Book Review - Gold by Thomas Hollyday

Book Review 

Gold - a novel

by Thomas Hollyday

About the Author

Thomas Hollyday (1942-present) was born in Easton, Maryland. His father was an acclaimed photographer and his mother a brilliant teacher.  He grew up in the southern atmosphere of the Eastern Shore with its maritime and military heritage.  He studied writing with Elliott Coleman at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars and with C.Michael Curtis of the Atlantic Monthly.  He served with distinction in Vietnam and became a successful international businessman.  He also drew illustrations for national magazines and published maritime and Civil War history. 

He currently edits the Wet Their Whistles newsletter for animal water rights (solarsippers.com). He draws the popular humorous Animal Viewpoint Cartoons for newspapers. He continues to please his fans with new novels in his River Sunday Romance Mysteries collection. In his fiction he describes his recurring theme that human settlers since prehistoric times in the Chesapeake region have left a mist of legend and history that permeates its modern stories with a certain compelling truth. 

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Book Description

John Neale is throwing in the towel. He has followed his concience for too long, working for pennies to support local farmers in the quiet Chesapeake town of River Sunday. With his own bills mounting, he is doing one last job before selling out to the corporate life. He just needs to finalize the will of Father Tom, a beloved priest who passed away while performing a mass. 

To the town''s surprise, it seems that Father Tom had access to gold - to the tune of millions of dollars. None can figure out where the stash of precious metal was coming from, or how many millions still remained. A modern day gold rush ensues, with prospectors descending on the town from all corners of the world. John struggles to fend off the enthusiastic claims of the church as well as the scrabbling efforts of neighbors while making his own furious explorations of the brush-encrusted fishing property Father Tom maintained. 

When a Native American burial mound presents evidence of a history tracing back far more than local tribes could account for, John realizes the significance of his discovery could go far beyond monetary wealth. His world enters the realm of science fiction, and he races to stay one step ahead of death in his efforts to share the truth with the world.

Our Review

The story revolves around the death of a priest, who has been sending funds to have a cathedral rebuilt, no one knows where the money has come from, on entrusting his legacy to a local lawyer John neale to execute his wishes.  During his investigation a trail of murder and a treasure hunt ensue with a historic relevance to where the alleged treasure is resting. 

The storyline will have you hooked from page one, the novel takes us along the path of a hidden treasure and the thrill and excitement of trying to locate it.  The language, text and short chapters give the reader plenty of time to digest the storyline.   The characters are excellently portrayed and you feel you are beside them and want to offer them your help.

The novel has several twists and turns which keep the reader guessing.  This is the third novel I have read by this author and hope to read any further work he publishes.

The author adds to the novel with the research he has done into the Native American tribe along with Inca and Mayan traditions. 

As in all good tales good verses bad who will triumph.  When or if the treasure is found who will reap the rewards.   If you like a book with mystery, murder and history this is the perfect read for you.

Our Rating

  

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Sharon x

   

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