Book Review: Downriver by Jennifer M. Lane

 About the Book: 

Downriver

A sulfur sky poisoned her family and her heart. Now revenge tastes sweeter than justice. 

It’s 1900. In a Pennsylvania coal town tainted by corruption and pollution, Charlotte's world collapses when her parents meet a tragic end. Sent to a foster family in a Maryland fishing village, she’s fueled by grief and embarks on a relentless quest for justice against the ruthless coal boss, Nels Pritchard. 

But Charlotte is no ordinary girl. She shares the fiery spirit of her father, whose powerful speeches inspired worker riots. With a burning desire for vengeance, she sets out to uncover the truth behind Pritchard's crimes, unearthing a shocking connection between the town's toxic air and the lifeless fish washing up on the shore of her Chesapeake Bay foster town. 

To expose the truth, Charlotte builds a network of unexpected allies. There are gutsy suffragists, a literary society of teenage girls willing to print the truth… and Weylan. The captivating young man lost his own family to Pritchard’s poison. He offers support, but Charlotte questions his true motives when he lures her to break the law. Could she be falling into a dangerous trap, leading her to a fate worse than poison? 

With her unwavering spirit and determination, Charlotte must forge alliances and navigate a web of treachery before Pritchard seeks his own ruthless revenge.

Published 2024 ✧ Jennifer M. Lane ✧ Pen & Key Publishing ✧ Personal Library

 Review:

Set in Pennsylvania and Maryland circa 1900, Downriver by Jennifer M. Lane is a coming-of-age historical inspired by the environmental impact of coal mining and the labor disputes that characterized the Coal Wars in the United States at the end of the 19th century. 

I'm convinced I'd have enjoyed this book a great deal if I had read it as a teen. I found the "Not Like Other Girls" trope far more satisfying two and a half decades ago, and the tonal symmetry between the novel and Newsies would have checked all my boxes. Candidly, the parallels are so strong that I read chapters twenty-six and twenty-seven to the tune of Once and For All. 

Be it the years or the mileage, straightforward storytelling doesn't satisfy me the way it used to. My tastes now favor richer narratives with multi-layered characters and intricate, interconnected plotlines. Lane has a commendable eye for content and theme, but stylistically speaking, the execution of this piece lacked the level of complexity and sophistication I now crave.

Downriver shelves nicely alongside Uprising and Glow. 

 

Short Story Review: The Black Onyx Box by R. Marsden

 About the Book: 

Fate: Tales of History, Mystery and Magic

If you had a crystal ball to predict what lay ahead, would you be tempted to use it? Or would you leave the future to the turn of Fate?

Tales of Variety. Tales of History, Mystery and Magic – some comprising just one of these popular fiction genres, others, a mild mixture of all three. Perhaps you prefer historical fiction rather than a story about magic or fantasy? Maybe you enjoy exploring new themes or prefer sticking to the familiar? Historical fiction can often inform, imparting knowledge of the past, of its events and its people. Stories of mystery exercise the ‘little grey cells’ as Poirot would say, while fantasy and magic create new worlds and awed wonder.

Whatever result, this is where anthologies come into their own, and where short stories are often appreciated as enjoyable, entertaining, quick or easy reads shown through the eyes of a variety of extraordinary characters and situations. In this instance: an Anglo-Saxon woman facing the consequence of conquest, the pursuit of alchemy, the concern of a mother for her daughter, the shifting of time, the necessity of hidden identity, souls who will linger as ghosts, a warning from the supernatural, the necessity for (justifiable?) revenge. All mingled with the rekindling of romance through a mutual quest, and the preparations for a Cotswold village celebration. (Along with a good tip if illicitly snaffling cakes. 

The binding theme? Destiny... Kismet... FATE!

Published 2025 ✧ R. Marsden ✧ Taw River Press ✧ KU Loan

 Review:

"The Black Onyx Box" marks my first experience with R. Marsden, and the story left a mixed impression. 

There is undeniable creativity in Marsden's ability to weave history, ambition, grief, and the fantastic so convincingly in such a modest page count, and the story boasts brilliant pacing. The world-building could have been stronger, but the simple landscape doesn't detract from the narrative. 

If the seventh story in Fate: Tales of History, Mystery and Magic has a flaw, it's that Marsden allows minor storylines to trail into open-ended ambiguity. The author's note points readers to Marsden's larger canon, but offers no hint as to whether or not his full-length novels will bring these lost notes into focus. 

Short Story Review: Following Fate by Elizabeth St. John

  About the Book: 

Fate: Tales of History, Mystery and Magic

If you had a crystal ball to predict what lay ahead, would you be tempted to use it? Or would you leave the future to the turn of Fate?

Tales of Variety. Tales of History, Mystery and Magic – some comprising just one of these popular fiction genres, others, a mild mixture of all three.Perhaps you prefer historical fiction rather than a story about magic or fantasy? Maybe you enjoy exploring new themes or prefer sticking to the familiar? Historical fiction can often inform, imparting knowledge of the past, of its events and its people. Stories of mystery exercise the ‘little grey cells’ as Poirot would say, while fantasy and magic create new worlds and awed wonder.

Whatever result, this is where anthologies come into their own, and where short stories are often appreciated as enjoyable, entertaining, quick or easy reads shown through the eyes of a variety of extraordinary characters and situations. In this instance: an Anglo-Saxon woman facing the consequence of conquest, the pursuit of alchemy, the concern of a mother for her daughter, the shifting of time, the necessity of hidden identity, souls who will linger as ghosts, a warning from the supernatural, the necessity for (justifiable?) revenge. All mingled with the rekindling of romance through a mutual quest, and the preparations for a Cotswold village celebration. (Along with a good tip if illicitly snaffling cakes. 

The binding theme? Destiny... Kismet... FATE!

Published 2025 ✧ Elizabeth St. John ✧ Taw River Press ✧ KU Loan

 Review:

Elizabeth St. John's "Following Fate" is arguably the most charming installment of the Fate: Tales of History, Mystery, and Magic anthology. Set in contemporary England, the story follows a history enthusiast as she unlocks the secrets hidden in a rare portrait of Sir Allen Apsley. 

Julia's unexpected reunion with Oliver, a former flame, adds a romantic layer that feels natural and understated. Their connection, shaped by shared history rather than contrived drama, deepens the story without overshadowing the central plot. The relationship unfolds with a refreshing ease, balancing emotional warmth against the investigation at the heart of the narrative. 

"Following Fate" reflects St. John's longstanding interest in the Stuart era, but unlike her longer works, the historical details of this piece are woven seamlessly into the plot, scattered like breadcrumbs across a modern landscape. The result is a narrative that appeals to both casual readers and those familiar with the period.

Short Story Review: A Fateful Encounter by Alison Morton

  About the Book: 

Fate: Tales of History, Mystery and Magic

If you had a crystal ball to predict what lay ahead, would you be tempted to use it? Or would you leave the future to the turn of Fate?

Tales of Variety. Tales of History, Mystery and Magic – some comprising just one of these popular fiction genres, others, a mild mixture of all three.Perhaps you prefer historical fiction rather than a story about magic or fantasy? Maybe you enjoy exploring new themes or prefer sticking to the familiar? Historical fiction can often inform, imparting knowledge of the past, of its events and its people. Stories of mystery exercise the ‘little grey cells’ as Poirot would say, while fantasy and magic create new worlds and awed wonder.

Whatever result, this is where anthologies come into their own, and where short stories are often appreciated as enjoyable, entertaining, quick or easy reads shown through the eyes of a variety of extraordinary characters and situations. In this instance: an Anglo-Saxon woman facing the consequence of conquest, the pursuit of alchemy, the concern of a mother for her daughter, the shifting of time, the necessity of hidden identity, souls who will linger as ghosts, a warning from the supernatural, the necessity for (justifiable?) revenge. All mingled with the rekindling of romance through a mutual quest, and the preparations for a Cotswold village celebration. (Along with a good tip if illicitly snaffling cakes. 

The binding theme? Destiny... Kismet... FATE!

Published 2025 ✧ Alison Morton ✧ Taw River Press ✧ KU Loan

 Review:

Alison Morton's "A Fateful Encounter," the fifth story in Fate: Tales of History, Mystery, and Magic, is a surprising but delightful departure from her usual fare. Best known for her Roma Nova series - set in a matriarchal remnant of the Roman Empire - Morton exchanges the familiar for something entirely new.

As a devotee of historical fiction, the concept of altering historical events exists at the very edge of my wheelhouse. Morton's confidence and creativity, however, sold me on the material almost immediately. The story steers clear of absurdity and fully embraces the playful potential of its concept. Her use of the literal Fates is a particular highlight, an imaginative yet restrained interpretation that is one of the strongest of the anthology in which it appears.

Morton's writing is clean and precise, with a pace that keeps her audience fully engaged. There's no indulgent exposition or convoluted plotting; instead, the story moves briskly, leaving room to charm and entertain. I read it twice for sheer enjoyment.

If the narrative has a flaw, it's the absence of an author's note. Given the piece is such a departure from Morton's previous work, I'd have welcomed a brief explanation of its origins and intent.

"A Fateful Encounter" is a sharp and imaginative; a delightful combination of historical and speculative fiction. 

Short Story Review: In the Shadow of Ghosts by Helen Hollick

 About the Book: 

Fate: Tales of History, Mystery and Magic

If you had a crystal ball to predict what lay ahead, would you be tempted to use it? Or would you leave the future to the turn of Fate?

Tales of Variety. Tales of History, Mystery and Magic – some comprising just one of these popular fiction genres, others, a mild mixture of all three.Perhaps you prefer historical fiction rather than a story about magic or fantasy? Maybe you enjoy exploring new themes or prefer sticking to the familiar? Historical fiction can often inform, imparting knowledge of the past, of its events and its people. Stories of mystery exercise the ‘little grey cells’ as Poirot would say, while fantasy and magic create new worlds and awed wonder.

Whatever result, this is where anthologies come into their own, and where short stories are often appreciated as enjoyable, entertaining, quick or easy reads shown through the eyes of a variety of extraordinary characters and situations. In this instance: an Anglo-Saxon woman facing the consequence of conquest, the pursuit of alchemy, the concern of a mother for her daughter, the shifting of time, the necessity of hidden identity, souls who will linger as ghosts, a warning from the supernatural, the necessity for (justifiable?) revenge. All mingled with the rekindling of romance through a mutual quest, and the preparations for a Cotswold village celebration. (Along with a good tip if illicitly snaffling cakes. 

The binding theme? Destiny... Kismet... FATE!

Published 2025 ✧ Helen Hollick ✧ Taw River Press ✧ KU Loan

 Review:

Helen Hollick's "In the Shadow of Ghosts," the fourth installment in the Fate: Tales of History, Mystery, and Magic anthology, is a moody foray into the First English Civil War. Set in North Devon amid the final days of Royalist resistance, the story follows Richard Tremayne, a battle-weary soldier in the service of the king. 

Rooted in the grime and grit of wartime Britain, Hollick brings the smoke, uncertainty, and weight of a dwindling campaign into focus. The author's passion for the era is evident, and it is easy to fall into the landscape of the piece. 

That strong sense of development, however, doesn't extend to the cast. Though central to the story, Tremayne is a distant narrator who never quite jumps from the page. There is much to admire in Hollick's illustration of his soldiering - the physical hardship, the waning morale, the relentless threat of death - but this dedication to detail does little to enliven the human element of the vignette. 

When all is said and done, I wish there were more to "In the Shadow of Ghosts". As is, these pages left a vague and incomplete impression, as if they were meant to be part of a larger narrative.