TCCDM Dig and Flip: "The Whiskey Rebels" - David Liss (2008)

The Whiskey Rebels
by David Liss
(2008)
Paperback, 548 pages


NO SPOILERS:
This is a David Liss historical fiction novel that takes place near the time Alexander Hamilton was establishing our country's first banking system.  There are great characters throughout...all very easy to visualize, but the story's main protagonists are Ethan Saunders, a friend of Hamilton's and a mislabeled government spy, and Joan Maycott, who along with her husband, get scammed and bamboozled in a terrible land deal.  Both Ethan and Joan have their own paths to travel and the author uses each chapter to flip from one to the other in the telling. 

In betwixt, there are nasty goings-on by a few greedy money manipulators who are misleading investors and a few rebels who seek revenge by plotting to disrupt the banking system.  There is plenty of delicious mystery and suspense.  And the violence in this era is what you might expect.  There are several humorous moments that felt both natural and unforced and seasoned the story nicely, as well.  The financial issues got a little complex at times, (for me, anyway) but not terribly so.  David Liss' characters are written so dang good, it didn't matter.  This was the first historical fiction novel I've read this year and I enjoyed it quite a bit. 


"People's Game" - Circus Maximus / "Circus Maximus" (1967)

Good stuff.

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