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LEAD, SO I CAN FOLLOW
Harold Adams, Walker & Co, 2000, $22.95/C$34.50 (£14.21), 219pp, hb, ISBN 0-8027-3336-0
At the end of the Great Depression, former cop Carl Wilcox and his new bride Hazel are camping while honeymooning in the wilds of northern Minnesota.  Awakened by a scream and a gunshot, they find a body on the railroad tracks just as a train’s approaching.  Carl removes the body in time, and the couple – with the local sheriff’s grudging permission – assist in solving the murder.  Clues lead to more clues, and by the time they’re done, Carl and Hazel have made the rounds of most of the townspeople. They’ve learned all about who’s sleeping with whom, the relationships between members of the local band (of which the victim was a member), and what the town floozy’s been up to lately – but they’re no closer to solving the murder.  Or was it even murder in the first place?
Street-smart Wilcox has found his perfect match in Hazel, whose common-sense attitude and wry sense of humor allows her to interact on an equal basis with the locals.  The mystery here takes second place to the characters, not that this should really be considered a defect.  It’s a quiet, understated sort of book that perfectly illustrates small-town life in the 30’s without overwhelming description.  Despite being book 16 (!) in a series, this is as good a place to start as any.

THE BEGGAR’S THRONE
David Falconieri, MacAdam/Cage, 2000, $24 (£16.51), 391pp, hb, ISBN 0-9673701-0-8
Just when you thought there must be nothing new to write about the Wars of the Roses, along comes this well-researched, highly entertaining novel. It recounts events of this turbulent period from Wakefield up through after Tewkesbury, from the points of view of both royalty/nobility as well as the common folk. Within one thread, the future Edward IV seeks to consolidate power for the House of York, despite changing loyalties even amongst his own followers. In another, intertwining tale, the fictional Miller brothers find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. Christopher, a family man, remains stubbornly loyal to the Lancastrians, while Samuel, the younger son, joins the Yorkists after witnessing the Earl of Rutland’s cruel murder by a Lancastrian nobleman. The plot is further enhanced by the presence of a young woman who seeks help from the Millers while trying to keep a secret letter of the Queen’s from falling into the wrong hands.
            The author brings a human touch to this well-known time in history, and there’s hardly a character who’s given short shrift. Henry VI is fascinatingly depicted as a sad yet somehow dignified figure who correctly prophesizes future events. Wandering ragged from one castle to another, seeking shelter, the former king becomes one of the “beggars” of the title. Also of particular interest is the portrayal of Edward IV in his early years before the throne, a time period rarely explored by novelists.
            In all, the novel does an excellent job of illustrating the uncertainty of life and loyalties during these changing times. The action is nonstop, and readers can’t help but be pulled along for the ride. Highly recommended to fans of medieval fiction.

THE ICEWEAVER
Margaret Lawrence, Morrow, 2000, $24 (£14.86), 403pp, hb, ISBN 0-380-97621-8
A sequel of sorts to the historical mystery series starring midwife Hannah Trevor, this work of "straight" fiction brings her deaf daughter Jennet, now a woman of twenty-nine, to the forefront. The setting has moved from the previous novels' Maine to upstate New York, in winter of the year 1809. Marked as indigent after her mother's death, Jennet – known to townsfolk as the "wild girl" – is put up for auction. Winning the bid is John Frayne, a frontiersman recently returned from life out west in order to reclaim his son as well as his father's lands. The pair form an alliance, uneasy at first because of their independent natures, but not surprisingly their mutual bond deepens.
            This novel is essentially one of rescue and rediscovery, for both Jennet and Frayne have lived through horrific experiences, and each sees in the other the only way back to life. Though a literary novel, with its present tense verbs and poetic turns of phrase, it's one without obscurity. Some scenes are overly dramatic, including one in which Jennet uses her loom to weave pure ice (hence the title). The characters all come alive, however, with realistic dialogue (this novel could easily be the basis of a theatrical production), and the setting's so authentic that you might be hard pressed to wrap yourself in a blanket against the icy winter winds while reading. It's an unsentimental portrait of the harsh life in a newly formed country, but there's warmth here as well – though its discovery, like all worthwhile things, takes time.

COURTING FAVOUR
Nigel Tranter, Hodder & Stoughton, 2000, £16.99, hb, 330pp, ISBN 0-340-73925-8
At 22, the younger son of the Earl of Dunbar and March is surprisingly given an earldom at his father's death.  His mother sees potential in her son John and presents him with the earldom of Moray, hers to bestow. Beginning during the last years of David II's reign, this novel sees the young nobleman through the numerous errands he makes on behalf of King David and his successors: the wise yet ageing Robert II, whose daughter John marries, and his son, the weak and ineffectual Robert III. Most notably, John must negotiate on Scotland's behalf with England's John of Gaunt in order to stop Scots/English border warfare.
           John Earl of Moray is nowhere near as colourful or ambitious as other Tranter male protagonist, like the Master of Gray. Reading Courting Favour, one gets the impression that our hero was pushed rather reluctantly into the political arena: he acts dutifully but without any particular enthusiasm.
          As always, though, Tranter's impeccable research and love for his native land shine through.  My only complaint is that the novel is rather long on narrative and short on dialogue, at least in comparison to his previous tales, but this didn't prevent me from thoroughly enjoying the story.

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Questions or comments?  E-mail me at cfsln@eiu.edu.

Last updated: March 17, 2002