FuryBill Bright & Jack Cavanaugh Fury

Fury

Bill Bright & Jack Cavanaugh

Howard (Simon & Schuster), Sep 2006, $12.99

ISBN: 1582295735

Following his parents' ship sinking at sea as they were returning to America after preaching in England, teenager Daniel Cooper goes to live with his aunt and uncle in Cumberland. He works for casket maker Cyrus Gregg, a powerful businessman. One night in the alley behind the store, Daniel is playing his recorder when he hears a noise and sees fellow worker Emil Braxton knifed to death; the killer and Cyrus make plans for Epps to get paid for the hit.

Daniel informs his Uncle Asa and Aunt Camilla what he observed, but they don't believe him. Asa tells Cyrus what Daniel related to him. Daniel falls into a trap, but escapes Epps' attempt to silence him. Epps has fooled Asa, into thinking he is a pal; so the two men chase after Daniel.

In the upscale town of Wright's Settlement, Daniel befriends evangelists who heard a charismatic evangelist preach.. They keep him safe while he confronts Asa, who believes him about Epps but not his best friend Cyrus. When his Uncle returns to Cumberland, Daniel follows to keep him safe from the long lethal reach of Cyrus.

FURY is a cat and mouse thriller that focuses on a protagonist still hurting from the loss of his parents leading to his turning his back on God until he finds him again when he most needs him. Epps is a complex villain, who likes Asa and regrets having to kill him and his nephew, but will do so because he wants to remain inside Cyrus' influential circle. Readers will enjoy this fine historical suspense tale.

Harriet Klausner