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Psychological Growth
Church Shoes centers around a teenager from her mother’s mysterious disappearance after a Sunday church service to her adult career as a lawyer and her ongoing determination to uncover the truth. Where did the idea behind this novel come from?
I was born in 1944. My dad was in the Army Air Force overseas in the South Pacific.
My initial impressions of life were from my mom and maternal grandparents, who were Czech immigrants. WWII was the major social, cultural, social, and economic influence in people’s lives. I learned of my grandparents’ lives and my mom’s and dad’s and family relatives’ lives from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s and have always had an interest in those historical periods, as well as my decades during the 50s to the current time.
Many of my novels are inspired by American and European history. The Discontent of Mary Wenger and Paper Dolls are historically related to Church Shoes and draw on people, locations, and events from the 30s, 40s, and 50s.
Teens becoming adults living during those periods are an integral foundation for those novels.
Alice Quint conveys the complex emotional caring, psychological growth, and physical and mental fortitude portrayed by all my female protagonists. Each of their stories is a unique personal journey.
I enjoy writing women’s fiction. Women are incredibly amazing people.
They have had an influence on my life since I was born to this day.
My wife and I have been married for 60 years. We are 82 years old and are sorry, but grateful, that we and others have A Limited Time Only, the title of my 27th novel.
The idea behind Church Shoes comes from those influences and my own experiences growing up in the 40s and 50s in the rural and urban Middle West.
The prevalence of the Nazi German American Bund during the 30s and 40s created the dramatic conflicts Alice and her family encountered and the ironic lifelong friendship she developed with a Mafioso’s daughter, a girl and her family I once met when I was 13 years old.
Where did the inspiration for Alice’s traits and dialogue come from?
Alice is a character who is very much alive in my head. Her physical appearance, habits, manners, and manner of speaking, and sardonic sense of humor at extreme human behavior are tools of her personality to confront and deal with what she considers stupidity, discrimination, and injustices.
The church shoes become more than just evidence—they represent memory, loss, and the search for answers. How did you develop that symbol throughout the story?
Alice identifies, realizes, and comments on her mother’s church shoes as symbols of her mother’s human values, which are treasured by Alice and conveyed in her many character encounters and interactions throughout the novel.
What do you hope readers take away from Alice’s journey about persistence, justice, and the importance of confronting the past?
Alice’s journey of persistence in pursuit of justice against political corruption provides readers with a strong feminine hero to admire and to be inspired.
Confronting the past, the phrase that “history repeats itself” is more evident now than ever with the attempted destruction and demise of American Democracy by Donald Trump’s authoritarian dictatorship, his corrupt administration, and his racist ICE brownshirts terrorizing, intimidating, and imprisoning innocent citizens, including children, as a revisitation of Hitler’s SS, the basis for the Nazi German American Bund in Church Shoes.
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Church Shoes
Robert Tucker’s Church Shoes is a historical mystery and coming-of-age novel centered on Alice Quint, a sharp, stubborn teenager whose mother disappears after a Sunday church service. The only immediate clue is a pair of church shoes found along a country road. Set against the Great Depression and the rise of the German American Bund, the story follows Alice from her family’s uneasy relocation to rural Illinois through her adult career as a lawyer. What begins as a missing-person mystery gradually widens into a story about family secrets, political extremism, institutional cruelty, and a daughter’s refusal to stop asking questions.
Alice is the book’s strongest feature. She’s intelligent, combative, funny, insecure, and sometimes exhausting, which makes her feel like a person rather than a polished heroine. Her narration has an appealing bluntness, especially when she comments on social expectations for girls and women. The novel also gives plenty of space to family life, friendships, school, romance, and professional ambition. These everyday experiences matter because they show how Alice’s search for her mother shapes nearly every stage of her development. The church shoes become a moving symbol of decency, memory, and the trail Alice follows toward the truth.
The book is ambitious in scope, moving through several decades and bringing together organized crime, Depression-era hardship, fascist movements, abusive institutions, wartime change, and women’s growing participation in law and public life. Its most powerful scenes involve Alice uncovering what happened to her mother and confronting the human consequences of secrecy and unchecked authority. The pacing is leisurely, with long conversations and detailed side episodes, but those passages create a broad picture of Alice’s world and the people who influence her. The historical material is woven directly into her personal journey, so political events feel connected to the dangers facing her family.
Church Shoes will appeal most to readers who enjoy character-driven historical fiction with a strong mystery at its center. It’s especially well suited to readers interested in determined female protagonists, complicated family histories, Depression-era America, early women lawyers, and stories about ordinary people caught in larger political forces. Book clubs may also find plenty to discuss, from the meaning of the shoes to Alice’s moral choices and the lasting effects of trauma. Readers who like a novel that follows a character across many years, while steadily uncovering a buried family truth, should find this an absorbing and thoughtful read.
Pages: 289 | ASIN : B0H1ZTM4TS
The Druggist: Inside the Murder Castle of Dr. H.H. Holmes
The Druggist, by Mark Vickery, follows Ben Pitezel, a rough-edged, vulnerable workingman who becomes entangled with the charming and monstrous Dr. H.H. Holmes in Chicago. Hired to help build and alter Holmes’s hotel-pharmacy, Ben slowly becomes both witness and instrument as secret rooms, trap doors, missing women, fraud, and murder gather around the so-called Murder Castle. The story tracks Holmes’s predations through Ben’s blunt, woozy, oddly tender narration, ending with betrayal, confession, and the doctor’s grim appointment with the gallows.
I found the book’s greatest strength in its voice. Ben’s narration isn’t polished, but it’s alive: smoky, bruised, comic in strange corners, and often heartbreaking without announcing itself as such. His grammar and phrasing make the world feel bodily rather than merely historical; Chicago isn’t a backdrop here but a place of soot, meat, gin, debt, and bad bargains. That choice gives the novel a slantwise intimacy. Instead of watching Holmes from the clean distance of a case file, I felt trapped beside someone who keeps mistaking danger for opportunity.
The book also works because Holmes isn’t presented as a simple midnight ghoul. He’s theatrical, fastidious, vain, and horribly practical, a man who turns language itself into another hidden corridor. I liked how the novel lets dread accumulate through workmanship: a chute here, a sealed room there, a door that opens to nowhere. The horror comes not only from what Holmes does, but from the ease with which ordinary people explain it away when money, status, romance, or survival are on the table. The dialect-heavy narration may not suit every reader, but for me, it created a mesmerizing feel that fit the material.
This book is best suited for readers of historical fiction, crime fiction, psychological horror, serial killer thrillers, and dark crime novels who appreciate voice-driven storytelling more than a clean procedural march. Fans of Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City may be intrigued by the shared Holmes territory, though Vickery’s novel is grimier, more intimate, and less architectural in its pleasures. The Druggist is a lurid little furnace of a book: sad, funny, and hard to look away from.
Pages: 137 | ASIN : B0GSHCM8D6
Patriot of the Lowcountry: Eliza Wilkinson and the Fall of Charleston
Patriot of the Lowcountry by Tracy Lawson is a historical fiction novel set during the American Revolution, centered on Eliza Wilkinson, a young widow in the South Carolina Lowcountry whose private fight for independence becomes tangled with war, occupation, family loyalty, grief, and slavery. The story follows Eliza as British forces and Loyalist raiders threaten her home, her community, and the fragile sense of freedom she has built for herself, while Lawson grounds the novel in Eliza’s real letters and the civilian experience of Charleston’s fall.
I loved how immediate the book feels. Lawson doesn’t put history in a glass case. She puts us in the rooms, on the roads, near the marshes, and inside the fear of not knowing who is coming next. I liked that Eliza isn’t written as a perfect heroine. She’s proud, stubborn, brave, sometimes naïve, and often learning in real time. That made her easier to trust. The first-person voice gives the novel a close, confiding quality, almost like Eliza is sitting across from me, trying to make sense of what happened while still refusing to soften her own edges.
I also appreciated the author’s choice to make liberty more complicated than a slogan. The book is clearly a Revolutionary War story, but it keeps asking who gets to claim freedom and who is still denied it. Eliza’s thoughts about women’s independence and slavery give the novel its sharper bite. The dialogue leans a little polished for moments of crisis, and some themes are stated more directly than I usually prefer. Still, I didn’t mind much, because the emotional core holds. The book wants readers to see women not as background figures in history, but as witnesses, thinkers, risk-takers, and moral actors.
I would recommend Patriot of the Lowcountry to readers who enjoy historical fiction with a strong female narrator, especially those interested in the American Revolution beyond the battlefield. It’ll appeal most to people who like character-driven stories, well-researched settings, and books that mix personal survival with larger questions about justice and freedom. It’s reflective, tense, and quietly forceful. A good fit for readers who want their historical fiction novels to feel authentic.
Pages: 303 | ASIN : B0GRQBHT8Q
Sense of Foreboding
Along the Trail follows a young woman traveling westward with her family in search of new beginnings on the Oregon Trail, who learns about resilience, love, and the freedom and cost of such a dangerous journey. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I grew up in Kansas City, MO, which is about 20 minutes from the town of Independence, where the Westward Trails began. It was a point of interest for me, starting all the way back in elementary school. I found everything about it fascinating: the adventure of it all, the beauty of the wilderness, and the extreme grit and hope that the people of that time had to possess in order to even begin. But I also wanted to make sure to highlight the drudgery, the discomforts, and the dangers that they faced along the way. I didn’t want it to be overly romanticized, as that would downplay the magnitude of the obstacles that the travelers faced, which was the opposite of what I hoped to do during the story.
Winnie is a charismatic character that readers get to watch figure out who she is and what path she wants to follow. Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with her character in the novel?
I doubt any author can ever say they achieved everything they wanted with a character, haha. Well-developed characters often seem to move through their story on their own, and it’s all the writer can do to keep up with them! But honestly, I wanted Winnie to be representative of her time and her circumstances. That said, she had to be open-minded enough to recognize that some of her initial reactions to things she encountered during their journey were not justified reactions – rather, that some of them came as a result of fear and not from her own experience. I do think that she’s a relatable character, and even an admirable one. Not everyone will so readily admit to being wrong as she does. Not everyone chooses personal growth, but Winnie does.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I think one of the biggest themes for me was that the setting (thousands of miles of wilderness) was often the protagonist, but also sometimes acted as the antagonist. Such an environment was brutal and beautiful. Stunning, and stifling. It had to flow and change along the way, and at other times, remain so similar and vast as to seem unconquerable, like the travelers were barely making progress at all. It was important to me that the setting inspire both a sense of wonder and a sense of foreboding.
Another theme that I hope comes across is that of resilience, enduring hope, and personal growth. The characters experience some grueling physical challenges, and also some tough mental ones – things with the potential to break anyone’s spirit. But instead of turning on one another, or even turning back, they come together to form a community and rely on each other in times of need. I didn’t want my characters to be stealing from one another, or harming each other – I wanted them to represent the best of humanity, to help rather than harm, wherever possible. Perhaps that’s a bit naive, but there’s enough doom and gloom in the world these days; I chose to highlight human resilience and hope rather than focus primarily on division.
That’s not to say there aren’t some nuanced perceptions that the characters have to overcome to achieve personal growth, because that’s one of Winnie’s main character arcs. But she gets through it because she has the introspective honesty and open-minded nature to acknowledge a prejudice in her world, analyze the validity of it through what she experiences (rather than what she’s told by others), and come out the other side with her own opinion. And I hope that journey shines through for readers.
Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?
I’m seriously considering writing a sequel and making it a duology. There is a lot left to explore with the Hayes family once they reach their destination, and also a lot that I’d like to expand on with Mae and some of the other strong secondary characters.
Even though their journey ended once the overland travelers chose a spot to settle, their hardships did not. It was grueling work to build a homestead, to make it through winter in an unfamiliar territory. There’s a lot to discover there that I think would make for a great second novel.
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Threatened by storms, wild animals, and outlaws, Winnie must rely on the bonds she’s made and all she’s learned in order for them to make it to Oregon alive. She also must decide if she is ready to risk forming an attachment to Hal, the cowhand who has a knack for showing up just when help is needed, or whether she will emulate Mae, the free-spirited daughter of their trail guide.
The Path of Saints and Sinners
The Path of Saints and Sinners is the fourth book in J.F. Collen’s Journey of Cornelia Rose series, and it carries Cornelia “Nellie” Rose Wright into the stark and complicated world of Utah Territory in the mid-1800s. The story picks up with Nellie, her husband Obadiah, and their daughters after the grueling journey westward. They arrive in Great Salt Lake City, hoping for rest, stability, and a sense of community, only to find tension, hostility, and political turmoil instead. The book blends the trials of pioneer life with the undercurrents of faith, loyalty, and the uneasy intersection between the United States government and the Mormon settlers.
I felt pulled right into Nellie’s restless heart from the start. She is exhausted and homesick, yet her sharp wit and stubborn courage refuse to give way. The dialogue brims with energy, and the little details like dusty wagon wheels, harsh light, and the smell of mold on corn husks make the setting feel immediate and alive. At times, I found myself irritated with Obadiah’s insistence on pressing forward in the face of obvious danger, but then that frustration softened because it mirrored Nellie’s own. The writing does not shy away from messy conflict. It lingers in the gaps between what is said and what is felt, and I admired that.
The book meanders through conversations and stretches of description that sometimes slow the tension. Yet, even when I grew restless, I found myself laughing at Nellie’s sharp asides or touched by the innocence of her daughters. There is an honesty in the way Collen portrays family life, messy and tender all at once, and that honesty kept me invested.
I realized this book is less about resolution and more about survival. Nellie’s world is uncertain, and her doubts echo across the pages in a way that felt strangely modern to me. I would recommend The Path of Saints and Sinners to readers who enjoy historical fiction rooted in strong female voices, especially those who like their history layered with personal struggle and the grit of daily life.
Pages: 504 | ASIN : B0FHPXS955
Storytelling and Healing
Scarlet Birthright follows a young DJ in Trinidad who falls in love with a dancer who becomes pregnant and flees to America, leaving his daughter with a lifetime of questions and longing. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Scarlet Birthright is deeply personal—it’s autobiographical fiction born from my own experience. I was the love child of teenage parents, and my father left Trinidad when I was just a few months old. I grew up with my loving grandparents in Trinidad and Tobago while my father lived in America with his other family. This novella became my way of weaving together fact and fiction to explore that story, and ultimately, it helped me process and resolve the trauma of growing up with an absentee father. Writing this title was both an act of storytelling and a form of healing.
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
Mostly, yes. Since Scarlet Birthright unfolds through multiple perspectives, I felt I gave proper depth to the father, daughter, grandparents, and mother—each voice felt authentic and complete. However, I do wish I’d spent more time developing the stepmother’s character. Her story felt unfinished to me, which is why I ended up writing a separate short story dedicated entirely to her perspective. Sometimes characters demand more space than we initially give them.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The central theme became letting go of anger—a gift I didn’t realize I needed when I began writing. Through the process, I also explored the idea that perhaps we all do the best we can in any given moment. We’re imperfect humans making imperfect choices, often with limited information or emotional resources. There’s something both humbling and liberating about accepting that complexity in ourselves and others.
What is the next book that you’re working on, and when can your fans expect it out?
I’m working on “The Other Side of Love and Desire,” which will be the fullest exploration of themes that first emerged in my short story collection, Scarlet Yearnings: Stories of Love and Desire. It’s my way of diving deeper into those emotional territories that readers responded to most strongly. The book is scheduled for publication at the end of 2025 and will be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and from all major book retailers.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
🔥 A Life-Altering Spark: Witness the impulsive choice that sets Joromi on a collision course with family, identity, and legacy—its aftershocks echoing across decades.
🌴 Vivid Caribbean Setting: Immerse yourself in the lush beauty and folklore of Trinidad, where family legacies run deep as the island’s roots.
💔 Generations of Heartache: Follow Trisha’s poignant struggle to find her place—and finally confront the father she never knew.
✨ Ancestral Magic: Spirits, legends, and cultural traditions weave through every page, reminding us how the past guides our future.
💪 A Story of Hope & Redemption: Watch as one family’s destiny unfolds across decades and oceans, revealing the power of forgiveness and second chances.
Buy now to immerse yourself in a novel where passion transcends distance, heartbreak challenges fate, and one family’s destiny unfolds across oceans and decades.
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Scarlet Birthright: What They Left Behind
Scarlet Birthright is a raw, emotional novella about love, abandonment, regret, and redemption. Set between Trinidad and New York from the late 1960s to the early 1990s, it tells the story of Joromi, a young DJ whose summer romance leads to heartbreak, a hidden daughter, and lifelong consequences. Across shifting seasons and continents, James stitches together the lives of Joromi, Margaret, Trisha, and their families, weaving a tale about choices that echo through generations. It’s messy, real, and haunting in the best way.
One thing that hit me right off the bat was how vivid and alive the writing is. The first chapter, where Joromi meets her at the party, practically sizzled off the page. James doesn’t just tell you that he’s struck dumb; you feel the sweat, the frangipani scent, the pounding heart when the mystery girl with the Afro walks in. That attention to atmosphere is a real strength. It dragged me into the heat of Trinidad’s dry season without mercy. At times, the language was almost overwhelmingly rich, dense, and luxuriant, like indulging in a second slice of chocolate cake despite already being full, but ultimately, it remained deeply satisfying.
Emotionally, this book gutted me. Joromi’s slow-motion car crash of choices, breaking things off, lying to himself, chasing an American dream while abandoning his roots, felt so human it was painful. The scene where he learns about the death of Trisha’s mother broke me. He crumples onto the kitchen floor, and even though he deserves the gut punch, you can’t help but ache for him. James captures grief and guilt in a way that’s too real. It’s messy and selfish and confused, just like real people. That said, there were moments when I wanted to shake Joromi until his teeth rattled. I mean, come on, man, your daughter’s right there!
What stood out even more was the women. Margaret, in particular, was complicated and, frankly, sometimes pretty hard to like. But that’s what made her fascinating. When she tells Joromi, “Just don’t bring her into this house,” after learning about Trisha, my stomach twisted. I hated her. I understood her. James doesn’t try to make any woman a saint or a villain. They’re just…human, battered by life and culture and their own fears. It’s messy in a way that polished, sanitized novels rarely dare to be.
Scarlet Birthright is a story for anyone who knows that love isn’t always enough, that choices leave scars, and that healing takes more than just time; it takes courage. I’d especially recommend it to readers who like intergenerational family dramas, emotionally complex characters, and writing so lush it feels like stepping into another world. Bring tissues, and maybe a little grace for the characters you’ll love and hate all at once.
Pages: 179 | ASIN : B0DYYXKV5F
