The Courier of Caswell Hall

Title:  The Courier of Caswell Hall

Author:  Melanie Dobson

Pages:  336

Year:  2013

Publisher:  Summerside Press

Melanie Dobson writes with a masterful mind a story placed during our young nation’s history.  Her eye to detail, historical figures and researching makes The Courier of Caswell Hall a must read novel plus one to add to one’s personal home library.  Woven throughout the tale are faith, divided loyalties, romance, devotion, action and adventure.

The family Caswell decides to remain loyal to the British crown even when visiting soldiers prove less than polite.  Lord Caswell is under the impression that because of his loyalty, though kept secret from society, will protect his holdings in Virginia.  Lydia once held the views of her parents, but as the war lingers on and with her brother gone, her youngest sister flirting with a major in British garb, where does her own loyalties lie?  Nathan is a courier who has assumed many personas as needed to obtain information for the Continental Army.  Since one courier has been moved to another state, he must recruit, train and protect the courier at all costs.  Nathan finds this most challenging with the major along with his staff constantly moving in, about or off the Caswell property.

Historical fiction tends to draw me into a book for long periods of time; pun intended!  I find the attention to detail about a period fascinating and educational.  Sometimes a tale is told that includes real people who lived during that era, but with a different spin to what happened to them; however, this novel is not of that nature.  Melanie Dobson shares her love of telling stories in a way that captures not only a reader’s mind, but the heart as well.

As I kept turning the pages while reading, various characters whether spies or slaves, Tories or Patriots, intrigued me as to how dedicated the characters were in their devotion toward freedom.  Even though both sides had differing views of what freedom looked like, it was how some of them made their choice as to which side they would stand on.  Again, I was struck with the cost of war in lives, as well as the cost many people paid for trying to live one day at a time.  Many devoted not only their lives, but their fortunes as well to win the war.  Please take time to read a well written, passionate book titled, The Courier of Caswell Hall.  You won’t regret making time to read! 

My rating is 5 stars.

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