The Rising at Roxbury Crossing

by James G. Redfearn

BOSTON POLICE OFFICER Willie Dwyer is haunted by a decade-old secret, a secret he carried to America. Swept up in the tumult of post-war 1919, Irish-American immigrants, the backbone of Boston's police force work grueling 60-100 hour weeks for about $2.00 a day. In Ireland, the Republican Brotherhood wages a guerrilla war with England for national sovereignty, supported by Boston's Irish neighborhoods. Frustrated by political promises, Boston's guardians strike for fair pay and better working conditions. And as the city erupts, Willie Dwyer's nemesis crosses an ocean and comes to hunt him down.

440 pages, Paperback

First published January 10, 2012

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an Irish-American who grew up in Boston, so when I saw this title in the stacks at my suburban Boston library, I grabbed it and I'm glad that I did. Unlike Dennis Lehane's excellent but expansive The Given Day, this novel more closely follows the details of the Boston police strike of 1919, but with an added plot twist involving a young Irish cop who left Ireland following a murder committed by Irish rebels prior to the south achieving independence. I felt that the plot took a while to develop, but it culminates in an exciting and unexpected conclusion. For an author who apparently did a one and done, Redfearn tells an excellent tale. Perhaps he should try another....

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stunning debut novel of unrest enveloping Boston post-WWI. With the basic needs and rights of the Boston Police Force all but ignored, the stage is set for a violent rebellion. The turmoil created and its aftermath are written in such well-crafted detail that one becomes lost in this hard-edged, mesmerizing tale, intertwining a U.S. city in turmoil with the presence of Irish identity. James Redfearn, a Boston-bred author and former Massachusetts State Trooper, has meticulously researched the background of the Boston Police at the time of the 1919 Strike and deftly portrays each character with passion, folly, and the ever-present question of human redemption. One of the finest novels I have ever read, it will remain with me indefinitely.

[Tom Oloughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received "The Rising at Roxbury Crossing" as a gift on Christmas and finished reading it in four evenings. This is a fantastic book! In fact, one of the best books that I have read in a long time. James Redfearn did a fantastic job in defining the tenor of society and politics in the early 1900's and he developed his characters and story line in such a fashion that I couldn't put the book down. I enjoyed this book so much that I would love to see it developed into a film. I have encouraged family and friends to purchase this book because it's one of those books that you keep so that you can go back to it for a re-read.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Redfearn hit a home run with his first novel. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to begin with, but Redfearn went the extra mile with his research to complete this masterpiece. A compelling tale of a young man that steams from Ireland to America and becomes one of Boston's finest...but he has been harboring a secret...one that leads him to some other very interesting characters. Redfearn earns his place at the table with other great historical fiction writers.