Kirkus reviews - A debut historical novel captures the international turmoil following the Napoleonic Wars.
… A journalist, Holt-Johnstone has produced a historically astute novel, capturing the collision of native North American
culture and European exploration in the 1800s. The plot unfolds briskly, and the author artfully constructs an atmosphere
of dangerous expectancy. … The author does an admirable job developing Susan’s character; she’s both callow and precociously wise. In some ways, she represents the spirit of the age, hopefully adventurous but a touch naïve. It seems bizarre that her father
brought her to Canada in the first place—he informs no one at the camp in advance of his trip that she’s accompanying
him, and he should know he’s possibly putting her in harm’s way. But despite its flaws, this book remains an
entertaining and well-researched work.