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Blood on the Crossties: The Florida Chautauqua Murders
Railroad detective Choctaw Parker works to solve all manner of murder-most-foul in Florida during the Gilded Age.
In early February of 1885, the robbery of the Pensacola and Atlantic train could not have come at a worse time for Florida panhandle railroad magnate William Chipley. He had put time, money, and both his personal and business reputation on the line to host the first Gulf Chautauqua in DeFuniak Springs. Now, with the murder of two guards, and the theft of both a payroll and a shipment of new US Army rifles, the success of the Chautauqua was at risk. Chipley hires the half-White/half-Indian L&N railroad detective Jimmy Lee "Choctaw" Parker to investigate the crime, find the culprits, and restore confidence to those who would travel from all over the eastern US to attend the very first month-long Florida Chautauqua. But Parker is not the only one investigating the robbery of the P&A, for he finds out very soon that he must work with-or in spite of-a pair of Pinkertons hired by the insurance company to recover the money, as well as an aggressive, vengeful, US Army Captain determined to recover the weapons and get justice for the two murdered soldiers. Parker, along with a long-time associate and a resourceful lady gambler, must navigate a web of politics, racial tension, Civil War grudges, and greed to bring to justice the culprits in this Victorian-era historical mystery.
In early February of 1885, the robbery of the Pensacola and Atlantic train could not have come at a worse time for Florida panhandle railroad magnate William Chipley. He had put time, money, and both his personal and business reputation on the line to host the first Gulf Chautauqua in DeFuniak Springs. Now, with the murder of two guards, and the theft of both a payroll and a shipment of new US Army rifles, the success of the Chautauqua was at risk. Chipley hires the half-White/half-Indian L&N railroad detective Jimmy Lee "Choctaw" Parker to investigate the crime, find the culprits, and restore confidence to those who would travel from all over the eastern US to attend the very first month-long Florida Chautauqua. But Parker is not the only one investigating the robbery of the P&A, for he finds out very soon that he must work with-or in spite of-a pair of Pinkertons hired by the insurance company to recover the money, as well as an aggressive, vengeful, US Army Captain determined to recover the weapons and get justice for the two murdered soldiers. Parker, along with a long-time associate and a resourceful lady gambler, must navigate a web of politics, racial tension, Civil War grudges, and greed to bring to justice the culprits in this Victorian-era historical mystery.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 10, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 26, 2023
Our book group chose this book because some of us have worked with the author. It probably isn't one I would've chosen on my own, but I really did enjoy reading it. I liked the Florida history and learned a lot about it; Brewer obviously did a lot of research and it shows. I was surprised as well when I saw the list of historical characters at the end of the book; many of them were real Florida personages. The detective is half Indian (Choctaw), so we get a glimpse of how Indians were treated during this time (1885) and we see some other race issues as well, with the Klan being a rising power and freed slaves featuring in the cast of characters. The mystery is set during the opening of the Florida Chautauqua, another event that I was unaware of. If I had a criticism, it would be that character gets a bit lost to plot, but overall, the book was a worthwhile read.
May 10, 2026
Good read with characters you find yourself rooting for.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews