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The Peace Thieves
This compelling and ambitious novel is about the search for peace during a civil war and through its long, complicated aftermath.
Thirty years after his tour as a peacekeeper in Croatia in 1993, Francis is getting by - though only just - but when Viva arrives in Hamilton searching for the father she never knew, Francis' world tilts, upsetting the burden of his wartime memories. This powerful and compassionate novel alternates between the voices of Francis and Viva, delving into the secrets we hold, the hurts we try to hide, and the simple human connections that bind us.
In war-torn Croatia, Francis meets Lorina, a local woman whose father had just been killed in the conflict; he does his best to protect her in the face of overwhelming resistance and absurdity as he struggles to work alongside the impossibly difficult Master Corporal Mackey. Toward the end of his tour, Francis bears witness firsthand to the devastating aftermath of ethnic cleansing - and then, when a careless moment results in a life-altering injury, he is sent home.
Viva first encounters Francis serving breakfast to the homeless outside the bar he runs - where soldiers like him come to try to forget what they've seen and what they?ve done. The young woman is angry and resentful, spoiling for confrontation wherever she turns, but in time finds that Francis is not a villain, but someone she just might need to have in her life.
The Peace Thieves has the courage to ask tough questions about the true costs of war, not only to the citizens of the country where the conflict occurs, but to the people who attempt to help and protect them.
Thirty years after his tour as a peacekeeper in Croatia in 1993, Francis is getting by - though only just - but when Viva arrives in Hamilton searching for the father she never knew, Francis' world tilts, upsetting the burden of his wartime memories. This powerful and compassionate novel alternates between the voices of Francis and Viva, delving into the secrets we hold, the hurts we try to hide, and the simple human connections that bind us.
In war-torn Croatia, Francis meets Lorina, a local woman whose father had just been killed in the conflict; he does his best to protect her in the face of overwhelming resistance and absurdity as he struggles to work alongside the impossibly difficult Master Corporal Mackey. Toward the end of his tour, Francis bears witness firsthand to the devastating aftermath of ethnic cleansing - and then, when a careless moment results in a life-altering injury, he is sent home.
Viva first encounters Francis serving breakfast to the homeless outside the bar he runs - where soldiers like him come to try to forget what they've seen and what they?ve done. The young woman is angry and resentful, spoiling for confrontation wherever she turns, but in time finds that Francis is not a villain, but someone she just might need to have in her life.
The Peace Thieves has the courage to ask tough questions about the true costs of war, not only to the citizens of the country where the conflict occurs, but to the people who attempt to help and protect them.
348 pages, Paperback
Published June 2, 2026
About the author
Brent van Staalduinen
11 books69 followersBrent van Staalduinen is the author of the novels THE PEACE THIEVES, UNTHINKABLE, NOTHING BUT LIFE, BOY, and SAINTS, UNEXPECTED, as well as the short story collection CUT ROAD. His award-winning short fiction can be found in notable publications on both sides of the Atlantic. Find out more at www.brentvans.com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 5, 2026
The country of Yugoslavia disintegrated in the early 1990s. “The Peace Thieves” is a novel set in the midst of the United Nations’ efforts to restore peace to the area.
Francis is a Canadian reservist, deployed to Croatia with UNPROFOR (United Nations Protection Force) as a medic. With limited resources, surrounded by hostile forces, and subordinate to a horrible Master Corporal, Francis does his best to survive and to help the peacekeepers and the local populace. Thirty years later, Viva walks into a bar in Hamilton, Ontario and meets Francis and others dealing with the ghosts of the Yugoslav wars.
“The Peace Thieves” was gripping and tense. Author Brent van Staalduinen writes in a clipped, brisk tone that well suits the dangerous and violent environment. The author wrote some very believable and human characters, with strengths and flaws a-plenty.
Thanks to River Street Writing for providing an advanced reader copy for review.
Francis is a Canadian reservist, deployed to Croatia with UNPROFOR (United Nations Protection Force) as a medic. With limited resources, surrounded by hostile forces, and subordinate to a horrible Master Corporal, Francis does his best to survive and to help the peacekeepers and the local populace. Thirty years later, Viva walks into a bar in Hamilton, Ontario and meets Francis and others dealing with the ghosts of the Yugoslav wars.
“The Peace Thieves” was gripping and tense. Author Brent van Staalduinen writes in a clipped, brisk tone that well suits the dangerous and violent environment. The author wrote some very believable and human characters, with strengths and flaws a-plenty.
Thanks to River Street Writing for providing an advanced reader copy for review.
June 13, 2026
Thirty years after serving as a peacekeeper during the Croatian War, Francis is still carrying the weight of what he witnessed. When Viva, a young woman searching for the father she never knew, enters his life, long-buried memories begin to resurface. Told through both Francis's and Viva's perspectives, The Peace Thieves explores the lasting impact of war, family secrets, and the connections that help people survive even their deepest wounds.
While reading this book, I kept asking myself the same question: Why are more people not reading this?
This was perfection.
The writing is exceptional. As someone who loves literary fiction, this hit exactly the right spot. Every sentence feels purposeful, and the prose is detailed without ever becoming overwhelming. It draws you into the story and refuses to let go.
The novel moves between Francis's experiences as a peacekeeper in Croatia in 1993 and the present-day story told in part through Viva's perspective. The balance between past and present is handled beautifully, allowing the emotional weight of the war to gradually unfold while keeping the story moving forward.
The war sections are particularly powerful. They are dark, ugly, and at times difficult to read, but they never feel gratuitous. The brutality serves the story and reflects the reality of conflict. This is a book that doesn't shy away from the true cost of war, both for those living through it and for those tasked with trying to stop it.
I also loved the characters. Francis, Viva, and the supporting cast all feel deeply human. They're rough around the edges, carrying their own flaws, regrets, and coping mechanisms. Nobody feels simplified or idealized. They are fully realized people trying to navigate lives shaped by pain, guilt, hope, and survival.
Perhaps the highest compliment I can give this novel is that I didn't want it to end, yet I couldn't stop reading it. Every chapter pulled me further in, and I found myself wanting to spend more time with these characters even as I raced toward the conclusion.
The Peace Thieves is a beautifully written, emotionally rich novel about war, memory, family, and forgiveness. If you enjoy literary fiction that trusts its readers, delivers unforgettable characters, and leaves a lasting impact, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
While reading this book, I kept asking myself the same question: Why are more people not reading this?
This was perfection.
The writing is exceptional. As someone who loves literary fiction, this hit exactly the right spot. Every sentence feels purposeful, and the prose is detailed without ever becoming overwhelming. It draws you into the story and refuses to let go.
The novel moves between Francis's experiences as a peacekeeper in Croatia in 1993 and the present-day story told in part through Viva's perspective. The balance between past and present is handled beautifully, allowing the emotional weight of the war to gradually unfold while keeping the story moving forward.
The war sections are particularly powerful. They are dark, ugly, and at times difficult to read, but they never feel gratuitous. The brutality serves the story and reflects the reality of conflict. This is a book that doesn't shy away from the true cost of war, both for those living through it and for those tasked with trying to stop it.
I also loved the characters. Francis, Viva, and the supporting cast all feel deeply human. They're rough around the edges, carrying their own flaws, regrets, and coping mechanisms. Nobody feels simplified or idealized. They are fully realized people trying to navigate lives shaped by pain, guilt, hope, and survival.
Perhaps the highest compliment I can give this novel is that I didn't want it to end, yet I couldn't stop reading it. Every chapter pulled me further in, and I found myself wanting to spend more time with these characters even as I raced toward the conclusion.
The Peace Thieves is a beautifully written, emotionally rich novel about war, memory, family, and forgiveness. If you enjoy literary fiction that trusts its readers, delivers unforgettable characters, and leaves a lasting impact, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
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June 24, 2026The Peace Thieves by Brent Van Staalduinen
Reminiscent of Timothy Findley’s The Wars, Brent VanStaalduinen’s The Peace Thieves takes us to the frontlines of the brutal conflict between Croatia and the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. VanStaalduinen outlines how those events shaped lives in lasting and damaging ways. Utilizing a dual timeline with two narrators, VanStaalduinen has crafted a novel that negates any romanticization about the role of peacekeepers working internationally. Parts of this book are painful to read, but the writing is exceptional, the characters are fully developed, and the utter senselessness of such violence is writ large. While the reader will need to take a deep cleansing breath once it is finished, the story will linger in ways that all important stories do. Recommended.
Full review forthcoming, The Miramichi Reader
Reminiscent of Timothy Findley’s The Wars, Brent VanStaalduinen’s The Peace Thieves takes us to the frontlines of the brutal conflict between Croatia and the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. VanStaalduinen outlines how those events shaped lives in lasting and damaging ways. Utilizing a dual timeline with two narrators, VanStaalduinen has crafted a novel that negates any romanticization about the role of peacekeepers working internationally. Parts of this book are painful to read, but the writing is exceptional, the characters are fully developed, and the utter senselessness of such violence is writ large. While the reader will need to take a deep cleansing breath once it is finished, the story will linger in ways that all important stories do. Recommended.
Full review forthcoming, The Miramichi Reader
July 22, 2026
This was a very dense novel to finish reading. It felt 3 star worthy throughout but the title and ending increased it to 4 star. The writing is filled with quick philosophical musings which took me a while to get through as I felt I had to re-read many of the sentences in order to understand the multiple meanings. Overall, I appreciated the perspective this story gave to the war in Croatia. I felt I had to let go of my own personal connection to this war, in order to focus on Francis as the outsider, peacekeeper whose own life changes forever because of this role he chose to take on. Love the Canadian perspective, setting (Hamilton). Ending was perfect, realistic.
June 21, 2026
A raw and deeply moving story about the personal costs of attempting to keep the peace in the midst of a civil war. The dual timeline captures powerfully the immediate experience of war with the decades-after fallout. A gripping read!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews