Historical Fiction: Saving Washington by Chris Formant

As always, I was humbled as well as grateful to be asked to review a book, as opposed to choosing one on my own, which is what I usually do. Today I will discuss Saving Washington: The Forgotten Story of the Maryland 400 and The Battle of Brooklyn by Chris Formant, whose rock music mystery novel, Bright Midnight, I reviewed in 2016. When it comes to historical fiction set around wars, I usually end up reading about World War II, so it was an interesting change to instead read about a little known battle that took place during the American Revolution.

The Situation: It is 1776 in Baltimore, Maryland, and 19 year-old Josh Bolton spends most of his days learning the merchant trade under his father. When he is not working hard, he is hanging out with his best friend Ben, a free black man. While the two young men would rather spend their free time simply hanging out at the local bar, The Cat's Eye, spotting young women and enjoying their remaining years of not yet being fully responsible adults, the atmosphere in and around Baltimore is full of tension towards the British. It seems that every day brings a new tax, or news of the seemingly imminent war that is about to break out between the colonists and their British rulers. The city of Boston is already in full-on revolution mode, and it is clear that Baltimore is not far behind.

The Problem: Though Josh and Ben are only 19, they believe it is their responsibility as colonists and men to fight for the freedoms the British continue to attempt to strip away. The danger is real, and the British have the numbers, the ships, the weapons, the training, and every other advantage you could name. Even so, despite the objections of his mother, Josh joins up, and is grateful to have Ben by his side. The training is difficult, but the actual combat proves to be worse. As the group from Baltimore, which will come to be known as the Maryland 400, make their way towards New York City in order to head off their opponents, it becomes clear that the men may be marching into an impossible situation. The British are simply too many and too well-trained, and there will need to be a group to help hold them off while everyone else escapes. Josh and Ben knew the dangers when they signed up, and Ben knew not everyone would be okay with serving alongside a man of color. While neither relishes the idea of not making it home alive, they both believe in the cause of the Continental Army. Amid spies, beautiful women who are not what they seem, commanding officers who are not as respectable as they appear, and an enemy that has nearly every advantage, the two young men commit to the fight and the American Revolution.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set in 1776, during the American Revolution. Beginning in early May of that year, the book begins after the unrest in Boston, and before it has truly reached Maryland, though it is not far behind. The book ends just after the little known Battle of Brooklyn, where the Maryland 400 managed the impossible and held off British forces just long enough for the city to be evacuated. While many of the events and locations are real, as are many of the historical figures, some of the main characters - such as Josh, Ben, the westerner Paddy, and the barmaid Tessa - are fictional. The author also admitted to taking a few liberties with the timeline, as the Battle of Brooklyn went on for longer than a mere 36 hours. Ultimately, the book brings to light a turning point in the war that not many people know about. Also, Formant was interested in the reasons why young men (one of them black), who were still teenagers, would see the need to enlist in an army that had the odds stacked against them from the beginning. Fundamentally, freedom was the goal, and it was something that the British had no interest in giving them.

My Verdict: My fear was that this book was going to be boring, and that certainly was not the case. My second fear was that it was going to be riddled with historical inaccuracies. The thing with that fear is that I would have to know a reasonable amount about the events in order to be able to spot those inaccuracies, and I do not. So with that in mind, I was pleasantly surprised by this novel and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. And while Bright Midnight was a fun book, this one is more developed story wise. It is evident that Formant took a real interest in the events leading up to and around the Battle of Brooklyn. I think history buffs will enjoy it, if only because it sheds light on an event in American history that few know much about.

Favorite Moment: When a general stands up for Ben, a free black man, when another soldier attempts to deny him a brand new gun due to his skin color.    

Favorite Character: Paddy is a westerner who joined the war effort almost as a matter of principle. Plus, if the British win in the colonies, then he reasons it would only be a matter of time before they continued into the continent and attempted to rule over people like him as well. He is big, he is friendly, he is a skilled hunter and fighter, and he watches out for Josh and Ben as if they were his own. 

Recommended Reading: I usually do not make a point to read books that deal with actual battle during a war, so when it comes to the themes of espionage and the role women have played in wars, I recommend Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly, and The Alice Network by Kate Quinn.         

Contemporary Fiction: Bright Midnight by Chris Formant

After reading the premise I agreed to be sent a copy of Chris Formant's Bright Midnight in exchange for a review. Most music fans, of almost any genre, are familiar with the Myth of the 27 Club. Several artists - including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison - died at the age of 27, at the height of their popularity. Formant's novel surmises that these deaths weren't suicides, but instead carefully planned murders.

The Situation: Gantry Elliot may have what many consider to be a dream job, but he feels ancient and a bit under appreciated when he is around many of his coworkers. As a reporter for Rolling Stone magazine, Elliott has reported some of music histories greatest moments, and subsequently, his knowledge about the industry approaches encyclopedic. But with a focus on classic rock, he doesn't get to write as much as he used to, and the 20-somethings that now surround him at work disregard him as out of touch and a little too old school. When a mysterious package shows up on his desk claiming that a member of the infamous 27 Club was murdered, Elliot initially shrugs it off as a prank. But the packages keep coming, and the clues inside turn out to be artifacts that only someone incredibly close to the artists themselves could possibly have in their possession.

The Problem: These clues that keep landing in Elliot's lap could lead to the biggest story of his career. But if the members of the 27 Club were murdered by what appears to be a serial killer, then why is someone turning over the evidence now? Is the killer still out there? And why does this mystery messenger seem to know where Elliot lives and where he is at all times? It becomes enough to get the FBI involved, and for Elliot to begin looking over his shoulder. Even Elliot's skeptical boss, Alex Jaeger, becomes involved as he sees the potential of what a story like this could do for Rolling Stone. But even with the mystery informant seemingly giving up all of the good information, it soon becomes clear that this story won't be easy to get, and it will take the combined efforts of officials in three different countries to get everything they need.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel set in present day, but it looks back in time to when musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Peter Ham, and others, were turning up dead, all at the age of 27. The cases concerning their deaths are eventually opened as cold cases and investigated all over again, when initially they were accepted as suicides, or accidental suicides. To realize such a thing now, with so much time having passed, would mean bringing to light a massive cover up that someone had managed to keep hidden, and most likely wants to keep it that way. Naturally, issues of greed and fame come up, and Elliot begins to wonder just how deep this thing seems to go. Anyone who is a fan of any of the above named artists would recognize some of the details surrounding their life and death. Formant takes classic rock history and manages to play with it just enough to offer a plausible alternate version of history.

My Verdict: While the premise is certainly fun and interesting, and it is fun to somewhat go back in time and look at the lives of some of classic rock's biggest stars, I wish the fun translated through to the more mundane aspects of the actual investigation. It was fun to read about Elliot having mysterious clues dropped off at his job or apartment, but the book becomes much less fun once he officially joins up with the FBI and the actual investigation begins. Essentially, any part that didn't have Eliot in control of the story was almost always guaranteed to be boring, and the further along we get into plot, the more Elliot would disappear. Formant does manage to pull it all together in a very intense and entertaining final 100 pages or so, which is impressive considering just how much he puts out there. All of the pieces seem to fit together nicely with very few loose ends, and a good amount of action.

Favorite Moment: Whenever Elliot's cowboy boots are mentioned. As a native of Texas, he still insists on wearing them even though he now lives in New York City (and I want to be clear here, not everyone who lives in or is from Texas wears or even owns cowboy boots).

Favorite Character: I empathize with Elliot, but my favorite would actually have to be FBI Agent Raphael Melendez. He would end up taking the lead on the case and is actually the one taking the most risk in pursuing it in the first place.

Recommended Reading: I recommend The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore. It isn't quite of the same vein, but Moore does reimagine the stories of King Lear, Othello, and The Merchant of Venice into a hilarious adventure involving murder and romance. 

Contemporary Fiction: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

Today's selection was nominated for the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards in the Best Fiction category, and after reading the synopsis, I was more than a little interested. A mysterious island and a life-changing contest from a beloved author of children's books sounded intriguing. And as soon as I found the map of the island in the opening pages of the book, I was excited to see what kind of adventure would unfold.

The Situation: Twenty-six year-old Lucy Hart is doing her best, and unfortunately, it is not enough. At least it is not enough for her to reach her ultimate goal of being a foster parent - and eventually the adoptive mother - of Christopher, a student at the elementary school where she is a teacher's aide. Christopher is smart, sweet, obsessed with sharks, and also shares with Lucy a love of the Clock Island series, written by Jack Masterson. The book series was often a source of solace to Lucy during her own tumultuous childhood, and is now a source of comfort for Christopher as he is moved from one foster home to another. If Lucy hopes to one day adopt him, she has to save every penny she has, while also hoping for a miracle.

The Problem: It seems a miracle has come in the form of a contest from Jack Masterson himself, as well as an opportunity for Lucy to go to Clock Island, the author's home. She and three other competitors will find clues and solve riddles, all with the hope of being declared the winner and receiving the one and only incredibly valuable copy of the newest (and possibly last) Clock Island book. It may be Lucy and Christopher's only hope if they are ever to be a real family, but the competition is stiff, the riddles bordering on maddening, and there are more than just the three other contestants and Lucy looking to get their hands on that book. It is a tale worthy of Jack's Clock Island series, and will prove to be life changing in more ways than one.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel set in the modern-day U.S, first mostly in California, and then on a small island off the coast of Maine, known as Clock Island, where the author Jack Masterson lives, and where the contest will take place for one person to win the only copy of the latest Clock Island book. Lucy, a young teacher's aide, remains at the center of the story, along with Hugo Reese, the artist who designed the cover art for all of the Clock Island books. Every character has their own reason for why the books are special to them, and a personal history full of secrets, hurts, and hopes. But only Jack knows what the contest really entails and what the contestants will have to do to win.

My Verdict: With landmark names such as "Puffin Rock at Three O'Clock," and the "Noon and Midnight Lighthouse," I immediately fell in love with Clock Island, and with the idea that much of the story would take place there. And as fantastic and magical as the place sounds, the characters still inhabit the real world and deal with very real issues, even Jack Masterson, the books' author. These are characters who may love a children's fantasy series, but they are not playing make believe and simply attempting to leave their problems behind. It is a story that exhibits the power of books in a child's life (and how those effects can carry into adulthood), while offering a Wonka-style adventure, and facing real-world issues.

Favorite Moment: Jack makes it very clear, in the most polite and fun way possible, just how little he cares for lawyers, with his lawyer present in the room.

Favorite Character: Jack is mysterious, whimsical, and full of riddles, but also a real person with a past that haunts him, just like most other human beings. 

Recommended Reading: For me, this book had similar energy to The Night Circus by Emily Morgenstern, but without the fantasy elements, and with a better pay off with the ending. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt may also be a good follow-up.