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Alafair Tucker #8
All Men Fear Me
The U.S. has finally entered the First World War and scheduled the first draft lottery. No one in Boynton, Oklahoma, is unaffected by the clash between rabid pro-war, anti-immigrant "patriots" and anti-conscription socialists, who are threatening an uprising rather than submit to the draft. Alafair Tucker is caught in the middle when her brother, a union organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World, pays her a visit. Rob Gunn is fresh out of an internment camp for participants in an Arizona miners' strike. He assures Alafair that he's only come to visit family, but she's not so sure. More unsettling, Alafair's eldest son enlists, and a group calling itself the "Knights of Liberty" vandalizes the farm of Alafair's German-born son-in-law. Alafair's younger son, 16-year-old Charlie, is wildly patriotic and horrified by his socialist uncle. With his father's permission Charlie takes a part-time war job at the Francis Vitric Brick Company. Soon several suspicious machine breakdowns delay production, and a couple of shift supervisors are murdered. Everyone in town suspects sabotage, some blaming German spies, others blaming the unionists and socialists. But Charlie Tucker is sure he knows who the culprit is and comes up with a plan to catch him red-handed. And then there is old Nick-a mysterious guy in a bowler hat who's been hanging around town.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2015
17 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Donis Casey
13 books90 followersDONIS CASEY was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A third generation Oklahoman, she and her siblings grew up among their aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents and great-grandparents on farms and in small towns, where they learned the love of family and independent spirit that characterizes the population of that pioneering state. Donis graduated from the University of Tulsa with a degree in English, and earned a Master’s degree in Library Science from Oklahoma University. After teaching school for a short time, she enjoyed a career as an academic librarian, working for many years at the University of Oklahoma and at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.
Donis left academia in 1988 to start a Scottish import gift shop in downtown Tempe. After more than a decade as an entrepreneur, she decided to devote herself full-time to writing. The Old Buzzard Had It Coming is her first book. For the past twenty years, Donis has lived in Tempe, AZ, with her husband.
Donis left academia in 1988 to start a Scottish import gift shop in downtown Tempe. After more than a decade as an entrepreneur, she decided to devote herself full-time to writing. The Old Buzzard Had It Coming is her first book. For the past twenty years, Donis has lived in Tempe, AZ, with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 23, 2019
I always learn so much history with this series.
November 3, 2015
I’m a fan of Donis Casey’s Alafair Tucker mysteries set in Oklahoma. Her series starts with The Old Buzzard Had it Coming in 1912. With this latest, Casey moves us up to 1917 when WWI is casting a long sinister shadow on Alafair’s large family in Boynton. The newly established draft and pro-war sentiment threatens to pull her older boys and her daughters’ husbands into the kind of danger that Alafair won’t be able to protect them from. That is a tough situation for a mother who for years has used her intelligence and her no-nonsense ability to solve murders to keep both her ten children and the residents of Boynton safe from false accusations and genuine threats.
But while the European violence lurks in the background, the war on the home front takes center stage. The town is split between those who think any hesitation in patriotic participation reveals a German sympathizer and those who oppose the war. Then mix in fights over unionization, conflicts arising from rural poverty and a mysterious man in a bowler hat who seems intent on causing trouble. Casey never settles for the simplistic answers. I loved this intense window into the American home front at this crucial moment in US history. We face many of the same issues in our culture today. Casey gives us the fullness of history without ever losing the page-turning excitement of a mystery.
Casey’s books offer much more than a who-dunnit—although I always enjoy watching Alafair figure out who the real culprit is. This latest novel continues the historical richness and depth. This time the sophisticated layer of history involves the notion of public opinion—that fearful force the “all men fear” and how it can transform a cooperative society like the town of Boynton into a self-destructive mob. Defining patriotism is a tricky process and not all the residents of Oklahoma come up with a subtle and intelligent understanding. Vigilantes go after citizens with German-sounding names and see spies hiding everywhere. The brick company suffers from sabotage and shift supervisors turn up dead. There is real danger and death, so just where do the boundaries lie? Who are the good guys and who the villains in time of war? And what about the enthusiastic patriotism of young Charlie Tucker, 16 years old and sure he knows who is at the heart of the trouble. You’d guess right if you realize Alafair is never going to let her son face that alone, no matter how much he tries to slip away from her mothering.
Casey immerses her readers so deeply into rural Oklahoma at the opening of the twentieth century that you feel like you’re a member of Alafair’s extensive family. Every detail rings true from the daily tasks that her characters engage in to the dialogue. I love Casey’s combination of family dynamics, Oklahoma farming know-how, multi-dimensional characters, sophisticated twists on history and moral dilemmas, and good old-fashioned mysterious murders.
But while the European violence lurks in the background, the war on the home front takes center stage. The town is split between those who think any hesitation in patriotic participation reveals a German sympathizer and those who oppose the war. Then mix in fights over unionization, conflicts arising from rural poverty and a mysterious man in a bowler hat who seems intent on causing trouble. Casey never settles for the simplistic answers. I loved this intense window into the American home front at this crucial moment in US history. We face many of the same issues in our culture today. Casey gives us the fullness of history without ever losing the page-turning excitement of a mystery.
Casey’s books offer much more than a who-dunnit—although I always enjoy watching Alafair figure out who the real culprit is. This latest novel continues the historical richness and depth. This time the sophisticated layer of history involves the notion of public opinion—that fearful force the “all men fear” and how it can transform a cooperative society like the town of Boynton into a self-destructive mob. Defining patriotism is a tricky process and not all the residents of Oklahoma come up with a subtle and intelligent understanding. Vigilantes go after citizens with German-sounding names and see spies hiding everywhere. The brick company suffers from sabotage and shift supervisors turn up dead. There is real danger and death, so just where do the boundaries lie? Who are the good guys and who the villains in time of war? And what about the enthusiastic patriotism of young Charlie Tucker, 16 years old and sure he knows who is at the heart of the trouble. You’d guess right if you realize Alafair is never going to let her son face that alone, no matter how much he tries to slip away from her mothering.
Casey immerses her readers so deeply into rural Oklahoma at the opening of the twentieth century that you feel like you’re a member of Alafair’s extensive family. Every detail rings true from the daily tasks that her characters engage in to the dialogue. I love Casey’s combination of family dynamics, Oklahoma farming know-how, multi-dimensional characters, sophisticated twists on history and moral dilemmas, and good old-fashioned mysterious murders.
November 2, 2015
Alafair Tucker has been likened to Ma Joad in Steinbeck's classic, The Grapes of Wrath. In many ways that is a perfect description, and if she is Ma Joad, her brother Rob is Tom Joad. America's entry into World War I seemingly brings all the world's problems right to the doorstep of small Boynton, Oklahoma, and as author Donis Casey describes the world Alafair Tucker and her family are living in, readers are reminded that things really haven't changed all that much in a century.
One of the things that is so much fun in reading this series is the expansion of the Tucker clan. Alafair's ten children are growing up. The little ones are developing their own personalities. The older ones are getting jobs, moving away from home, marrying, and having children. All this growth and all this change certainly widens the series' perspective, but everything is still filtered through Alafair's eyes.
In All Men Fear Me (a phrase taken from a World War I propaganda poster), there's an older man named Nick who wears a bowler hat and loves to lurk in the shadows to overhear conversations and watch people. He made chills run down my spine. Nick almost seemed imbued with a supernatural evil. Notice I said "almost." He's not the only well-delineated character in the book. Each of the various factions in Boynton have their representatives, and Casey does an excellent job at bringing them to life. I have to admit to a preference for Emmanuel Clover, an officious little man who's a stickler for the tiniest of rules. He's the type of man born to spike your blood pressure. Mr. Clover loves his daughter Forsythia Lily dearly, and for some reason that girl's name gave me a fit of the giggles each time I saw it.
Sixteen-year-old Charlie gets a lot of the focus in this book, and that young man is a corker. He's full of spit and vinegar and at that age where he's just dying to have an adventure. As a matter of fact it's Charlie who gets to conduct a lion's share of the investigating here-- and it certainly brings out the Mama Bear in Alafair.
Donis Casey's Alafair Tucker series started out very good (The Old Buzzard Had It Coming) and just keeps getting better and better. I feel that I know what life on a farm in Oklahoma at the turn of the twentieth century was like. I now also have a good idea of how the area fits in with the rest of the country in terms of things like culture and politics. I've come to care about each and every member of the Tucker clan, and I'd no more miss a book in this series than I'd stop liking lasagna. If you're in the mood for an excellent historical mystery series, let me introduce you to Alafair Tucker. She's one farmer's wife who knows how to make lighter-than-air biscuits while she's solving the mysteries that cross her path.
One of the things that is so much fun in reading this series is the expansion of the Tucker clan. Alafair's ten children are growing up. The little ones are developing their own personalities. The older ones are getting jobs, moving away from home, marrying, and having children. All this growth and all this change certainly widens the series' perspective, but everything is still filtered through Alafair's eyes.
In All Men Fear Me (a phrase taken from a World War I propaganda poster), there's an older man named Nick who wears a bowler hat and loves to lurk in the shadows to overhear conversations and watch people. He made chills run down my spine. Nick almost seemed imbued with a supernatural evil. Notice I said "almost." He's not the only well-delineated character in the book. Each of the various factions in Boynton have their representatives, and Casey does an excellent job at bringing them to life. I have to admit to a preference for Emmanuel Clover, an officious little man who's a stickler for the tiniest of rules. He's the type of man born to spike your blood pressure. Mr. Clover loves his daughter Forsythia Lily dearly, and for some reason that girl's name gave me a fit of the giggles each time I saw it.
Sixteen-year-old Charlie gets a lot of the focus in this book, and that young man is a corker. He's full of spit and vinegar and at that age where he's just dying to have an adventure. As a matter of fact it's Charlie who gets to conduct a lion's share of the investigating here-- and it certainly brings out the Mama Bear in Alafair.
Donis Casey's Alafair Tucker series started out very good (The Old Buzzard Had It Coming) and just keeps getting better and better. I feel that I know what life on a farm in Oklahoma at the turn of the twentieth century was like. I now also have a good idea of how the area fits in with the rest of the country in terms of things like culture and politics. I've come to care about each and every member of the Tucker clan, and I'd no more miss a book in this series than I'd stop liking lasagna. If you're in the mood for an excellent historical mystery series, let me introduce you to Alafair Tucker. She's one farmer's wife who knows how to make lighter-than-air biscuits while she's solving the mysteries that cross her path.
October 4, 2025
All Men Fear Me by Donis Casey is the 8th book of the Alafair Tucker mystery series set in Boynton Oklahoma in July 1917. The wide cast of characters would present a challenge to a reader unfamiliar with the extensive Tucker family, but for the reader who has followed the series, it's a welcome visit with old friends. Introducing new criminals and plots, of course. We learn that Alafair has a brother, Robert Gunn, "Robin" to friends and family, an organizer for "the Wobblies", Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) who refer to WWI as "Rich Man's War, Poor Man's Fight". The Tuckers welcome Robin to their home with love, yet fear he'll bring trouble to their door.
The novel showcases a brief period of time in American history, in a rural part of Oklahoma. The plot centers around a significant historical event in Boynton: the first ever draft call-up. As it loomed closer and closer, anti-draft and anti-war feelings heated up, while fervent patriots expected to discover spies in every household. Homes and businesses run by families whose surnames sounded foreign were attacked. We learn about the Working Class Union (WCU) also advocating anti-draft, anti-war.
As always, the enduring goodness and love of the Tucker family prevails.
A fascinating history lesson: the Calendar of Patriotic Service issued by the U.S. Food Administration.
Sunday: One wheatless meal, one meatless meal
Monday: Wheatless day, one meatless meal
Tuesday: Meatless day, porkless day, one wheatless meal
Wednesday: Wheatless day, one meatless meal
Thursday: One meatless meal, one wheatless meal
Friday: One meatless meal, one wheatless meal
Saturday: Porkless day, one wheatless meal, one meatless meal
Every Day: Save wheat, meat, fates, sugar to create provision for our armis that the allies.
Housewives were urged to sign a food conservation pledge card. Families like the Tuckers who raised most of their own food were not as affected as those who lived in cities. Citizens embraced the restrictions enthusiastically. The prescribed diet improved the nation's health!
Alafair's Homefront Recipes are included: Hot Water Cornbread, War Cake, Potato Bread, Meatless Sausage, Soy Bean Loaf.
Many memorable quotes throughout the book:
Everywhere this fellow went, trouble followed in his wake.
The minute President Wilson had asked Congress to get the country involved in the endless blood-soaked war going on in Europe, Nick had smelled the ugly stench of hysteria. Discord had sown far and wide.
Whenever a man's beliefs rubbed against the grain, sparks were bound to fly.
"Well, I'll be go to hell. Boynton is my destination as well."
The leaves of the trees had turned bottom-side-up. It was going to rain soon.
Every morning of the world, Alafair Tucker made her way out to the woods after breakfast was cleared away to snatch a moment of solitude, commune with nature and the Deity, and feed stale breadcrumbs to the wild turkeys who made their home there.
She knew it was no help to worry about something that hadn't happened yet. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
She was a queen, Alafair, he thought, totally in charge of her realm. He had never known anyone else with as much talent for bossing people around in such a way that they actually liked it.
This was Blanche. Yes, even when this one was a toddler, she stood out in her crowd of siblings for the waves of sable hair that cascaded down her back, reflecting light like a dark mirror. Her complexion was as white as her name would indicate, though her Cherokee ancestry had given her bold cheekbones and an intriguing almond shape to the green eyes rimmed with a fan of black lashes.
"So what in the pig-snorts brings you out here after all this time?"
If he knew his fastidious sister, vermin steered clear of her domain in fear of their lives.
Alafair caught her by the collar and lifted the giggling little girl into her arms. Leaving Grace below eye-level was an invitation for her to get into mischief.
Shopkeeper Mr. Khouri leaned over the counter and his voice dropped. "Sometimes I just trade one thing for another--a chicken for a peck of peas, that kind of thing. Don't know if that's a thing to be doing, but in these times I think we've got to help one another however we can."
Shaw was of the opinion that it wasn't good for an animal or child to think he could get away with doing whatever took his fancy.
Since the U.S. Food Administration had declared that on Saturdays the patriotic housewife should serve one meal wheatless, and one meal meatless, Alafair had decided to go all out for this special dinner and the family could make do with a bowl of rice for supper tonight. She set a big, bubbling pot of black-eyed peas and fatback in the center of the table, surrounded by bowls of fried okra, sliced tomatoes and onions, sweet potatoes in their jackets, boiled corn on the cob, a dish of wilted lettuce and radishes, and a plate piled high with hot water cornbread, golden little fritters made of cornmeal batter fried in bacon grease. Alafair smiled when Rob's mouth dropped open at the sight of the chicken-fried steaks piled high on a serving plate. He looked up at her. "Is that what I think it is?" "It is, honey, Just the way you used to like it."
"It'll shake a man to the core when he first realizes that trouble and injustice happen to the innocent and guilty alike."
So many start out with a burning yen to make the world a better place, and it is always a bitter disappointment to realize that it can't be done.
The instant Sally pulled up in front of the garden, a gaggle of children tumbled out the gate and ran to meet them, all talking at once. "Whereyoubeenwhycouldn'tIgoChaseateabugIdidnotMaItriedtogethimtowegottwobushelsMadoIhavetohelpstringthebeans..."
Alafair didn't have Martha's faith in the goodwill of the other women in the Red Cross chapter. She watched Martha pedal off on her bicycle toward Mary's house, wondering how she was going to comfort both of them when their plans failed miserably.
Alafair had covered the table with platters and bowls of fried okra, yellow squash, biscuits and milk gravy, grits, corn on the cob, brown beans, fried sweet potatoes, and mashed potatoes as well. As always in summer, there were fresh-sliced tomatoes, green onions, and radishes to garnish one's plate. It was a meatless meal, but no one noticed.
"I Am Public Opinion. ALL MEN FEAR ME" - World War I poster, U.S. Office of Propaganda
Lately the postmistress had made it her mission in life to see that every propaganda message the government issued found a place on the wall and remained there for the duration: a poster of a slavering ape in a pointed German helmet with the body of a limp child clutched under its arm; exhortations to join the Army, the Navy, the Red Cross; to sign the Food Pledge and the Loyalty Oath; to save sugar, corn, wheat, dairy, meat. A declaration that wasting food was "the greatest crime in Christendom".
"Why do all men fear her, Ma?" "Because she's a tattletale." Grace clapped her hands on her hips, her expression disapproving. "That's not very nice." "No, it isn't, punkin."
She did very much care about what other people thought of her and her family. That was the wise and practical way to look at it,wasn't it? Then why did she feel vaguely ashamed of herself?
Oklahoma Loyalty Pledge, 1917: "I recognize the danger that arises from the slacker who opposes the country. I realize that every breeder of sedition is as great a menace to our homes and our freedom as are our armed enemies across the sea. I therefore pledge myself to report to the chairman of my school district council of defense or to my county defense chairman any disloyal act or utterance that I may at any time know of. I will stamp out the enemies at home whose every act or word means more American graves in France."
"I ain't looking for trouble." "Trouble just finds you, Robin, whether you're looking for it or not."
People were afraid to say what was on their minds. And not just because their neighbors might look at them askance. One could end up in Federal prison for talking against the war. Or lose his livelihood, or at the very least expect all his friends to shun him and his family, either out of conviction or fear.
Shaw had been through this with four daughters before Ruth. He could smell the flop sweat on a prospective son-in-law from a mile away.
She ladled pancake batter into the skillet and watched with pleasure as it spread out to cover the bottom. Not for Mary were skimpy little cakes that would fit two or three to a pan. If it wasn't as big as the bottom of the skillet, it wasn't worth bothering with. She eyed the cake as bubbles began to form in the batter, and started counting. Her father insisted that a pancake was not ready to flip until exactly twenty bubbles had formed over the top. Not one more or one less. It was a pretty good rule of thumb, Mary had discovered, and besides, she enjoyed the game of counting bubbles. As she was growing up it had been a source of hilarity for the kids o huddle over the skillet, turner at the ready, trying desperately to flip the pancake at exactly twenty bubbles. The memory made her smile. They never made it in time.
Gee Dub shrugged. "I believe you believe it, Dad, and I'm glad. I hope you're right. I hope I know how to die standing up." The look on Shaw's face cause Gee Dub to regret that he had put it that way. He grasped his father's shoulder. "Don't worry, Daddy. I don't aim to die any which way."
The novel showcases a brief period of time in American history, in a rural part of Oklahoma. The plot centers around a significant historical event in Boynton: the first ever draft call-up. As it loomed closer and closer, anti-draft and anti-war feelings heated up, while fervent patriots expected to discover spies in every household. Homes and businesses run by families whose surnames sounded foreign were attacked. We learn about the Working Class Union (WCU) also advocating anti-draft, anti-war.
As always, the enduring goodness and love of the Tucker family prevails.
A fascinating history lesson: the Calendar of Patriotic Service issued by the U.S. Food Administration.
Sunday: One wheatless meal, one meatless meal
Monday: Wheatless day, one meatless meal
Tuesday: Meatless day, porkless day, one wheatless meal
Wednesday: Wheatless day, one meatless meal
Thursday: One meatless meal, one wheatless meal
Friday: One meatless meal, one wheatless meal
Saturday: Porkless day, one wheatless meal, one meatless meal
Every Day: Save wheat, meat, fates, sugar to create provision for our armis that the allies.
Housewives were urged to sign a food conservation pledge card. Families like the Tuckers who raised most of their own food were not as affected as those who lived in cities. Citizens embraced the restrictions enthusiastically. The prescribed diet improved the nation's health!
Alafair's Homefront Recipes are included: Hot Water Cornbread, War Cake, Potato Bread, Meatless Sausage, Soy Bean Loaf.
Many memorable quotes throughout the book:
Everywhere this fellow went, trouble followed in his wake.
The minute President Wilson had asked Congress to get the country involved in the endless blood-soaked war going on in Europe, Nick had smelled the ugly stench of hysteria. Discord had sown far and wide.
Whenever a man's beliefs rubbed against the grain, sparks were bound to fly.
"Well, I'll be go to hell. Boynton is my destination as well."
The leaves of the trees had turned bottom-side-up. It was going to rain soon.
Every morning of the world, Alafair Tucker made her way out to the woods after breakfast was cleared away to snatch a moment of solitude, commune with nature and the Deity, and feed stale breadcrumbs to the wild turkeys who made their home there.
She knew it was no help to worry about something that hadn't happened yet. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
She was a queen, Alafair, he thought, totally in charge of her realm. He had never known anyone else with as much talent for bossing people around in such a way that they actually liked it.
This was Blanche. Yes, even when this one was a toddler, she stood out in her crowd of siblings for the waves of sable hair that cascaded down her back, reflecting light like a dark mirror. Her complexion was as white as her name would indicate, though her Cherokee ancestry had given her bold cheekbones and an intriguing almond shape to the green eyes rimmed with a fan of black lashes.
"So what in the pig-snorts brings you out here after all this time?"
If he knew his fastidious sister, vermin steered clear of her domain in fear of their lives.
Alafair caught her by the collar and lifted the giggling little girl into her arms. Leaving Grace below eye-level was an invitation for her to get into mischief.
Shopkeeper Mr. Khouri leaned over the counter and his voice dropped. "Sometimes I just trade one thing for another--a chicken for a peck of peas, that kind of thing. Don't know if that's a thing to be doing, but in these times I think we've got to help one another however we can."
Shaw was of the opinion that it wasn't good for an animal or child to think he could get away with doing whatever took his fancy.
Since the U.S. Food Administration had declared that on Saturdays the patriotic housewife should serve one meal wheatless, and one meal meatless, Alafair had decided to go all out for this special dinner and the family could make do with a bowl of rice for supper tonight. She set a big, bubbling pot of black-eyed peas and fatback in the center of the table, surrounded by bowls of fried okra, sliced tomatoes and onions, sweet potatoes in their jackets, boiled corn on the cob, a dish of wilted lettuce and radishes, and a plate piled high with hot water cornbread, golden little fritters made of cornmeal batter fried in bacon grease. Alafair smiled when Rob's mouth dropped open at the sight of the chicken-fried steaks piled high on a serving plate. He looked up at her. "Is that what I think it is?" "It is, honey, Just the way you used to like it."
"It'll shake a man to the core when he first realizes that trouble and injustice happen to the innocent and guilty alike."
So many start out with a burning yen to make the world a better place, and it is always a bitter disappointment to realize that it can't be done.
The instant Sally pulled up in front of the garden, a gaggle of children tumbled out the gate and ran to meet them, all talking at once. "Whereyoubeenwhycouldn'tIgoChaseateabugIdidnotMaItriedtogethimtowegottwobushelsMadoIhavetohelpstringthebeans..."
Alafair didn't have Martha's faith in the goodwill of the other women in the Red Cross chapter. She watched Martha pedal off on her bicycle toward Mary's house, wondering how she was going to comfort both of them when their plans failed miserably.
Alafair had covered the table with platters and bowls of fried okra, yellow squash, biscuits and milk gravy, grits, corn on the cob, brown beans, fried sweet potatoes, and mashed potatoes as well. As always in summer, there were fresh-sliced tomatoes, green onions, and radishes to garnish one's plate. It was a meatless meal, but no one noticed.
"I Am Public Opinion. ALL MEN FEAR ME" - World War I poster, U.S. Office of Propaganda
Lately the postmistress had made it her mission in life to see that every propaganda message the government issued found a place on the wall and remained there for the duration: a poster of a slavering ape in a pointed German helmet with the body of a limp child clutched under its arm; exhortations to join the Army, the Navy, the Red Cross; to sign the Food Pledge and the Loyalty Oath; to save sugar, corn, wheat, dairy, meat. A declaration that wasting food was "the greatest crime in Christendom".
"Why do all men fear her, Ma?" "Because she's a tattletale." Grace clapped her hands on her hips, her expression disapproving. "That's not very nice." "No, it isn't, punkin."
She did very much care about what other people thought of her and her family. That was the wise and practical way to look at it,wasn't it? Then why did she feel vaguely ashamed of herself?
Oklahoma Loyalty Pledge, 1917: "I recognize the danger that arises from the slacker who opposes the country. I realize that every breeder of sedition is as great a menace to our homes and our freedom as are our armed enemies across the sea. I therefore pledge myself to report to the chairman of my school district council of defense or to my county defense chairman any disloyal act or utterance that I may at any time know of. I will stamp out the enemies at home whose every act or word means more American graves in France."
"I ain't looking for trouble." "Trouble just finds you, Robin, whether you're looking for it or not."
People were afraid to say what was on their minds. And not just because their neighbors might look at them askance. One could end up in Federal prison for talking against the war. Or lose his livelihood, or at the very least expect all his friends to shun him and his family, either out of conviction or fear.
Shaw had been through this with four daughters before Ruth. He could smell the flop sweat on a prospective son-in-law from a mile away.
She ladled pancake batter into the skillet and watched with pleasure as it spread out to cover the bottom. Not for Mary were skimpy little cakes that would fit two or three to a pan. If it wasn't as big as the bottom of the skillet, it wasn't worth bothering with. She eyed the cake as bubbles began to form in the batter, and started counting. Her father insisted that a pancake was not ready to flip until exactly twenty bubbles had formed over the top. Not one more or one less. It was a pretty good rule of thumb, Mary had discovered, and besides, she enjoyed the game of counting bubbles. As she was growing up it had been a source of hilarity for the kids o huddle over the skillet, turner at the ready, trying desperately to flip the pancake at exactly twenty bubbles. The memory made her smile. They never made it in time.
Gee Dub shrugged. "I believe you believe it, Dad, and I'm glad. I hope you're right. I hope I know how to die standing up." The look on Shaw's face cause Gee Dub to regret that he had put it that way. He grasped his father's shoulder. "Don't worry, Daddy. I don't aim to die any which way."
August 22, 2021
Read this for Book Club.
It's 1917 in Boynton, Oklahoma, and Alafair Tucker's family and town are being turned upside-down by the United States' declaration of war.
Everyone is eyeing each other furtively, and the war bonds poster stating, "Public Opinion . . . All Men Fear Me" seems to be describing the new state of the normally placid community. If you speak against the war, you might be a traitor. If you have a German name, you might be a traitor. If you support unions, you might be a traitor. If you look like a foreigner, you might be a traitor.
In the midst of this, a member of the Council of Defense (Secret Service) is found murdered and the first draft lottery is coming soon.
The town feels close to its own war.
Will Alafair be able to protect her family and her community?
This was a good, surprisingly timely read. If you weren't 100% for the war, you weren't a patriotic American and could be shunned by your family and neighbors. Alafair and her family struggle to find middle ground between support and dissent.
The story itself and the characters are relatively straightforward, but there is definite food for thought here, as it certainly seems that America has had a knack for diviseness rather then discourse during complicated, difficult times throughout its history.
Pick up if you enjoy quick historical fiction.
*some violence
It's 1917 in Boynton, Oklahoma, and Alafair Tucker's family and town are being turned upside-down by the United States' declaration of war.
Everyone is eyeing each other furtively, and the war bonds poster stating, "Public Opinion . . . All Men Fear Me" seems to be describing the new state of the normally placid community. If you speak against the war, you might be a traitor. If you have a German name, you might be a traitor. If you support unions, you might be a traitor. If you look like a foreigner, you might be a traitor.
In the midst of this, a member of the Council of Defense (Secret Service) is found murdered and the first draft lottery is coming soon.
The town feels close to its own war.
Will Alafair be able to protect her family and her community?
This was a good, surprisingly timely read. If you weren't 100% for the war, you weren't a patriotic American and could be shunned by your family and neighbors. Alafair and her family struggle to find middle ground between support and dissent.
The story itself and the characters are relatively straightforward, but there is definite food for thought here, as it certainly seems that America has had a knack for diviseness rather then discourse during complicated, difficult times throughout its history.
Pick up if you enjoy quick historical fiction.
*some violence
March 7, 2017
I think this is the best of the Alafair Tucker books because of its subject matter. The general reader knows relatively little about the Home Front in the First World War. At least in rural Oklahoma as presented in this book, that was a pretty scary place. There were radicals on the anti-war and anti-German fronts. The threat and reality of sabotage is a constant theme. The citizen policing of neighbors for meatless meals and other effort in support of the war was virulent. Violence is near the surface, something we don't think of in rural America. At the heart of the book is the enlistment or drafting of lots of young men and the pain that causes to their relatives and the dislocation of the small town and its associated farming community. I enthusiastically recommend this book as a stand alone read even if you don't want to sign on for the entire charming series.
December 2, 2020
This is the first book I’ve read in this series so what I say may have no bearing on the rest of the books in this series.
I thought the author did an excellent jovb of bringing 1917 in Oklahoma to life. I coincidentally just finished the first two books in Dos Passos’ USA trilogy as well as a memoir of a Mexican-American who served in World War I. So All the talk about “slackers” and “Wobblies” made sense to me.
Alafair is a likable enough protagonist. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to keep her progeny straight, but I only had to look back at the cast of characters once.
I liked that the antagonists were of various levels of bad. However there really wasn’t much of a mystery for the reader. And the ultimate villain seemed a bit of an obvious construct. But overall it was a very enjoyable historical novel.
I thought the author did an excellent jovb of bringing 1917 in Oklahoma to life. I coincidentally just finished the first two books in Dos Passos’ USA trilogy as well as a memoir of a Mexican-American who served in World War I. So All the talk about “slackers” and “Wobblies” made sense to me.
Alafair is a likable enough protagonist. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to keep her progeny straight, but I only had to look back at the cast of characters once.
I liked that the antagonists were of various levels of bad. However there really wasn’t much of a mystery for the reader. And the ultimate villain seemed a bit of an obvious construct. But overall it was a very enjoyable historical novel.
November 28, 2021
I read alot of book series, but I'm not a binge reader. I have eclectic tastes and read a bit of everything.
That said, sometimes it's difficult to get back up to speed in a series if you've left that world for awhile.
I never have that problem with Donis Casey's books. She has a very large cast of characters, but they're all memorable.
In this latest installment of the series Alafair's brother Robin, a union organizer, comes to town and World War I comes home to the US and to Oklahoma and the Shaws in very personal ways.
There are several mysteries to be solved along the way, but Alafair doesn't get as directly involved in the sleuthing as in previous books. She IS there for the big finish, however.
There was also a twist that I definitely didn't see coming...love it when that happens!
Casey has done her research and effortlessly weaves the actual events of the time and place into a riveting story. I especially like the quotes at the beginning of each chapter.
The recipes at the end are a bonus!
That said, sometimes it's difficult to get back up to speed in a series if you've left that world for awhile.
I never have that problem with Donis Casey's books. She has a very large cast of characters, but they're all memorable.
In this latest installment of the series Alafair's brother Robin, a union organizer, comes to town and World War I comes home to the US and to Oklahoma and the Shaws in very personal ways.
There are several mysteries to be solved along the way, but Alafair doesn't get as directly involved in the sleuthing as in previous books. She IS there for the big finish, however.
There was also a twist that I definitely didn't see coming...love it when that happens!
Casey has done her research and effortlessly weaves the actual events of the time and place into a riveting story. I especially like the quotes at the beginning of each chapter.
The recipes at the end are a bonus!
September 27, 2020
This is my first Alafair Tucker book, despite being #8 in the series. The book was chosen for our local library book club. It wasn’t a bad book but it wasn’t a story that drew me in. I struggled to finish it and the climax of the story was just ok.
August 4, 2020
good books all of them
August 21, 2023
All Men Fear Me did exactly what I think the authors and publishers hope books will do on Netgalley: it made me love the author and look forward to reading everything she's written. It won a fan. I loved this book from the moment I saw the character list: there's "Gee Dub, age 20, a college student" … "Charlie, age 16, looking for action" then three younger daughters of the family, "a beauty", "a tomboy", and "a handful".
I hate coming in in the middle of a series. Authors so often do a terrible job of the difficult task of balancing the needs of new readers with those of the folks who have been around since the beginning, and from experience I normally pass on Netgalley books when I see "book 2" or "the fourth book in the series" or that sort of thing. I must have missed the fact that this is the eighth book in the Alafair Tucker series, and I'm so very glad I did. Donis Casey beautifully avoided all the pitfalls and just left me really, really happy that there are seven earlier books I can't wait to get my hands on.
I loved the language. By which I mean the curses – I need to incorporate “Well, I’ll be go to hell" and “Shoot fire" into my speech (hey, people already think I'm weird, might as well enjoy myself), and I might also find myself using the threat "I’ll pull his lungs out and make balloons out of them!” – and also simply the prose. It rings utterly true for 1917 Oklahoma, and and the authenticity goes deep enough that if something pings my radar, I'm going to trust Donis Casey. She knows what she's doing, and I can relax into it. I love that.
What a story. It's right at the beginning of America's involvement in WWI, so we have gone from isolationism to rampant anti-German "patriotism" – so alarmingly like the tide of anti-Muslim feeling after 9/11 (and since). And one of Alafair's sons-in-law was born in Germany. It gets outright terrifying.
And also surprisingly frightening is "Old Nick". Is he an evil man in a bowler hat who glories in calling himself by the devil's nickname? Or is he actually the devil? The immediate interpretation of the book's title is that yes, indeed Old Nick is one to be feared … but then there is this WWI propaganda poster: "I Am Public Opinion: All Men Fear Me". The "Knights of Liberty" – think the KKK, with a wider range of targets – are frightening in their xenophobic ignorance … but most frightening of all is the fact that both the xenophobia and the ignorance were actively encouraged by the government. An appeal to buy Liberty Bonds, from the Tulsa Daily World, 1917: "We need more loyal and less 'thinking' Americans… Are you an American?" Just typing that sends chills up my back. It's like an over-the-top science fiction novel about some paranoid and petty tin-pot dictatorship.
I love Alafair. It's that simple. The fierce mother; the intelligent and inquisitive woman; the contented frontier homemaker; the woman who wants to help the prostitutes her mother takes her to charitably call upon but who is simultaneously terrified that someone will see her near that house. ("Besides, the Lord wants us to try. He don’t care if we succeed.”) I love her, I love her family, I love the setting, and I want to read – or listen to; I have discovered that the audiobooks (read by Pam Ward) are outstanding – all of them. And more. If you know what I mean.
On a lighter note, here is a cooking tip I'll have to try: "Her father insisted that a pancake was not ready to flip until exactly twenty bubbles had formed over the top. Not one more or one less."
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, which I hereby set down with thanks.
I hate coming in in the middle of a series. Authors so often do a terrible job of the difficult task of balancing the needs of new readers with those of the folks who have been around since the beginning, and from experience I normally pass on Netgalley books when I see "book 2" or "the fourth book in the series" or that sort of thing. I must have missed the fact that this is the eighth book in the Alafair Tucker series, and I'm so very glad I did. Donis Casey beautifully avoided all the pitfalls and just left me really, really happy that there are seven earlier books I can't wait to get my hands on.
I loved the language. By which I mean the curses – I need to incorporate “Well, I’ll be go to hell" and “Shoot fire" into my speech (hey, people already think I'm weird, might as well enjoy myself), and I might also find myself using the threat "I’ll pull his lungs out and make balloons out of them!” – and also simply the prose. It rings utterly true for 1917 Oklahoma, and and the authenticity goes deep enough that if something pings my radar, I'm going to trust Donis Casey. She knows what she's doing, and I can relax into it. I love that.
What a story. It's right at the beginning of America's involvement in WWI, so we have gone from isolationism to rampant anti-German "patriotism" – so alarmingly like the tide of anti-Muslim feeling after 9/11 (and since). And one of Alafair's sons-in-law was born in Germany. It gets outright terrifying.
And also surprisingly frightening is "Old Nick". Is he an evil man in a bowler hat who glories in calling himself by the devil's nickname? Or is he actually the devil? The immediate interpretation of the book's title is that yes, indeed Old Nick is one to be feared … but then there is this WWI propaganda poster: "I Am Public Opinion: All Men Fear Me". The "Knights of Liberty" – think the KKK, with a wider range of targets – are frightening in their xenophobic ignorance … but most frightening of all is the fact that both the xenophobia and the ignorance were actively encouraged by the government. An appeal to buy Liberty Bonds, from the Tulsa Daily World, 1917: "We need more loyal and less 'thinking' Americans… Are you an American?" Just typing that sends chills up my back. It's like an over-the-top science fiction novel about some paranoid and petty tin-pot dictatorship.
I love Alafair. It's that simple. The fierce mother; the intelligent and inquisitive woman; the contented frontier homemaker; the woman who wants to help the prostitutes her mother takes her to charitably call upon but who is simultaneously terrified that someone will see her near that house. ("Besides, the Lord wants us to try. He don’t care if we succeed.”) I love her, I love her family, I love the setting, and I want to read – or listen to; I have discovered that the audiobooks (read by Pam Ward) are outstanding – all of them. And more. If you know what I mean.
On a lighter note, here is a cooking tip I'll have to try: "Her father insisted that a pancake was not ready to flip until exactly twenty bubbles had formed over the top. Not one more or one less."
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, which I hereby set down with thanks.
November 7, 2015
This is the eighth book in the Alafair Tucker mystery series and like her characters, Donis Casey is maturing. It's now 1917 and the U.S. has just entered the First World War. Along with the rest of America, Boynton, Oklahoma is losing its innocence what with the draft, unions, and "patriots" inciting violence with anti-immigrant sentiments. Of course, there's a murder or two for Alafair to contend with along with her fears for her family's safety, but it seems that it is the cruelty, fear and suspicion that the war has brought to her front doorstep that unsettles her the most. There's always a history lesson tied into the Alafair mysteries, along with homespun wisdom that is welcome and comforting. This is perhaps the best written instalment, and the basic storyline only differs is the added solemnity and darkness that overshadows it. I'm afraid there's no turning back and I already long for the simpler times found in the earlier novels. I'm not sure I'm interested in what the modern-times Alafair Tucker has to offer. Perhaps Ms Casey can write some prequel mysteries to satisfy readers who enjoyed the slower pace and quaintness of life before the evils of the rest of world came home to roost.
July 11, 2016
I haven't read any Casey mysteries before and I was more intrigued by all Oklahoman and labor history that roots the book.
Although I was a bit bothered by the short chapters which marred the plot flow for me, I did find the characterization spot on. The family matriarch, Alafair Tucker, finds herself caring willingly for so many kids and grandkids and neighbors, and is forced to confront the reality of internment camps, xenophobia, socialist labor philosophy, sabotage, murder, anti-German sentiment in the uptake to World War I, and the resulting draft lotteries. Her husband Shaw, sons Charlie and Gee Dub, her brother Rob Gunn (the most arresting character for me), the "gals" at the local brothel, and a host of neighbors and intruders (including Nick of the bowler hat) speak to the reader and are clearly drawn.
In this hard time of political pandering and bickering and horrific violence on the streets, yet again, Casey's novel asks the right questions about those blindly bound to a dying ideal and those who think for themselves and try to act rightly. Trump Time anyone?
Although I was a bit bothered by the short chapters which marred the plot flow for me, I did find the characterization spot on. The family matriarch, Alafair Tucker, finds herself caring willingly for so many kids and grandkids and neighbors, and is forced to confront the reality of internment camps, xenophobia, socialist labor philosophy, sabotage, murder, anti-German sentiment in the uptake to World War I, and the resulting draft lotteries. Her husband Shaw, sons Charlie and Gee Dub, her brother Rob Gunn (the most arresting character for me), the "gals" at the local brothel, and a host of neighbors and intruders (including Nick of the bowler hat) speak to the reader and are clearly drawn.
In this hard time of political pandering and bickering and horrific violence on the streets, yet again, Casey's novel asks the right questions about those blindly bound to a dying ideal and those who think for themselves and try to act rightly. Trump Time anyone?
October 20, 2015
All Men Fear Me by Donis Casey is the eighth book in the Alafair Tucker series. This is a historical mystery series set in Oklahoma in the early twentieth century. This is an awesome series that I highly recommend.
All Men Fear Me is set during World War I. America is finally entering the world war and the young men are eager to sign up. Alafair is worried that her two sons will want to sign up. And she is also worried about her German born son-in-law. All Men Fear Me realistically portrays the suspicious feeling toward anyone with a German name or foreign sounding name during this time period.
Donis Casey's books are always well written tales with flowing plot lines. She also stays true to her characters. I love following the trials and tribulations of the Tucker family. All Men Fear Me is an excellent addition to the series. I loved the surprises at the end.
I highly recommend All Men Fear Me and am looking forward to the next in the series.
All Men Fear Me is set during World War I. America is finally entering the world war and the young men are eager to sign up. Alafair is worried that her two sons will want to sign up. And she is also worried about her German born son-in-law. All Men Fear Me realistically portrays the suspicious feeling toward anyone with a German name or foreign sounding name during this time period.
Donis Casey's books are always well written tales with flowing plot lines. She also stays true to her characters. I love following the trials and tribulations of the Tucker family. All Men Fear Me is an excellent addition to the series. I loved the surprises at the end.
I highly recommend All Men Fear Me and am looking forward to the next in the series.
November 16, 2015
One of the best entries in this series. The mystery was so-so (we pretty much knew who the murderer was early on, though there was a nice twist to the identity of the saboteur.
What was outstanding was the depiction of the town dynamics as the U.S. entered WWI. The paranoia, the bullying (those Knights of Liberty are one scary bunch), the general atmosphere of neighbor vs. neighbor are chillingly portrayed. The chapter headings (excerpts from government speeches and documents)add to the foreboding.
Alafair's family is not immune to all this. Alafair's two sons, especially 16 year old Charlie,are caught up in the enthusiasm of fighting. Her son-in-law Kurt is a victim of anti-German harassment. Her brother Rob is a union organizer and anti-war. And Alafair worries and frets about them all.
This book could be read as a stand alone, though,of course, it helps to have read the others first.
I recommend this to readers interested in a look at rural America on the brink of WWI.
What was outstanding was the depiction of the town dynamics as the U.S. entered WWI. The paranoia, the bullying (those Knights of Liberty are one scary bunch), the general atmosphere of neighbor vs. neighbor are chillingly portrayed. The chapter headings (excerpts from government speeches and documents)add to the foreboding.
Alafair's family is not immune to all this. Alafair's two sons, especially 16 year old Charlie,are caught up in the enthusiasm of fighting. Her son-in-law Kurt is a victim of anti-German harassment. Her brother Rob is a union organizer and anti-war. And Alafair worries and frets about them all.
This book could be read as a stand alone, though,of course, it helps to have read the others first.
I recommend this to readers interested in a look at rural America on the brink of WWI.
January 25, 2016
Donis Casey has written a series of books based on a family in Oklahoma. Usually they feature the mom, Alafair, and one of her kids. She tries to paint a picture of the times, the politics, the things of everyday life. This time it's focus is on the run up to WWI, the draft, the fear of government, of Germans, the racism, Union tactics. It is oddly similar to right now, 100 years later. The creepy part is the way townspeople were encouraged to report one another for "seditious" activity. For example, reporting on a shop keeper who spoke with an accent. The other troubling thing was every chapter began with a quote from different government entities encouraging this behavior. Also Woodrow Wilson encouraging people to turn in anyone with a German sounding name. The storyline was in there but sketchy. Mostly it seemed to be a vehicle to report the politics of the time. The book was good but not my favorite of the series.
June 3, 2016
All Men Fear Me by Donis Casey is excellent book in The Alafair Tucker series. It's a wonderful story of a family living in a town in Oklahoma during the beginning of World War 1, and how it has an effect on the family. During which a family member arrives who is a union organizer, sabotage at a brick plant, several murders and a mysterious stranger who has a distinctive white scar & wears a bowler hat. Very interesting twist in the story that was truly unexpected!!
As this is the 8th book in the series, looking forward to reading the earlier books.
Highly recommend this book which also includes recipes.
As this is the 8th book in the series, looking forward to reading the earlier books.
Highly recommend this book which also includes recipes.
November 21, 2015
Sabotage, murders, unionizers, and patriots clash, tearing families apart in Oklahoma as the United States prepares to enter World War One. Author Casey presents a realistic portrayal of life for one family caught between pro-war and anti-war relatives and neighbors. They find their loyalties are questioned when they fail to shun their German emigrant relatives. At the center is Alafair, a farmwife, who has to find a murderer and deal with mobs that see spies everywhere they look, all while trying to keep members of her extended family safe.
December 14, 2015
4.5 stars. I have enjoyed this series from the beginning, but this title is especially good. Set in Oaklahoma in 1917, as America is joining WWI.
A stranger comes to town. A nondescript little man in a bowler hat. Says his name is Nick. Old Nick. He seems drawn to the flaring tempers and anti-foreigner rants of the times. He can sense (smell?) murderous rages and incendiary fear. And to those people he might whisper in their ear "Tell me. Tell me what you want".
A stranger comes to town. A nondescript little man in a bowler hat. Says his name is Nick. Old Nick. He seems drawn to the flaring tempers and anti-foreigner rants of the times. He can sense (smell?) murderous rages and incendiary fear. And to those people he might whisper in their ear "Tell me. Tell me what you want".
December 19, 2015
Alafair Tucker's brother, an IWW organizer, comes to visit, but even the Tucker family is endangered by mounting war hysteria. The oldest Tucker son is ready to enlist, as is younger son Charlie. Also, following Alafair's brother Rob is a sinister, but inconspicious, figure calling himself Nick Smith, and to the people he contacts he seems like Old Nick in person. There's a real sense of dread here, but less of Alafair's life and detection.
April 21, 2016
This series of book by Donis Casey covers the history of Oklahoma from before the land rush up to World War I through the eyes of a family settled near Boyton. These books are well researched and give an excellent picture of what like was like and how the people felt about current events. In addition the writing is strong and stories deeply interesting. Donis Casey understands human thinking and emotions.
March 27, 2022
This is another great addition to this series. The well told mystery intertwines with historical facts to create a complex drama. I learned about early union activity at the time of WWI and how much was going on in regards social issues and draft resistance, things that were never discussed in basic school history classes. I look forward to the next addition, to enjoy the well told tales and witness the growth of Alafair and Shaw Tucker's family!
June 22, 2015
Fabulous Read! I was given this book as an advance read for an honest review. History, suspense, murder mystery and surprising revelations in the story that will make you enjoy this book and make you want to recommend to others to read. The author does a wonderful job on drawing you into the story and keeping your interest. This is certainly one of those books you do not want to miss out on.
April 5, 2016
I enjoy spending time with Alafair Tucker and her family. I have been reading mysteries set during WWI in Europe; it was good to read one that takes place during the same time period in the U.S. to give a different perspective.
June 4, 2016
I love this series. This was a little different but very good. Not a mystery but more of a drama with the Tucker family.
November 28, 2015
Another well written mystery in this series.
March 14, 2016
Very intense themes around nationalism, war, & early union busting. I liked the book but had to put it down for a few days at one point since I found the themes hard to read.
November 19, 2016
Interesting. Unions, U.S. entry into WWI.
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