when the boys were still small. Years later, however, Luke disappeared without a trace on the night of a high school dance and was never heard from again. Their father had never quit looking for his youngest son, though he believed he'd been the victim of foul play and found relief too often in the bottom of a whiskey bottle. He'd been investigating every possible angle and lead he came across and had recently claimed he'd obtained a definitive piece of evidence proving Luke had been murdered and would crack the case wide open. But suddenly, while recuperating in a local hospital, he took an unexpected turn for the worse and died. Thinking that his father's death following so quickly after his announcement regarding the case was too coincidental, Dillon decides to finally take matters into his own hands and get to the bottom of his brother's disappearance and his father's murder. 

Don't Curse the Rain, the first book in author David Homick's Rain Mystery Trilogy, grabbed me from the very first page and never let me go! The main character, Dillon Bishop, has struggled since returning to the States after his service and injuries sustained in Afghanistan. Not only has he suffered wounds to a leg, but the mental trauma continues to buffet his emotional well-being. I liked how the author placed a soulmate in Dillon's path, even though they are still working to take their relationship to the next level. The author kept me on edge with this couple as Dillon hesitates to fully commit to Jenny, while she deals with her frustration with him and pursues her lifelong dream of returning to the Colorado horse ranch. 

There are a number of surprises awaiting Dillon back in his hometown: old friends, old enemies, and even a regretful ex-girlfriend who wants to reconcile. Settling his father's affairs proves to be anything but easy. The action begins the minute Dillon hits town, and the mystery isn't entirely resolved until almost the very end. The author's easy-to-read writing style made the pages fly by. The author has an excellent way with dialogue. Exchanges between characters felt much more natural than in other works, and the accompanying gestures and "business" enhanced the quality of their interactions and conversations. 

Having lived and worked in the area where the story is set (Cleburne, Alvarado, Keene, and Lake Whitney, to name a few), I enjoyed seeing familiar place names mentioned. The locations were described much as I remember them, so the setting felt genuine. 

Besides Dillon working through his PTSD and relationships, the book is ultimately a mystery story about what happened to Luke all those years ago and who killed their father. By teaming up with his old high school buddies and his father's friends, Dillon is sharp and determined in his search for the truth. I enjoyed everything about the plot and this book, and I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy. 

I recommend DON'T CURSE THE RAIN to mystery readers who enjoy main characters who are military veterans, relationship stories, or a north central Texas setting.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

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When the Skies Rained Freedom

by

Annette Oppenlander

 

Suspense-filled historical drama featuring life during the Berlin airlifts.

 

When the Skies Rained Freedom is a thrilling work of historical fiction by award-winning author Annette Oppenlander and one of the most absorbing stories I've ever read. I was hooked from the very beginning. While many recent books have featured Germany in WWII, Oppenlander sets her highly immersive tale in Berlin immediately after Germany's surrender, highlighting the danger, depravity, and the Allies' efforts to keep the remaining parts of the city out of Stalin's hands. 

The main character, Lotte Berger, is only 19 or 20 years old when the fighting ceases, and the continued survival of her and her mother lands squarely on her shoulders after her mother is attacked in the Soviet-occupied section of Berlin. She's a strong young woman, having just come through the continual bombing of her hometown by Allied planes. Still, the aftermath of partitioning Berlin into sectors controlled by the victorious countries brought new terrors and hardships. Only through the kindness of strangers like Meg and Tilly can she and her mother eke out a minimal existence. Lieutenant Mitch Cameron is also tender-hearted and kind, quietly offering assistance with no strings attached, unlike some of his fellow pilots. Both Lotte and Mitch are conflicted characters. Are they still enemies, or what? They want to pursue their attraction while their previous relationships are on hold because of the war. 

The author does an amazing job placing the reader in the story with genuine characters and clearly depicted events and locations. The characters feel like real people, speaking authentic dialogue fitting the circumstances. Descriptions of bombed-out Berlin are so vivid I could almost feel the gritty desolation and the bitter winter cold, with not enough wood or coal. The introduction tells the reader that much of what follows is based on eyewitness accounts. Yet the wealth of detail suggests the author did extensive research. 

The Berlin airlifts were always relegated to a mere footnote in my American history classes, so the story's focus on this monumental mission was informative and awe-inspiring. Reading about this time period and what these people endured was riveting and horrifying. I thank the author for shedding light on these events. 

With its genuine personalities, authentic dialogue and experiences, I recommend WHEN THE SKIES RAINED FREEDOM to readers of historical fiction, especially those interested in post-WWII Germany and the advent of the Cold War. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

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So Close to Heaven

by

Annette Oppenlander

 

Riveting historical fiction set in northern Italy during the Napoleonic Wars.

 

So Close to Heaven is author Annette Oppenlander’s fascinating fictional account of Sabiona Abbey and the Benedictine nun who saved it from complete destruction during the approximately 20-year span of the Napoleonic Wars. The abbey, located on a strategic mountainside in the South Tyrol area of northern Italy, was attractive as a highly defensible site for the military on both sides of the conflict and changed hands a couple of times during the fighting. During each takeover, the Benedictine nuns who called the abbey home were threatened or completely displaced, except for one: Sister Magdalena. 

Sister Magdalena (and all the nuns who stayed behind at the abbey during the various occupations) was a strong-willed, dedicated woman, as shown by her escapade of dressing as a French soldier to reinstate the Sabiona Abbey as a religious entity. The story has many tense and exciting moments as the women face their French attackers and even their own countrymen bent on taking advantage of the situation for personal gain. 

Although not much is known about Mariele Told’s (Sister Magdalena as she was known after joining the order) reasons for initially coming to Sabiona Abbey, the author has created a tragically plausible origin story here. But what starts as an often-heard tale re-enacted thousands of times, a woman seeking asylum to avoid an unwanted arranged marriage, turns out to have a surprise twist. The story becomes one of forgiveness. 

The author’s writing puts me right in the story with the women of the Benedictine community at Sabiona Abbey, and at just over 200 pages, the book is a perfect one-sitting read. With its engaging heroine and exciting plot based on true events, I recommend SO CLOSE TO HEAVEN to readers who enjoy historical fiction, especially stories with strong female protagonists or set during the Napoleonic Wars in Italy or within a religious community. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

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The Magdalene Deception

Magdalene Chronicles, #1

by

Gary McAvoy

 

Secrets, old and even older, threaten the very foundation of the Church.

 

The Magdalene Deception is the first book of author Gary McAvoy’s exciting and suspense-filled series, The Magdalene Chronicles, and features a young, connected American priest-scholar assigned to the Vatican Museum, specifically its secret archives, and a young and also connected female journalist working to make a name for herself at Le Monde. Jesuit priest Father Michael Dominic has been at the Vatican for only a few weeks when he stumbles across hidden documents secreted at the bottom of a box disguised as a large book. While one of the documents is a cryptic handwritten set of quatrain verses by Nostradamus himself, the other is a letter from a parish priest in Rennes-le-Chateau, France, notorious in the early 20th century for his extravagant spending and unknown source of funds, that appears to be dunning the Vatican for unnamed Church services and sounding suspiciously like a blackmail demand. 

Michael meets journalist Hana Sinclair, the granddaughter of a Swiss baron and banking mogul who has been an advisor to several popes, through her cousin, a recent acquaintance in the Swiss Guard. She is researching for a controversial series of articles about the involvement of the French government, the Vatican, and the Vatican Bank in taking and keeping the assets of Jews stolen during World War II. Together, as they try to unravel the truth behind the mysterious documents, they uncover an ancient secret that would irreparably harm the very foundation of the Catholic Church, and someone else is determined to stop them. 

Michael is the son of a single, unwed mother, a devout Catholic who served as the housekeeper to a now-powerful cardinal when he was a parish priest in New York City. The priest took an interest in the boy, becoming a father figure to him, and later, as his circumstances improved, assisted him in attaining a good education. Michael, although following in his benefactor’s footsteps on his career path, has done so for the love of scholarship rather than a true spiritual vocation, but he hopes that one day that will change and he will feel the deep religious connection that his colleagues do. As for Hana, she is determined to succeed as a journalist on her own merits rather than on the prestige and privilege of her birth and family connections, but there are backdoor machinations at work that may circumvent her best intentions. 

The author gives readers a Vatican City full of intense watchfulness, suspenseful intrigue, and power plays by church leaders at the highest level. It feels like someone is constantly watching and listening, just looking for something they can exploit for their own advantage. As the story progresses, interesting and relevant bits of church history and dirty laundry are presented throughout. 

After introducing the main characters and their backstories, the plot quickly takes off. Some secrets must remain secret, and deadly measures are employed to ensure they do. If you are a history buff as well as a reader of mystery, suspense, or thrillers, THE MAGDALENE DECEPTION is for you. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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Sinister Remnants

Tori Winters Mystery, #4

by

Anita Dickason

 

Will a legal challenge to Tori’s ownership of the Leichter inheritance ruin all her dreams?

 

Sinister Remnants is the fourth book in author Anita Dickason’s charming, yet suspenseful Tori Winters Mystery series set in Granbury, Texas. In the final run up to the grand opening of the Red Door Inn, rumors questioning the validity of Tori’s ownership of the former Leichter mansion and property begin to circulate and when a Houston attorney approaches David Tucker with cryptic promises that an anonymous client has proof of the claim, Tori begins to wonder if her dream of turning her grandmother’s home into an elegant B&B will ever become a reality. 

The plot kicks off at a brisk pace with the stunning accusation occurring in the very first chapter, and the tension builds steadily as each new legal maneuver hits and long-held secrets come to light, bringing with them a new danger. In between, readers learn a little more about the family and the past as the complex case unfolds. 

Tori and her friends have been through so much renovating the house and getting the historic old home ready to serve as a weekend B&B and weekday meeting center and café, so the rumor that it all may have been for naught hits pretty hard. These are good, kind people with a lot of energy and enthusiasm for Tori’s dream, and you can’t help but want for them to succeed. Conversely, the author has created some new characters who, after only a brief introduction, you know are trouble. For example, attorney Mark Houghton and Metro News reporter Charlotte Polaski are the very pictures of smarm. 

Tori, David, and the rest of the Red Door Inn characters have become a family, and having read the previous books, I almost feel as though they were part of mine, so it was no surprise how quickly and completely I was invested in the outcome of the story. However, while this is the fourth Tori Winters book, the author subtly provides enough highlights from the past that readers new to the series can easily read and enjoy this one as a standalone novel. But the earlier books are great fun and really are must-reads in and of themselves. 

I recommend SINISTER REMNANTS to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy Texas-set stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

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Soldiers of Christ

The Northern Crusader Chronicles, #2

by

Jon Byrne

 

The riveting story of imprisoned knight-brother Richard Fitz Simon continues as Prince Nevsky seeks peace between his country and the Baltic crusaders.

 

Soldiers of Christ is the second suspense-filled novel in author Jon Byrne’s riveting historical fiction series, The Northern Crusader Chronicles, about a betrayed and dispossessed English lord, Richard Fitz Simon, and his adventures as a knight-brother with the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, fighting in the Baltic Crusades. Severely wounded and captured in a disastrously failed battle against the Russian Prince Alexander Nevsky, he is allowed to pen his memoirs as a memento to be sent to his son, a child begotten during his youth in Lübeck. As his extraordinary tale is revealed, it captures the interest and imagination of the young prince, who eventually draws the recovering Richard into his negotiations for peace between his county and the crusaders from the Latin Church. 

The story unfolds in dual timelines: during Richard’s current situation as a prisoner in the summer of 1242 and his earlier life while a sergeant-brother in the Order of the Swordbrothers in Riga, Livonia, from 1205 through 1209. The author’s depictions of medieval life are fascinating, creating vivid, immersive impressions of brutally harsh times. The living conditions, for not only the brothers but the entire populace, are stark, with food, shelter, and safety always at the minimum. The daily routine of life in the Order is rigid, relieved only by the chance to wage war. Well-choreographed battle scenes put readers smack in the middle of the chaos, brutality, death, and destruction. 

The imprisoned Richard, looking back and dictating his words to the disgruntled Irish scribe, Fergus, is an old man at 53, while he is only 16 and a survivor of his first battle against the pagans when his narrative picks up. While nominally viewed as a boy by the Order, he is still expected to work, fight, and potentially die like the older men. Richard is relentlessly persecuted by his master, Rudolf, and Wolfgang, a fellow sergeant-brother, throughout his service, and he plans and retaliates whenever possible, with the help of sympathetic companions. He is often in trouble with the Order’s command as a result of his temper and his reactions to the constant provocations. Although they are a religious order of fighting knights, the Swordbrothers are often accurately described as no better than a band of brigands. Their mission to convert the pagan populations of faraway lands as part of the Northern Crusades in the Baltics is questionable, especially when viewed through a modern lens. There is a lot of death and destruction wreaked in the name of Christ. 

To aid in readers’ enjoyment, the author has provided a comprehensive list of characters appearing or mentioned in the book, many of whom are actual historical figures. Chapters are grouped into parts and anchored in time and place by the associated dates and settings of the ensuing events. While this is the second book in the series, the author provides a very good recap of the story to date, so new readers will still enjoy and understand this compelling page-turner. However, the previous novel, Sword Brethren, was a 5-star read for me, and also a riveting tale of family, betrayal, and resilience, and not to be missed by readers who enjoy compelling sagas of action-filled historical fiction. 

I recommend SOLDIERS OF CHRIST to readers of historical fiction, especially those interested in the relatively ignored Northern Crusades. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.