Thursday, April 16, 2015

Interview with David Morrell, author of Inspector of the Dead

Author interviews are one of my favorite things to post which is why I am super excited to welcome author David Morrell to Flashlight Commentary to discuss Inspector of the Dead.

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Welcome to Flashlight Commentary David. It’s great to have you with us. To start things off, please tell us a bit about Inspector of the Dead.
Inspector of the Dead is a mystery/thriller set in 1855 London.  Its premise (some of it based on actual events) is that during the worst of the Crimean War, when the British Empire teetered, someone plans to assassinate Queen Victoria and make certain that the Empire does indeed fall. It’s filled with little-known “weird” details about the Victorian era.

Where did this story begin and what drew you to Thomas De Quincey?
Thomas De Quincey is one of the most fascinating literary personalities of the 1800s. When most people used the painkiller laudanum (a mixture of alcohol and opium) the way we use aspirin, he was the first to admit being a slave to it—in his sensational memoir, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater.  Opium caused him to suffer epic nightmares in which all of history marched before him and the ghosts of loved ones visited him. Wondering where dreams came from, he theorized that the human mind was filled with “chasms and abysses, layer upon layer, in which there were secret chambers where alien natures could hide undetected.” This sounds like Freud, but De Quincey proposed this theory in 1821, almost 80 years before Freud. De Quincey also invented the modern true-crime genre in his third installment of “On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts,” where he meticulously recreated the first media-sensation mass murders in English history, the Ratcliffe Highway killings of 1811.  He influenced Edgar Allan Poe and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I couldn’t resist putting him at the start of the detective tradition, showing how he would use his psychoanalytic theories to solve murders at a time when Scotland Yard was just starting to figure out crime-scene investigation.

How did you approach characterizing the English essayist? What kind of man is he in your stories?
De Quincey wrote thousands of pages. I read and re-read those pages as well as biographies about him until I felt that I was channeling him. One of my editors said that I’d become a ventriloquist for him. He was so witty and brilliant that his friends threatened to keep him a prisoner in box (he was very short) and bring him out, like a child’s toy, when conversation dwindled at parties. In my two novels about him (the other is Murder as a Fine Art), I incorporate his phrases into his dialogue to show how brilliant he was.

And his daughter Emily? How would you describe her?
De Quincey had three daughters. By 1855, two of them were married or else engaged, leaving only Emily (21years old) to take care of her father. She’s the lens through which we see him. Some readers might be ambivalent about his opium use, but I figured that if readers liked Emily (she’s laugh-out-loud entertaining), then readers would admire her father just as she herself does.  One measure of her smile-producing independence is that while other women wear wide hoop dresses weighing 37 pounds, she thinks this is nonsense and prefers the recently invented “bloomer skirt,” which was basically trousers under a skirt. People of pretension mock her, but as she says, “I can walk faster than them.”

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are central to the story. How did you approach writing the famed royals?
The same as with De Quincey, I immersed myself in books about them.  Everyone knows that the Victorian age is characterized by its reserve and its prudery. But do they know why? It’s because Victoria’s immediate royal predecessors were notorious for their immorality. In contrast, Victoria wanted to set a solemn, proper tone, which spread through the era. She didn’t even allow brightly colored men’s clothing in her presence, unlike the garish fashions in previous courts. I looked for those kinds of details that would characterize her in ways that most readers didn’t know about.  My favorite example is that her mother trained her to be regal by putting a sprig of holly under her collar. Holly has sharp points, and the only way Victoria could avoid being “stabbed” by them was by standing perfectly straight. She walked that way when she was queen, while her husband Albert tended to slouch. The contrast makes them vivid.

What sort of research went into Inspector of the Dead? What sources did you find most valuable?
Literally, for two years, the only books I read were related to De Quincey and 1850s London. I often felt that I was time traveling and was actually on those harrowing fogbound streets. If a scene involved a glass of beer or pews in a church, I had to stop and remind myself that many things had changed in a century and a half. Beer was often watered by a tavern owner and then “boosted” by an intoxicating drug that also produced hunger. Pews weren’t the bench-like arrangement that we’re used to. Instead they were boxes in which there might be a table and carpet and pillows and a charcoal heater.  The pews were rented, with locked doors that only the renters could open. Some even had curtains, and Inspector of the Dead begins with a murder in one of these during a Sunday church service.

You probably have many, but is there a scene you particularly enjoyed writing?
My favorite season involves a Buckingham Palace dinner to which De Quincey and Emily are invited. They’re dressed so poorly that the other guests wonder why on earth they were invited. But Prince Albert likes Emily and arranges for her to sit next to him. At one point, she uses some drops of a chemical to find out if the items on the menu have been adulterated with lead, which was a common problem with Victorian food. She uses another chemical that shows the presence of arsenic in the green dye of the dresses that the women wear. The scene was a joy to write.  

It's interesting that you say that as it was one of my favorite scenes in the book. 

What scene posed the greatest challenge for you as an author? Why was it troublesome and how did you work through it? 
De Quincey liked to analyze dramatic murders and believed that “in the murderer worthy to be called an artist, there rages some great storm of passion—jealousy, ambition, vengeance, hatred—which creates a hell within him.”  In Inspector of the Dead, I wanted to make that storm of passion so sympathetic that readers would feel sorry for the murderer and perhaps even want to shed a tear for him.

Sometimes fiction takes on a life of its own and forces the author to make sacrifices for the sake of the story. Is there a character or concept you wish you could have spent more time on?
The first war correspondent was an Irishman named William Russell whom the London Times sent to the Crimean War to expose the incompetence of English officers. He’s so interesting that I wish I had more scenes for him. But after he fulfilled his function in the novel, he would have been extraneous.

Historical novelists frequently have to adjust facts to make their stories work. Did you have to invent or change anything while writing Inspector of the Dead and if so, what did you alter? 
In 1854-55 London, De Quincey was living in Scotland, but for Inspector of the Dead and Murder as a Fine Art, I needed him to be in London. Otherwise I didn’t meddle with historical facts and molded the fiction to fit them. To give a few examples, there’s a February snowstorm in Inspector of the Dead, and in reality, there was indeed such a storm.  Similarly, in the first week of February of 1855, the British government indeed collapsed because of the incompetent handling of the Crimean War. In the novel, when Queen Victoria asks one of the characters (real-life Lord Palmerston who was the most influential politician in England at the time) to become prime minister, she does so on the exact day that she asked him back in 1855. Part of my enjoyment was to adhere strictly to De Quincey’s life (except for putting him in London in 1854-55). I asked his two biographers, Robert Morrison and Grevel Lindop, to fact-check my manuscripts, and Grevel was kind enough to give Inspector of the Dead this quotation on the jacket: “I was fascinated by the seamless blending of elements from Thomas De Quincey’s life and work.”

If you could sit down and talk with one of your characters, maybe meet and discuss things over drinks, who would you choose and why?
Definitely De Quincey. Everyone admired him for his spellbinding conversations. Even Ralph Waldo Emerson sought him out when Emerson visited Britain.

Just because I’m curious, if you could pick a fantasy cast to play the leads in a screen adaptation of Inspector of the Dead, who would you hire?
Anthony Hopkins would be ideal to play De Quincey. 

I agree with that casting call one hundred percent. 

Finally, what's next for you? Do you have a new project in the works?
I’m so interested in De Quincey and Emily that I’m working on a third novel about them. There are a lot more “weird” details about the Victorian era that I’m eager to describe.

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PRAISE FOR INSPECTOR OF THE DEAD

“Riveting! I literally thought I was in 1855 London. With this mesmerizing series, David Morrell doesn’t just delve into the world of Victorian England—he delves into the heart of evil, pitting one man’s opium-skewed brilliance against a society where appearances are everything, and the most vicious killers lurk closer than anyone thinks.” —Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author of Crash & Burn and The Perfect Husband

“Even better than Murder as a Fine Art. A truly atmospheric and dynamic thriller. I was fascinated by how Morrell seamlessly blended elements from Thomas De Quincey’s life and work. The solution is a complete surprise.” —Grevel Lindop, The Opium-Eater: A Life of Thomas De Quincey

“The scope is remarkable. Florence Nightingale, the Crimean War, regicide, the railways, opium, the violence and despair of the London rookeries, medical and scientific innovations, arsenic in the food and clothing—all this makes the Victorian world vivid. The way Morrell depicts Thomas De Quincey places him in front of us, living and breathing. But his daughter Emily is in many ways the real star of the book.” —Robert Morrison, The English Opium-Eater: A Biography of Thomas De Quincey

“I absolutely raced through it and couldn’t bear to put it down. I particularly liked how the very horrible crimes are contrasted with the developing, fascinating relationship between Thomas De Quincey and his daughter, Emily, who come across as extremely real. It was altogether a pleasure.” —Judith Flanders, The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Reveled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime

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David Morrell is an Edgar, Nero, Anthony, and Macavity nominee as well as a recipient of the prestigious career-achievement Thriller Master away from the International Thriller Writers. His numerous New York Times bestsellers include the classic espionage novel. The Brotherhood of the Rose, the basis for the only television mini-series to be broadcast after a Super Bowl. A former literature professor at the University of Iowa, Morrell has a PhD from Pennsylvania State University. His latest novel is INSPECTOR OF THE DEAD, a sequel to his highly acclaimed Victorian mystery/thriller, Murder as a Fine Art, which Publishers Weekly called ”one of the top ten mystery/thrillers of 2013.”

Website ❧  Facebook ❧  Twitter


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Format: Print, Audio & eBook
Publication Date: March 24, 2015
Released by: Mulholland Books
ISBN-13: 978-0316323932
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Historical Mystery

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Check Out All the Stops on David Morrell's Inspector of the Dead Blog Tour Schedule


Tuesday, March 24
Review at Unabridged Chick
Excerpt at Boom Baby Reviews
Wednesday, March 25
Review at Back Porchervations
Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick
Thursday, March 26
Review at JulzReads
Friday, March 27
Interview at JulzReads
Monday, March 30
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Spotlight at Tales of a Book Addict
Tuesday, March 31
Interview & Excerpt at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Wednesday, April 1
Spotlight at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Guest Post at Mina’s Bookshelf
Thursday, April 2
Review at Build a Bookshelf
Review & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf
Friday, April 3
Review at Peppermint, Ph.D.
Monday, April 6
Review & Giveaway at To Read, or Not to Read
Excerpt & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Tuesday, April 7
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Wednesday, April 8
Interview at Back Porchervations
Spotlight & Giveaway at Words and Peace
Thursday, April 9
Review & Giveaway at 100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews
Friday, April 10
Review at Layered Pages
Review, Excerpt & Giveaway at Drey’s Library
Saturday, April 11
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Monday, April 13
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, April 14
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, April 15
Review & Excerpt at Jorie Loves a Story
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Thursday, April 16
Review at Editing Pen
Review at Luxury Reading
Review at The Maiden’s Court
Friday, April 17
Guest Post & Giveaway at Editing Pen
Monday, April 20
Review & Giveaway at A Literary Vacation
Tuesday, April 21
Review at A Book Geek
Review at Books and Benches
Wednesday, April 22
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection
Thursday, April 23
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Friday, April 24
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Monday, April 13, 2015

Inspector of the Dead by David Morrell

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours/Netgalley
Read: March 25, 2015

The year is 1855. The Crimean War is raging. The incompetence of British commanders causes the fall of the English government. The Empire teeters. Amid this crisis comes opium-eater Thomas De Quincey, one of the most notorious and brilliant personalities of Victorian England. Along with his irrepressible daughter, Emily, and their Scotland Yard companions, Ryan and Becker, De Quincey finds himself confronted by an adversary who threatens the heart of the nation. This killer targets members of the upper echelons of British society, leaving with each corpse the name of someone who previously attempted to kill Queen Victoria. The evidence indicates that the ultimate victim will be Victoria herself.

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I was pretty excited about reading David Morrell's Inspector of the Dead. Books one of the Thomas De Quincey series, Murder As A Fine Art, was one of my favorite reads of 2013 and I was eager to dive into its sequel.

Like its predecessor, I quickly fell for the feel and atmosphere of the Morrell's England. The dark and gritty descriptions, paired with Thomas and Emily's unconventional lifestyle make highly entertaining material and like how the backdrop emphasizes the more sinister elements of the mystery at the heart of the story.

Morrell takes a couple of artistic liberties, but I found them highly appropriate to the story and actually liked the references to Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone. I also liked how Morrell used Queen Victoria and the numerous attempts on her life as a foundation for a much darker intrigue. 

Genuinely thrilling and impossible to put down, Inspector of the Dead  is an absolute must. A thoroughly satisfying read that kept me on the edge of my seat beginning to end. 

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Despite the pretense that the Great Exhibition celebrated the brotherhood of nations, he had no doubt that Albert’s purpose was to emphasize the power of Great Britain. How the revenger seethed when people spoke glowingly about the Victorian age, a term that Albert had championed. The revenger fantasized about using the cover of night to sneak gunpowder into the Crystal Palace and blow it apart. But what point was there in destroying a building? It was people that he wanted to destroy: Victoria, Albert, and many others.
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Check Out All the Stops on David Morrell's Inspector of the Dead Blog Tour Schedule


Tuesday, March 24
Review at Unabridged Chick
Excerpt at Boom Baby Reviews
Wednesday, March 25
Review at Back Porchervations
Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick
Thursday, March 26
Review at JulzReads
Friday, March 27
Interview at JulzReads
Monday, March 30
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Spotlight at Tales of a Book Addict
Tuesday, March 31
Interview & Excerpt at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Wednesday, April 1
Spotlight at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Guest Post at Mina’s Bookshelf
Thursday, April 2
Review at Build a Bookshelf
Review & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf
Friday, April 3
Review at Peppermint, Ph.D.
Monday, April 6
Review & Giveaway at To Read, or Not to Read
Excerpt & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Tuesday, April 7
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Wednesday, April 8
Interview at Back Porchervations
Spotlight & Giveaway at Words and Peace
Thursday, April 9
Review & Giveaway at 100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews
Friday, April 10
Review at Layered Pages
Review, Excerpt & Giveaway at Drey’s Library
Saturday, April 11
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Monday, April 13
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, April 14
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, April 15
Review & Excerpt at Jorie Loves a Story
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Thursday, April 16
Review at Editing Pen
Review at Luxury Reading
Review at The Maiden’s Court
Friday, April 17
Guest Post & Giveaway at Editing Pen
Monday, April 20
Review & Giveaway at A Literary Vacation
Tuesday, April 21
Review at A Book Geek
Review at Books and Benches
Wednesday, April 22
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection
Thursday, April 23
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Friday, April 24
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Friday, April 10, 2015

The Captive Imposter by Dawn Crandall

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Obtained from: Author
Read: April 8, 2015

Sent away for protection, hotel heiress Estella Everstone finds herself living undercover as a lady’s companion named Elle Stoneburner at one of her father’s opulent hotels in the mountains of Maine—the one she'd always loved best and always hoped to own one day, Everston. The one thing she doesn't like about the situation is that her ex-fiancé is in the area and is set on marrying someone else. Reeling from her feelings of being unwanted and unworthy, Estella reluctantly forms a friendship with the gruff manager of Everston, Dexter Blakeley, who seems to have something against wealthy young socialites with too much money, although they are just the kind of people Everston caters to. When Estella finds herself in need of help, Dexter comes to the rescue with an offer she can't refuse. She sees no other choice aside from going back home to her family and accepts the position as companion to his sister. Throughout her interactions with Dexter, she can't deny the pull that's evidenced between them every time he comes near. Estella realizes that while she's been hiding behind a false name and identity, she’s never been freer to be herself than when she's with Dexter Blakeley. But will he still love her when he finds out she's Estella Everstone? She's not entirely sure.

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I was lucky to receive all three installments of Dawn Crandall's Everstone Chronicles in quick succession. I read the first two books in early March and rounded out the series with The Captive Imposter, early in April. I admit fitting a series into my review schedule was tough, but I believe it enhanced my experience.

As I said in my reviews of The Hesitant Heiress and The Bound Heart, the books are character heavy, but before I get too far ahead of myself, I want to make it clear that comment is not a criticism. I actually like how the earlier books established some of the relationships in The Captive Imposter and anchored it to the series. I also like how characters from those stories are referenced in the last installment. All I'm really saying here is that there are a lot people keep straight in these books and while that can be confusing for those reading the novels as standalones, it actually unifies the books quite nicely when approaching them as a series. 

As before, I appreciated how Crandall depicted her heroine's personal introspection and faith, but more importantly, I liked how she managed to do this without losing Estella's voice. It's the same approach, but Estella, Meredyth and Amaryllis are three very different women and I was impressed by Crandall's ability to retain a sense of individuality throughout each of the books.

Of the three, I think I liked Estella's revelations the best and feel the message in her story incredibly relevant to modern audiences. Historically I might have liked more detail, but I found The Captive Imposter entertaining just the same. 

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“God had listened to my little-girl prayers back then and had orchestrated the events of my life, even the painful ones, to produce a present reality beyond my greatest hopes. How great were His ways compared to ours!”
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Thursday, April 9, 2015

The Bound Heart by Dawn Crandall

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Obtained from: Author
Read: March 8, 2015

One accidental kiss from Lawry Hampton. That was all it took to throw Meredyth Summercourt's world upside-down. Determined to marry the ever-elusive Vance Everstone, she simply doesn't have the time or the desire to fall for her best friend. But with Vance out of the country, and with Lawry at her side nearly every day, teaching her what the world is like through the eyes of a little orphan girl named Wynn--Meredyth can't deny that what's holding her to Vance is nothing more than a desire to redeem herself from her past. Will she marry Vance once he returns from Europe? Or will she be strong enough to break free from the tangled web she's convinced she deserves, and accept that God's plan for her life includes redemption...and, quite possibly, Lawry Hampton?

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I felt prepared when I picked up Dawn Crandall's The Bound Heart. Having just finished the first installment of the Everstone Chronicles, I felt I had a handle on the author's style and I thought I had a good idea as to where the story might go. Looking back I can honestly say I was right in a lot of ways, but I was also surprised at certain subplots and have no problem admitting that I enjoyed book two more than I did book one. 

Like its predecessor, I felt the novel character heavy. I was actually very happy that I'd tackled the books in order as it made it easier for me to keep everyone straight in my head. Again, I found I appreciated Crandall's voice and the balance she struck between faith and fiction.

Unlike its predecessor, I felt Meredyth's story more dramatic and historically appealing. Her situation posed a lot of interesting insight to the social order of the day and highlighted the disparity in consequence suffered by men and women who defied those dictates. 

I'm not a huge fan of light inspirational fiction, but The Bound Heart proved both enjoyable and thought-provoking. It is slow in places and a bit drawn out toward the end, but I liked the story and find myself looking forward to the next installment of the series. 

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“I was doing a fantastic job of conducting myself with remarkable civility, when all I really wanted to do was scream.”
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Wednesday, April 8, 2015

The Hesitant Heiress by Dawn Crandall

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Obtained from: Author
Read: March 2, 2015

After being unjustly expelled from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Amaryllis Brigham sees her dreams of founding a music academy disappearing before her very eyes. Now the only way to achieve her goal comes with high stakes for someone set on avoiding men as much as possible: marry within the year to inherit her grandmother’s fortune. Amaryllis reluctantly takes part in her aunt’s society, intent on getting to the west coast on her own... and without a husband. Despite her own misgivings, she soon finds herself falling in love with the most unlikely of men, Nathan Everstone, whose father not only had a part in her expulsion, but whose ominous presence has haunted her dreams for a decade since her mother’s tragic death. Nathan turns out to be much more than he seems and everything she never knew she wanted. But just as everything Amaryllis has recently hoped for comes to fruition, it all falls apart when she finds that the real culprit who has been managing her life isn't who she thought at all. 

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I'll be the first to admit I was uncertain about accepting Dawn Crandall's The Hesitant Heiress for review. My record is hit and miss with Christian fiction and I tend to favor stories with darker material, but I pride myself on stepping out of my comfort zone from time to time and something about the Everstone Chronicles prompted me to take a chance. 

So what did I discover? Well to be brutally honest, I found something I'd not expected, an engaging and rather delightful story of conviction, personal introspection and light romance. Crandall rocked the first person narrative and I while I often found myself at odds with her characters, I can't deny my appreciation for the style and tone of her work.

I liked the direction of the story and was impressed with the author's use of religion. Experience has taught me that many writers have difficulty finding balance between faith and fiction, but in this, Crandall proved an exception. Her use of religion makes sense in the framework of Amaryllis' story and never struck me as abrasive or heavy-handed.

The story takes a while to get going and I wish it had been more focused on Amaryllis and Nathan, but I've few complaints over the time I spent with The Hesitant Heiress. Crandall brings a nice level of intrigue to the table and while I felt the ending predictable, I liked the twists and turns that transpired between points a and b. 

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“It is, in fact, that I've never admired anyone as much as I admire you. I have such a strong affinity for you. And only God knows why, for you're the most irritatingly, self-protective young lady I've ever met.” 
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Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Mistress Firebrand by Donna Thorland

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours/Netgalley
Read: April 6, 2015

British Occupied Manhattan, 1777. American actress Jennifer Leighton has been packing the John Street Theater with her witty comedies, but she longs to escape the provincial circuit for the glamour of the London stage. When the playwright General John Burgoyne visits the city, fresh from a recent success in the capitol, she seizes the opportunity to court his patronage. But her plan is foiled by British intelligence officer Severin Devere. Severin’s mission is to keep the pleasure-loving general focused on the war effort…and away from pretty young actresses. But the tables are turned when Severin himself can’t resist Jennifer Leighton... Months later, Jenny has abandoned her dreams of stage glory and begun writing seditious plays for the Rebels under the pen name “Cornelia,” ridiculing “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne and his army - and undermining the crown’s campaign to take Albany. By the time Severin meets up with Jenny once again, she is on a British hanging list, and Severin is ordered to find her - and deliver her to certain death. Soon, the two are launched on a desperate journey through the wilderness, toward a future shaped by the revolution—and their passion for each other...

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Political writer and propagandist Mercy Otis Warren,
on whom Thorland's Jennifer Leighton was based.
I've been eyeing Donna Thorland's Renegades of the Revolution series since the publication of The Turncoat, but fitting the books into my schedule has been something of a challenge. Till now that is. 

For the record, the books are written as standalones and weren't published in chronological order, so feel free to start where you will. I also encourage readers not to worry too much over the material. Thorland's writing is wonderfully detailed, but easy to follow and she never overwhelms the narrative with lecture style exposition. 

As far as the characters are concerned, I wasn't initially sold on Jennifer Leighton, but she grew on me and I became quite fond of her by the end of the novel. Severin Devere, on the other hand, proved an engaging rouge from the start. Frances enjoys a supporting role, but I loved the passion Thorland embedded in her character and words can't describe my enchantment with the enigmatic Angela Ferrers.

Historically, Thorland paints New York as a political battleground and I found her interpretation intensely interesting. The action is brisk and incredibly addictive, but the story itself highlights the struggles of those living in a city under occupation. Power shifts frequently and the growing unrest makes it difficult to discern friend from foe and I really liked how Thorland manipulated that principle to her advantage.

I admit it took me a few chapters to get into the book, but I once I did I found the novel almost impossible to put down. Dramatic, clever, entertaining and provocative, Mistress Firebrand isn't to be missed. 

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He had, in fact, been attracted to her. That had caused him to think of her first as a woman and second as an adversary, and that had been his great est mistake. She used her sex to her advantage, and had clearly learned all the ways in which a smaller, lighter opponent might turn the tables on a larger, stronger one. “It would seem that I have a weakness for dangerous women.”
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Check Out All the Stops on Donna Thorland's Mistress Firebrand Blog Tour Schedule


Monday, April 6
Excerpt at What Is That Book About
Excerpt & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Tuesday, April 7
Review & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, April 8
Interview at The Maiden’s Court
Thursday, April 9
Guest Post & Giveaway at Susan Heim on Writing
Friday, April 10
Spotlight at Broken Teepee
Sunday, April 12
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Monday, April 13
Spotlight, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Thursday, April 16
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes
Friday, April 17
Spotlight at I’d So Rather Be Reading
Saturday, April 18
Excerpt & Giveaway at A Dream Within a Dream
Monday, April 20
Review at Book Nerd
Tuesday, April 21
Guest Post & Giveaway at Book Babe
Wednesday, April 22
Guest Post & Excerpt at The Lit Bitch
Thursday, April 23
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Friday, April 24
Review at Back Porchervations
Monday, April 27
Review at Just One More Chapter
Tuesday, April 28
Review at Historical Readings & Views
Wednesday, April 29
Review & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Guest Post at Boom Baby Reviews
Thursday, April 30
Review at Bookramblings
Friday, May 1
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Drey’s Library
Spotlight at Genre Queen
Sunday, May 3
Review at Forever Ashley
Monday, May 4
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Guest Post & Giveaway at To Read, or Not to Read
Tuesday, May 5
Excerpt at CelticLady’s Reviews
Wednesday, May 6
Review at Unabridged Chick
Thursday, May 7
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation
Friday, May 8
Interview at Scandalous Woman