MWSA Book Review

The Shenandoah Spy

Author:  Francis Hamit

Publisher:  Amazon Download e-book

Reviewer: Bill McDonald – President of the MWSA

A Great Download – A Serialized Novel of the Civil War

Author Francis Hamit tries new age technology to bring readers a lost art – or perhaps, just an old art rediscovered; serialized novels. His downloaded novel comes in many parts; the story continues on past where I have already read to and it seems to have a life that will go on for many more parts. The novel is titled “The Shenandoah Spy.”  It can be downloaded for only 49 cents a part on Amazon.

The basic story is based on the life of a real southern spy named Belle Boyd. She became famous for her work with the Confederate Secret Service. She was only 17 years old and a beautiful young woman when in 1861 her whole life would change when her home was invaded by the Union Army. Drunken and unruly soldiers with no discipline pick the wrong house and the wrong women to tangle with. She defends her home and protects her mother.

The real facts and the fictional imagination of the author are interwoven throughout the story. The author takes us along as the family moves to Front Royal. Trying to serve the Confederacy in some meaningful way; Belle volunteers to become a nurse. She becomes ill and ends up quitting and takes up being a courier. Eventually she hooks up with the Confederate Secret Service along with another woman Antonia Ford.

She trains and then is given a mission where she disguises herself as a missionary. She thus officially begins her new career as a spy. The story gets more involved from this point forward but certainly entertaining.

The writing is truly gifted and the author is inventive with how he uses real and fictional dialogs and narrative of people and events. I honestly do not know Civil War history well enough to know one from the other. But I would bet that the author has researched much deeper into this period then one might realize. He captures this place and time in our history. To me it was a very satisfying read. I think I even learned something new about that war.

The author does something else rather rare in that he truly captures the female energy of the lead character Belle. He has fleshed her character out so that she has power, intelligence, sex appeal and cunningness. He also gives us a good supporting cast of characters.

For those who like the Civil War or just good adventure stories then this is a book worth downloading.  It has a little of everything to offer the reader. For this type of genre and this kind of media download – I give it a Five Star Rating for serialized e-book downloads; could be a great way to spend your time at the airport with your lap top.

The serialized e-book receives a FIVE STAR RATING!