Book Review: Water Street, JP Maxwell
Historical Thriller: Water Street, JP Maxwell
Blog Tour, July 12, 2023
In that den of international intrigue we know as Liverpool during the days of the American Civil War, two factions are at work to change the direction of America’s future. Commander Banastre Xavier Dunwoody is there with his wife, Harriet, and her maid, representing the interests of the south. Dunwoody is an imposing figure, tall, heavy, a sharp-shooting former naval captain. His mission in England is to gain the support of the Liverpool shipbuilders to create the next generation of Confederate naval boats, and to persuade the leaders of Parliament to back the Confederacy with financial, naval, and political support.
Opposing him are two operatives, Harry and Conte. Conte is originally from Haiti but has embraced the cause of southern slaves as her own. Harry, well. Harry is the name preferred by the very pregnant, very southern belle, Mrs. Harriet Dunwoody. She is as skilled with a pistol as her husband is, she is marshaling the Irish underclasses to be ready for…something, and she is trying desperately to figure out her husband’s end game before he succeeds–and before she gives birth.
It’s going to be a tight race. And babies don’t really care about their parents’ timetables.
JP Maxwell keeps several plots spinning throughout the book, drawing them together in a surprising and only partially predictable finale. Who keeps trying to assassinate Commander Dunwoody? What side are several of the characters actually on? Who are the ladies really working for?
I really liked this book, though I did feel like it occasionally missed the mark. Some of the plot twists were, I think, perhaps a bit too twisty and ended up confusing me. Then again, we are dealing with spies and provocateurs, so maybe confusion was the goal. Still, despite some weaknesses this reader perceived, the overall story is engaging, the characters quite interesting, the ending shocking and unexpected, and the novel reads as a largely believable side game to the civil war effort. Whether there is any truth to the Liverpolitan shenanigans or not, JP Maxwell creates a vivid story that kept me engaged throughout.
Our thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things for our copy of Water Street, provided so we could give an honest review. The opinions here are solely those of Scintilla. For other perspectives, check out the other bloggers on this tour.
Book Review: Water Street, JP Maxwell
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