MY THOUGHTS:
I really enjoyed this book for several reasons. First, it's about a time period you don't read about often -- just prior to WWI. Second, it involves the early days of creating and deciphering codes, which has always been interesting to me. Third, it involves women entering the workplace when it wasn't really popular or common, especially in intellectual jobs.
Susan Page Davis does a fabulous job of creating intrigue immediately. She draws you into the story and intricately weaves the lives of the main characters together.
I enjoyed the way she teaches the reader about ciphers in the text -- I learned a lot without feeling that I was being lectured. I also appreciated the more realistic way she treated her characters. I don't want to give anything away, but life isn't always perfect. Nuff said.
Definitely a good read for those interested in historical fiction.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
From Susan: I've always loved reading, history, and horses. These things come together in several of my historical books. My young adult novel, Sarah's Long Ride, also spotlights horses and the rugged sport of endurance riding, as does the contemporary romance Trail to Justice. I took a vocational course in horseshoeing after earning a bachelor's degree in history. I don't shoe horses anymore, but the experience has come in handy in writing my books.Another longtime hobby of mine is genealogy, which has led me down many fascinating paths. I'm proud to be a DAR member! Some of Jim's and my quirkier ancestors have inspired fictional characters.
For many years I worked for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel as a freelancer, covering local government, school board meetings, business news, fires, auto accidents, and other local events, including a murder trial. I've also written many profiles and features for the newspaper and its special sections. This experience was a great help in developing fictional characters and writing realistic scenes. I also published nonfiction articles in several magazines and had several short stories appear in Woman's World, Grit, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.
My husband, Jim, and I moved to his birth state, Oregon, for a while after we were married, but decided to move back to Maine and be near my family. We're so glad we did. It allowed our six children to grow up feeling close to their cousins and grandparents, and some of Jim's family have even moved to Maine!
Our children are all home-schooled. The two youngest are still learning at home. Jim recently retired from his vocation as an editor at a daily newspaper, and we’ve moved from Maine to Kentucky.
ABOUT THE BOOK
IT'S 1915, AND EMMA SHUSTER HAS FAR TOO MUCH ON HER MIND TO ENTERTAIN NOTIONS OF ROMANCE...
A female Navy cryptographer seeks to save lives...and uncover her father’s killers.
In 1915, German sympathizers escalated acts of sabotage in the United States to keep the nation from joining in the war. With enemies lurking at every turn, whom can Emma trust? Is romance the true motive behind her tow suitors advances? Or could one-or both of them-have traitorous intentions in mind?
Following the mysterious murder of Emma Shuster’s father, Lt. John Patterson invites Emma to become a Navy cryptographer because of the expertise she gained in helping her father develop a cipher system.
Emma races to discover the nefarious plans of her country's foes and unmask their leader before others are killed. She finds new strength in her faith as she strives to outwit her adversary, known only as Kobold - German for goblin.
And yet, her greatest challenge may be deciphering the cryptic messages her heart sends whenever she encounters a certain navy lieutenant... Can Emma and John find love in the midst of turmoil as America plunges toward war?
If you would like to read the first chapter of The Crimson Cipher, go HERE.
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1 comment:
Susan, thank you for featuring my book. I'm finding that lots of readers our there have a secret love for codes and ciphers! Most of us wrote encrypted notes with our friends when we were kids--so why not indulge in the hobby now? There's even a cipher to solve in the book as part of a contest from Summerside.
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