Spancil Hill

by Leara Rhodes

Discover Cahey’s story

His love of Ireland had always been his saving grace—but now has become his greatest hindrance. So much has been taken from his family, farm, education, and the love of his life. Still, there’s one thing they can’t take his remarkable ability to understand horses.

Follow his journey

Leaving behind his friends and a thriving business in Galway, Cahey embarks on a journey to New York and struggles to find his way. He quickly discovers he is not alone. He bands with other Irish, Scottish, and French immigrants to build a life away from everything he once loved.

Can he overcome his obstacles?

Being Irish creates many problems, even in New York. Finding out how severe those problems are could change his life forever. His fear is—can his survival skills and love of horses be enough to become the most sought-after horse trainer at the Vanderbilt American Horse Exchange in 1901?

Genres: Historical Fiction

326 pages, Paperback

Published April 15, 2024

Reviews

[Nd]

This is an excellent first novel and well-researched. It imparts a remarkable amount of information about multiple subjects and made for an enjoyable read.

[Leslianne Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent example of historical fiction. The characters are well-developed and the time and places well researched. The story delves into the political unrest in Ireland of the late 1800’s and the building of a new life in New York City. But above all, it’s a story of friendship, love and dreams!

[Rob White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been on a bit of a historical fiction kick lately and I have to say that Spancil Hill is the most vivid, thoroughly developed, and real books I've read in ages. The character of Cahey feels like he could be ancestor to any one of us, as his immigrant's journey is described in a way not only authentic to the time but also relatable from a simple human perspective. Everything from the settings (more than one, actually!), to the secondary characters, even the murmurings of historical events taking place in the backdrop feel carefully and thoughtfully placed and plotted.

Kudos to Leara Rhodes for transporting me to the time and place of Spancil Hill. I highly recommend that anyone looking for a historical slice-of-life drama pick up the book and take a similar journey.

[Ralitsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Spancil Hill” tells the American dream story at the turn of the 20th century beyond protagonist Cahey’s Irish experience. His ingenuity to survive despite heavy loss captivated me. Fans of historical fiction like me will love the real events and figures threaded throughout the book. Author Leara RhodesI and I were colleagues teaching young journalists. So I specially appreciate how the use of present tense (a journalistic technique) makes her characters timeless. I look forward to her second book “The Darkest Midnight in December”.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spancil Hill is a story of friendship and perseverance, set across both Ireland and New York City. Leara Rhodes tells a story of great social migration and political change with a clear, direct style that sets the reader in the midst of history with characters who begin to feel like friends. This is a beautiful example of thoughtfully researched historical fiction that doesn’t read like a history book.

[Maggie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a fan of historical fiction you will surely enjoy this book. It follows the journey of young Cahey in the late 1880's in Ireland. He has lost so much and is starting over. He will eventually move to New York City where there are two worlds...the ultra rich and the many immigrants struggling to make a new life in a foreign land. The extent of research into the many facets of life in both Ireland and NYC is very impressive.

[Denise-Marie Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well-researched novel will appeal to readers who love horses, the history of Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and stories of Irish immigrants in NYC. I thoroughly enjoyed it.