G122 E-Reading Book Review of The Doctor's Deceit by Kathy Steinemann
Author: Kathy Steinemann
ISBN: B00CKG2VGI
Publisher: Kathy Steinemann
Part of a Series: Sapphire Brigade
Type of book: 1897?-1899, getting over, widows, Brigade actions, mysteries, secrets, new love, family, adoption, relationships, childhood abuse, protection, marriage, mysteries, Sapphire Brigade, justice, doctor, racism, interracial romance, African American male/white female
Year it was published: 2013
Summary:
ALTERNATIVE HISTORY:
Vanguard or villain? Who is the real Owen Vargas?
SARGENT, 1898 -- The Doctor has a secret, a secret he never revealed to his departed wife, a secret he kept from his childhood friend. Is he afraid that the Brigade will find out? Does he fear Retribution? Or does he have another reason for his mysterious behavior?
Discover the truth about the Doctor and the vigilante group known as the "Sapphire Brigade".
Characters:
This book adds more dimensions to the characters we know and love; Owen has shown how he is caring towards the people in his life and how deeply Hope captured his heart; there is Ruth, Hope's sister who is shown as independent but who is also crafty and sneaky; unfortunately Paul played a small role in this particular book, and some interesting facts are added to Peter's, Hope's first husband, personality. At some points I was pretty surprised and shocked by the answers, but what is also cool, is that we get to see more of Owen's parents and how Brigade operates.
Theme:
Beginnings are possible
Plot:
While the first book was in a diary form, this book seemed to be in a novel form and the only times dates appear is from Owen's mother. The story happens to be in first person narrative from Owen's and his mother's points of views. There are plenty of twists and turns and surprises within, which I'm not going to spoil but I promise that many you won't see coming. Some questions from the first book are answered, but she leaves many more unanswered, and she also introduces some more interesting characters such as Elsie, an old woman who claims to be senile but has a sharp mind, then of course Owen's parents, then the detective, and few others whose names I can't recall.
Author Information:
from goodreads.com)
gender
female
website
http://KathySteinemann.com
twitter username
KathySteinemann
member since
June 2012
About this author
Kathy Steinemann won provincial public speaking and writing awards during her school years, wrote the school news column for the community paper, and was a regular contributor to her high school newspaper.
She has always eagerly embraced new technological advances, creative projects, and continuing education. Her career has taken varying directions, including positions as editor of a community weekly, computer-network administrator, and webmaster. She has also worked on projects in commercial art and cartooning.
Opinion:
Is it possible to mix into a book something addictive that leaves you hungry for more and more? Apparently with this book, yes, it is possible. I have to admit that due to some commitments I waited awhile to read this particular book, and boy it left me very hungry for more. The book picks up with Owen Vargas, a doctor that got married to Hope from previous book, and what happened to him after his wife's death. We also get to find out more about the mysterious Brigade and how it works as well as some loose ends, although the author manages to introduce several more interesting plots and doesn't answer the important one. I do wish I could have read it sooner because I couldn't recall a lot from the previous book, yet in many cases the author realizes that and fills you in, in case if the reader took too long or if this is the reader's first book. I think the timing might be a little off, but I will have to check. (If I'm not mistaken, Hope passed away in 1895, and the book says seven years after she passed which would make it 1902? yet the story takes place from 1897? up until 1899.) I do hope for a chance to read the third book and get to know more of Peter. By the way, I do hope to read a journal from Owen's father point of view one day.
Quick notes: I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to read and review the book.
5 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
Thank you, Svetlana! The third book is about 3/4 of the way through its first draft. It's a prequel that explains how Peter became the man he was when he married Hope.
ReplyDeleteHope passed away in 1895.
The second book starts in 1898, more than three years after her death. Owen met Ruth in 1890, five years before Hope died. He began counselling her in 1891.