Savage Liberty: A Mystery of Revolutionary America
Savage Liberty: A Mystery of Revolutionary America book cover

Savage Liberty: A Mystery of Revolutionary America

Hardcover – May 22, 2018

by
Price
$14.09
Format
Hardcover
Pages
400
Publisher
Counterpoint
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1619027213
Dimensions
6.4 x 1.5 x 9.1 inches
Weight
1.45 pounds

Description

Praise for Savage Liberty A Publishers Weekly Best Mystery of the Year “Pattison has few peers when it comes to integrating historical events into a complex but plausible whodunit plot.” — Publishers Weekly (starred and boxed review) “For those who enjoy politics, history, and hairbreadth escapes swirled together.” — Library Journal “This fifth entry in Pattison's Bone Rattler series advances McCallum's personal life as it exhibits the seamless blend of fiction and history that distinguishes this fine series. A timely reminder, as well, of what liberty meant to our forebears.” — Booklist “Prepare to be immersed in this story of early America . . . This is historical writing at its best, with plenty of action and suspense. It's difficult to put down.” — Historical Novel Society “A passionate and intelligent tale of the American revolutionary period and a decent murder mystery to boot. Savage Liberty is a page–turning thriller with a deeply researched and beautifully authentic backdrop. An absorbing story with memorable scenes and characters . . . A thoroughly entertaining read.” — Nudge Books Praise for the Bone Rattler Series “ The Last of the Mohicans meets Braveheart , with a curious dash of CSI .” — Entertainment Weekly “If this were a movie, we'd marvel at the set decoration that splendidly evokes the period. The excellent prose narrative goes right to the matter in question, the state of the (pre–Colonial) human heart.” — Chicago Tribune “Pattison's moving characters, intricate plot and masterful evocation of the time, including sensitive depictions of the effects of the European war of Native Americans, set this leagues beyond most historicals and augur well for future entries in this series.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) Book Description Marketing Series co-ops available for independent bookstores Series co-ops available for independent bookstores Ahead of Book 5's publication, extensive marketing campaign for first four books in the series, including library marketing, Goodreads print and ebook giveaways, BookBub and Vine promotions, and more Publicity Ahead of Book 5's publication, extensive marketing campaign for first four books in the series, including library marketing, Goodreads print and ebook giveaways, BookBub and Vine promotions, and more Publicity Coverage in national media (author profiles and reviews) to top men's magazines (GQ, Esquire, Men's Health), newspapers, radio (NPR), top literary podcasts, top literary blogs Coverage in national media (author profiles and reviews) to top men's magazines (GQ, Esquire, Men's Health), newspapers, radio (NPR), top literary podcasts, top literary blogs Coverage targeted to national historical reviews (print, online and podcasts) Coverage targeted to national historical reviews (print, online and podcasts) Targeted outreach to Philadelphia media (tv, radio, print) Targeted outreach to Philadelphia media (tv, radio, print) Widespread outreach to librarians and book clubs Widespread outreach to librarians and book clubs Eliot Pattison is the author of the Inspector Shan series, which includes The Skull Mantra , winner of an Edgar Award and finalist for the Gold Dagger. He is also the author of the the Bone Rattler series, featuring Scotsman Duncan McCallum. Pattison resides in rural Pennsylvania with his wife, son, three horses, and three dogs on a colonial-era farm. Find out more at eliotpattison.com. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • Following a tortuous path of sabotage and treason, exiled Scotsman Duncan McCallum must survive his enemies long enough to glimpse the emergence of the American Revolution in this thrilling
  • Publishers Weekly
  • Best Mystery of the Year
  • When a ship arriving from London explodes in Boston Harbor, both the peace of the colonial city and Duncan McCallum’s life are shattered. Summoned by John Hancock to a beach awash with the bodies of the victims, Duncan discovers that the ship was sabotaged. Hancock refuses to let him take evidence to the authorities, for this is 1768 and relations with the government are sour.
  • Fearing that the intrigues of Hancock and the Sons of Liberty might set the colonies ablaze, Duncan relentlessly pursues the truth, only to be falsely charged with treason and murder. With the help of Ethan Allen, aged natives, and outlawed Jesuits, he survives scalp hunters, imprisonment, and his own spiritual crisis, only to realize he cannot resolve the terrible crimes until he first understands the emerging truths about freedom in the American colonies.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(131)
★★★★
25%
(55)
★★★
15%
(33)
★★
7%
(15)
★
-7%
(-16)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

A great continuation of an excellent series

I'm a big fan of Eliot Pattison and both of his series - the one centered in Tibet and this one - the Bone Rattler series based on colonial America. His main character, Duncan, is a Scot who seems to be constantly caught up in intrigue in the time between the French and Indian Wars and the Revolutionary war.

These books are partially historical fiction (but Pattison builds on interesting and obscure history) and whodunits. Duncan is an Edinburgh trained doctor and spent time with the Iroquois, so he is often called on to investigate mysterious deaths or be a go between when native Americans and the colonists seem ready to square off.

I really like this series, and would really strongly recommend reading the earlier books before starting Savage Liberty. Pattison weaves a really complex story, with several parallel stories going at once. Savage Liberty is probably the most complex of his books and takes some time to really gel, but it picks up speed quickly. If you've read Pattison's Bone Rattler series you'll enjoy this one - but take my advice and read the earlier books first before starting this one.
4 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Start at the beginning of the Series, not in the Middle.

I wasn’t wild about this book. Prehaps if I had started with book 1, I might have been more interested but this is book 5 and I just wasn’t grabbed by this plot. The premis for this series is interesting : set in the Revolunary times before the war of Independence. The various Indian nations that inhabited the East coast were a tipping point between the British and the Americans, with some tribes on each side as allies. The hero is a Scotsman, Duncan McCallum, a Patriot very familiar with many Indian practices of tracking and stalking. Duncan is a friend to many of the Sons of Liberty and to various of the Native American tribes. He and his friend Conawago are investigating the explosion of a ship, belonging to John Hancock, at the mouth of Boston harbor. Apparently there was a messenger carrying secret documents aboard who has been found dead.
As we follow McCallam, an indentured servant, he explores the debris washed up after the explosion, searching for the clues as to who did it. McCallum becomes a fugitive and heads out to middle Massachusetts with a wagon train of goods as cover. He is continually falling over bodies and searching for a mysterious Indian responsible for the carnage and possibly the explosion of the ship.
Of course there is a beautiful girl who had been kidnapped by one of the tribes then returned to the white world...... and it goes on. It seemed to me that by the middle of the book it boiled down to finding their Indian, Chief Mog, and retrieving the secret documents.
I suggest that you start at book one and work your way up. Have patience as it takes a while to get into the swing of the hunt and chase.
3 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

There's a lot going on here ...

The book starts with a literal bang: the explosion of a ship in Boston Harbor. Soon, Duncan McCallum and an assortment of traveling companions are trying to solve the mystery of whodunnit.

There are numerous characters introduced, some from the pages of history and others from the author's imagination. In the latter case, in several instances it's apparently understood that the reader already knows who the people are from other books in the series. In that regard, the book isn't necessarily a stand-alone tale, even though the mystery itself is.

I guess that, at the end of the day, this particular story wasn't my cup of tea. It was well-written, but I could see the "whodunnit" coming from miles away and I could only find myself caring about the fate of one character ... who was most definitely secondary. Others may love it, of course, and that's fine.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Great Adventure

I really enjoyed this book about the years preceding the American Revolution. Duncan McCallum is a long way from his home in Scotland, but he has made every effort to settle down in this new land of America. He has been a part of the opening up of the frontier of New England. He has fought with Roger’s Rangers against the French who were trying to establish their own settlements in this rich land. He has fought some of the native tribes who supported the French, while making friends with others who helped the British troops. He has even fallen in love with a young English woman who was held for a number of years as a captive by the Indians. She has come to love the native ways while still having an understanding of the English way of life. In this fifth installment of the Bone Rattler series, McCallum is entangled in the mysterious deaths of not only some ex-Rangers, but also the deaths of some thirty-seven innocent persons aboard a ship coming into Boston harbor. The mystery surrounding these deaths leads McCallum and his friends on a breakneck journey north up to Lake Champlain with a pack of vengeful British troops lead by a money grubbing Lt. Beck hot on his heals. The frontier still holds savage secrets long buried from the French and Indian Wars, with men on both sides all to willing to kill to win the day.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

1715 Headline: Sun KIng Dies!

This is a small point, but an irritating one. There's much mention of the French king scheming to regain the French colonies in North America lost in the treaty of 1763 ending the Seven Years War/French and Indian War. And the French king is referred to as the Sun King, then as Louis XIV. That French king died in 1715. Just a tiny, a teensy tiny bit of research would have revealed this. Has the financial strain that book companies are under led them to cut back this much on the editing staff?
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Love this series

We love this series of books
✓ Verified Purchase

Great Series

Wish there were more books in the series.
✓ Verified Purchase

My 12 year old enjoyed this book

My 12 year old advanced reader enjoyed this mystery book set in Revolutionary America. He enjoyed seeing the historical figures come to life rather than just reading about them in a boring history lesson. Awesome for him to read the story and learn American history as well!
✓ Verified Purchase

Loved it - but with reservations

I enjoyed the book throughout and never found it lacking in its energetic and thrilling pace covering the aftermath of the French and Indian wars complete with spies and traitors. What bothered me most of all was the constant introduction of new characters and continuous episodes of copious blood letting. I think it would have been helpful if the author had a list at the beginning of all the characters so that the reader could at least refer to it instead of having to reread passages to identify certain people. I am a reader who values characterization and I found Duncan a fully fleshed protagonist with his own thoughts constantly apparent to me. I would follow him anywhere - he is my orientation in this convoluted mystery. Sarah, unfortunately , did not have the same appeal - as she mostly interacted with Duncan and does not share her internal thoughts with the reader. I, also do not understand how two people like Duncan and Sarah who obviously have been in love with each other for many years have never consummated that love. Conawago, Duncan's mentor had an important role and certainly an interesting one in conveying the bridge of Indian spirituality with that of his European and Jesuit upbringing. The characters who really reached me were Solomon Hayes and Patrick Woolford and, of course, the monkey, Sadie and Molly, the courageous Newfoundland. The author did a great job of immersing us in the history of that time and I am hopeful he will continue to the Revolutionary War. The Epilogue and the author's notes (are a must read) and will enlighten the reader concerning the mystery threads of the story and also the history of that period. This is a difficult read - but well worth it.
✓ Verified Purchase

Interesting story set during Colonial America

This is the fifth book in a series with a strong overall story arc so it would best to begin at the beginning and read the books in order.

It is 1765 and Duncan McCallum, a Scottish Ranger and veteran of many campaigns in the colonies (all apparently occurring in the earlier books) is once again sent into the fray. Colonists are increasingly chafing under British rule, a situation that the Scottish Rangers can certainly identify with. Duncan is joined by a group of fellow travelers who, for various reasons, all are driven into the wilderness seeking answers concerning long past crimes.

Even though this is the first book in the series that I have read, and consequently was at a loss during much of the earlier portions of the book I did enjoy the story very much. The author has included a great deal of background about this tumultuous period of American history (although there is an error or two that the author or his editor should have caught).

Related Books