Tag: #HistoricalFiction

Posted in Book Tours

Afghani

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Two souls, 

one hundred years apart, 

bound by lands that both embrace and betray.


Afghani

by Brendon Patrick

Genre: Historical Fiction




War is a Racket, and Culture is Blind: The True Cost of Conflict

Journey through a century of strife in this gripping dual-timeline novel with:

George Sher Gul: A Muslim cameleer fleeing early 20th Century Afghanistan, seeking hope in Australia’s unforgiving outback. He navigates harsh landscapes and the prejudices of White Australia, with his dream of belonging hanging by a thread.

Patterson: An Australian soldier in post-9/11 Afghanistan, questioning the war’s true motives amidst corruption and personal demons.

Their intertwined stories challenge our beliefs on war, peace, and humanity.

Experience heart-wrenching choices, cultural clashes across generations, and a quest for belonging spanning continents.

This thought-provoking historical fiction exposes deep-rooted xenophobia, drawing parallels between early 20th century Australia and today’s complex geopolitical landscape.

Together, it offers a witty yet unflinching critique of global politics—questioning the cyclical nature of conflict.

From sun-baked Australian deserts to war-torn Afghan streets, immerse yourself in a powerful journey through time and culture.

Will George Sher Gul find his future in a land that views him as an outsider?

Can Patterson discover peace amidst chaos and national expectations?

Uncover these answers in a compelling tale of resilience, hope, and the enduring human spirit.

Click Buy Now to embark on an unforgettable adventure that will challenge your perspectives and touch your heart!

 

What readers are saying:

Between breathtaking descriptions of Afghanistan’s demonic and razor-sharp craggy edges and the sun-scorched Australian outback, Brendon Patrick weaves a tale that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about both nations’ shared history.

~ Fionna

 

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Brendon Patrick is an emerging voice in historical fiction, drawing upon his experiences as a veteran of the Australian Army and his heritage as a descendant of Afghan Cameleers. His debut novel: Afghani explores the untold stories of Australia’s multicultural past.

Based in Brisbane, Brendon is a self-taught writer who founded Bulldog Self Publishing to bring authentic Australian stories to readers. When not writing, he can be found spending time with his beloved bulldogs and advocating for diverse voices in literature.

 

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $40 giveaway!




Posted in #Classics

The Murder at the Vicarage: A Miss Marple Mystery

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The Murder at the Vicarage is Agatha Christie’s first mystery to feature the beloved investigator Miss Marple—as a dead body in a clergyman’s study proves to the indomitable sleuth that no place, holy or otherwise, is a sanctuary from homicide.

Miss Marple encounters a compelling murder mystery in the sleepy little village of St. Mary Mead, where under the seemingly peaceful exterior of an English country village lurks intrigue, guilt, deception and death.

Colonel Protheroe, local magistrate and overbearing land-owner is the most detested man in the village. Everyone–even in the vicar–wishes he were dead. And very soon he is–shot in the head in the vicar’s own study. Faced with a surfeit of suspects, only the inscrutable Miss Marple can unravel the tangled web of clues that will lead to the unmasking of the killer.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

tie’s genius for detective fiction is unparalleled. Her worldwide popularity is phenomenal, her characters engaging, her plots spellbinding. No one knows the human heart–or the dark passions that can stop it–better than Agatha Christie. She is truly the one and only Queen of Crime.



Miss Marple–Agatha Christie’s immortal spinster sleuth with the razor-sharp mind and an intuitive understanding of criminal behavior–encounters a compelling murder mystery in the sleepy little village of St. Mary Mead, where under the seemingly peaceful exterior of an English country village lurks intrigue, guilt, deception and death.



Colonel Protheroe, local magistrate and overbearing land-owner is the most detested man in the village. Everyone–even in the vicar–wishes he were dead. And very soon he is–shot in the head in the vicar’s own study. Faced with a surfeit of suspects, only the inscrutable Miss Marple can unravel the tangled web of clues that will lead t

From the Back Cover

The first Miss Marple mystery, one which tests all her powers of observation and deduction.

“Anyone who murdered Colonel Protheroe,”declared the parson, brandishing a carving knife above a joint of roast beef, “would be doing the world at large a favor!”

It was a careless remark for a man of the cloth. And one which was to come back and haunt the clergyman just a few hours later—when the Colonel is found shot dead in the clergyman’s study. But as Miss Marple soon discovers, the whole village seems to have had a motive to kill Colonel Protheroe.

From AudioFile

Colonel Protheroe, a strong candidate for most disliked citizen of St. Mary Mead, is found shot in the vicarage. It takes the intuitive sleuthing of elderly Miss Marple to identify the killer from the lengthy list of suspects (including the vicar himself). This dramatization of Agatha Christie’s classic mystery lives up to the high standards of BBC Radio productions. The full cast, featuring June Whitfield as Miss Jane Marple and Francis Matthews as the Rev. Leonard Clement, is superb. All the eccentricities and gossipy nature of Miss Marple and the villagers are voiced in a natural manner. Sound effects, including the pouring of tea and the gentle clinking of cups on saucers, add to the charm of the production. C.R.A. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Posted in Book Tours

Boy With Wings

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Johnny Cruel is born with strange appendages on his back and ends up in a freak show traveling the South in the 1930s. Is he an angel or a devil? What does it mean to be different? 

Boy With Wings

by Mark Mustian

Genre: Historical Fiction, Magical Realism



“Vibrant and alive, the kind of book where the blood pumps mightily.” —Kristen Arnett, NYT bestselling author of Mostly Dead Things
 
What does it mean to be different?

When Johnny Cruel is born with strange appendages on his back in the 1930s South, the locals think he’s a devil. Determined to protect him, his mother fakes his death, and they flee. Thus begins Johnny’s yearslong struggle to find a place he belongs. From a turpentine camp of former slaves to a freak show run by a dwarf who calls herself Tiny Tot and on to the Florida capitol building, Johnny finds himself working alongside other outcasts, struggling to answer the question of his existence. Is he a horror, a wonder, or an angel? Should he hide himself to live his life?

Following Johnny’s journey through love, betrayal, heartbreak, and several murders, Boy With Wings is a story of the sacrifices and freedom inherent in making one’s own special way-and of love and the miracles that give our lives meaning.

 

Winner, Grand Prize for Fiction, Next Generation Indie Book Awards

Winner, da Vinci Prize for cover art

Winner, Bronze Medal for Historical Fiction from Independent Publishers Book Awards (IPPY)

Finalist, Hawthorne Award for Fiction

Finalist, Cross-Genre Fiction, International Book Awards

Finalist, Literary Fiction, National Indie Excellence Awards

Shortlisted, Shelley Ward for Paranormal Fiction

 

“…a magical, highly imaginative tour de force… Boldly original and unexpectedly profound…“
—Readers’ Favorite Reviews

“Mustian’s story is a study in acceptance, diversity, kindness, and the possibility of marvels in life… Vibrant with discovery, Boy With Wings is a winner.”
—Midwest Book Review

“Boy with Wings is a lyrical, mesmerizing blend of the magical—feathered wings—with social realism…”
—Historical Novel Society Reviews

“…riveting… An evocative historical novel that celebrates distinctive individuals in the Depression-era South.”
—Foreword Book Reviews

“In this imaginative novel filled with magical realism, religion and morality are turned inside out and upside down.”
—Southern Literary Review

 

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Mark Mustian is the author of the novels “The Return” and “The Gendarme,” the latter a finalist for the Dayton International Literary Peace Prize and shortlisted for the Saroyan International Award for Writing. It won the Florida Gold Book Award for Fiction and has been published in ten languages. The founder of the Word of South Festival of Literature and Music in Tallahassee, Florida, his new novel, “Boy With Wings,” is the winner of the Grand Prize for Fiction from Next Generation Indie Book Awards and has received numerous other honors, including winning the Bronze Prize for Historical Fiction from Independent Publishers Book Awards (IPPY) and being named a finalist for the Hawthorne Award for Fiction.

 

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $30 giveaway!


Boy With Wings


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Posted in Book Tours

The Rabbi’s Knight

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

In possession of a cryptic ancient scroll, Rabbi Samuel, St. Clair and the others will risk everything to fulfill their shared and sacred destiny as guardians of the Temple Mount.


The Rabbi’s Knight

Prequel to Wages of Empire

by Michael J. Cooper

Genre: Historical Fiction


“The Rabbi’s Knight is instantly compelling and fascinating in its arcane plot and propulsive pacing. Literally, a page turner!” -Sylvia Boorstein, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Is an Inside Job

“A well-written historical adventure story . . . with unexpected twists and turns that keep you hooked . . . an exciting and historically fascinating read.” -Andrew Kaplan, New York Times bestselling author of Blue Madagascar and the Homeland novels

 

The year is 1290. At the twilight of the Crusades, war-weary Knight Templar Jonathan St. Clair is garrisoned in the port city of Acre in the Holy Land. In possession of an ancient scroll with a cryptic inscription, he learns that it holds the key to unlock the secrets of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

But time is running out. Acre will soon come under siege, and the one man able to divine the scroll’s meaning, Rabbi Samuel of Baghdad, has been targeted for assassination. St. Clair apprentices himself to Rabbi Samuel and together they travel to Jerusalem. On their pilgrimage, they are hunted by scheming emirs in the service of a bitter enemy of Rabbi Samuel. But they are aided in their quest by others: a brilliant young scholar, Isaac of Acre; a powerful young Scotsman, William Wallace; a learned Muslim mathematician, physician, and cartographer, al-Hasani; and a beautiful independent-minded woman, Zahirah, who avoids serving in an emir’s harem by hiding in a leper colony on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Rabbi Samuel, St. Clair and the others will risk everything to fulfill their shared and sacred destiny as guardians of the Temple Mount.

 

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Wages of Empire

Book 1


Winner — 2025 Pacific Book Award for Best Historical Fiction
Winner — 2025 International Impact Award for Historical Military Fiction

Grand prize winner – 2022 CIBA Dante Rossetti Award for YA fiction
First place honors – 2022 CIBA Hemingway Award for wartime fiction
Amazon Best Seller—Jan 2024—Historical World War I Fiction

 

In the summer of 1914, sixteen-year-old Evan Sinclair leaves home to join the Great War for Civilization. Little does he know that, despite the war raging in Europe, the true source of conflict will emerge in Ottoman Palestine, since it’s from Jerusalem where the German Kaiser dreams to rule as Holy Roman Emperor.

Filled with such historical figures as Gertrude Bell, T.E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill, Faisal bin Hussein and Chaim Weizmann, Wages of Empire follows Evan through the killing fields of the Western Front where he will help turn the tide of a war that is just beginning, and become part of a story that’s still being written.

 

“Masterful storytelling will keep you furiously turning the pages of this compelling (historical WWI) novel. A winner!”–Andrew Kaplan, New York Times Best-Selling Author of Blue Madagascar and the Homeland Novels

 “The characters, historical and fictional, come to life on the page as the storyline drives relentlessly forward. Bravo!”–Matt Coyle, bestselling author of the Rick Cahill novels

 “A beautifully written tale…exhibits seamless research in illuminating unforgettable historical and fictional characters…a tour de force!” –Professor Ronit Meroz, Dept of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud, Tel-Aviv University, Israel

 “This superb historical novel is a must read…directly relates to issues we face today.” –Rizek Abusharr – Emeritus Director General of Jerusalem International YMCA

 “Cooper has made this period of history come alive. It is a treat to read.” –Rabbi David Zisenwine, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Education, Tel Aviv University

 “A Young Indiana Jones–style adventure.” –KIRKUS reviews

 “Story is gripping and the characters that he describes come alive through his skillful writing. I couldn’t put it down!” –Rabbi Gordon Freeman, Ph.D., Rabbi Emeritus, B’nai Shalom, Walnut Creek, CA

 

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Crossroads of Empire

Book 2



Winner — 2025 International Impact Award for Historical War & Military Fiction

Winner of the 2024 CIBA Hemingway First Place Prize for 20th Century Wartime Historical Fiction

2024 SF Writers Conference Writing Contest Finalist-Adult Fiction

 

“. . . both a gripping page turner and a series of carefully observed character studies. Beautifully written in a voice and in details that capture the era, Crossroads of Empire is a must-read for readers of all ages” -Chanticleer Book Reviews

 

The story of Evan Sinclair that began in Wages of Empire continues in Crossroads of Empire. Having survived German artillery, poison gas, and friendly fire in helping to turn the tide of the war in its first months, Evan barely survives his hospital ship’s sinking by a German U-boat. Left with amnesia, he no longer remembers who he is.

 Likewise, Evan doesn’t recall that, despite the European war, the true source of conflict is in Ottoman Palestine, since it’s from Jerusalem’s Temple Mount that Kaiser Wilhelm II dreams to rule as Holy Roman Emperor over Arabian oil reserves and the Suez Canal.

 The Middle East Front soon explodes with pitched battles at Suez and Gallipoli as Evan’s story is interwoven with those of historical figures Gertrude Bell, T. E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill, Faisal bin Hussein, and Chaim Weizmann.

 During his quest to recover his memory Evan will discover far more: love for his father, grief for his late mother, and hidden secrets of his bloodline-an unbroken lineage that stretches back to the Crusades and will determine his future role in the Great War. 

  

“Cooper masterfully crafts a novel that intertwines vivid characters and complex themes, blending historical fiction with elements of mystery and intrigue. This unique combination makes it a must-read for fans of both genres.”
   —BookTrib Review

 

“In page after page of Crossroads of Empire, I was thrilled with how the plot widened with various actors added as history unfolded one step at a time. The book picked up speed as it moved along with rising tension as disparate subplots charged forward to the conclusion. I loved it! Bravo!”
   —Sylvia Boorstein, PhD, bestselling author, teacher of Buddhist Insight Meditation, and co-founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center

 

“Crossroads of Empire dives into the tumultuous waters of World War I, presenting a thrilling narrative enriched by a blend of historical and fictional characters. Cooper’s writing is compelling and richly detailed, offering a tapestry of scenes that bring early 20th-century conflicts vividly to life.”
   —Literary Titan Review

  

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Michael J Cooper writes historical mysteries set in the Holy Land at major turning points of history—all the while subtly promoting the notions of coexistence and peace. His books have won multiple awards and include; set in 1948 Jerusalem Foxes in the Vineyard (winner of the 2011 Indie Publishing Contest Grand Prize); set at the twilight of the Crusades in 1290, The Rabbi’s Knight (finalist for the CIBA 2014 Chaucer Award for historical fiction); set at the start of WWI in 1914, Wages of Empire (winner of the 2025 Pacific Book Award for best historical fiction, winner 2025 International Impact Award for historical military fiction, the CIBA 2022 Grand Prize for young adult fiction as well as the Hemingway first prize for wartime historical fiction); A sequel of Wages of Empire, Crossroads of Empire (winner of the 2025 International Impact Award for historical war & military fiction as well as first place in the 2024 CIBA Hemingway for 20th Century wartime historical fiction, placed as a finalist in the 2024 SF Writers Conference and won first prize honors in the 2023 CIBA Hemingway wartime historical fiction category). 

 A native of Berkeley, California, Cooper absconded to Israel after high school and spent the next eleven years studying and working there. He lived in Jerusalem during the last year the city was divided between Israel and Jordan, studied at Hebrew University, and graduated from Tel Aviv University Medical School. He returned to the US to specialize in pediatric cardiology, and after 40 years of practice, he continues to return to the Middle East for biannual volunteer missions serving Palestinian children who lack access to care. Otherwise, he lives in Northern California with his wife and a spoiled-rotten cat. Three adult children occasionally drop by.

  

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Posted in Book Tours

Sherlock Holmes: The Hidden Years

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

An anthology of eleven original Sherlock Homes tales set during the missing years between his apparent death and later return—including the Edgar Award finalist “The Adventure of the Missing Detective” by Gary Lovisi.

“Kurland . . . scores again in this lively all-original anthology. . . .  Stories by Baker Street veterans Gary Lovisi, Carolyn Wheat and Richard Lupoff, plus others newer to the world of Holmes pastiche, round out this enjoyable volume.” —Publishers Weekly

In 1891, Sherlock Holmes in a struggle with his archenemy, Professor James Moriarty, disappeared over Reichenbach Falls and was presumed deceased. Until, that is, he reappeared in London in 1894, revealing himself to his friend Dr. John Watson, and resumed his activities as a consulting detective. Holmes remained very quiet and mysterious on those missing three years, never really revealing precisely where he’d been and what he’d done in the “hidden years.”

Now, in this anthology of original stories the truth about those thirty-five months is unveiled and Holmes’s adventures described. While some stories place Holmes in such familiar locations as New York and San Francisco, others find him high in the Himalayas or above the Arctic Circle. With stories from such writers as Rhys Bowen, Peter Beagle, Carolyn Wheat, Michael Collins and many others, Sherlock Holmes: The Hidden Years is a must-have book for every fan who has ever wondered about the untold adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

“Brings a new sensibility and a new dimension to the Holmes legend . . . a delightful addition to the ever-growing mythology of this immortal fiction hero.” —Booklist