The Horseman's Word

by Erica Obey

A ruthless profiteer and English spy fallen upon hard times; a murdered antiquarian’s daughter; a former slave and jockey seeking justice for his dead wife; and an Irish horsewhisperer so blinded by the curse for betraying his own kind that he can’t seem to notice the disturbingly attractive stable lad curled on his bed. All of them converging on Saratoga Springs in 1865 for the first race meet since the war has ended. Can Rose Adair trust Lane Fallon, who she last saw dragged off to be hanged as a Confederate spy when he impulsively claims to be her husband in order to thwart her grasping cousin?

224 pages, Paperback

Published May 30, 2019

About the author

There are three places you can find Erica when she’s not writing: on a hiking trail, in her garden, or at the back of the pack in her local road race. Her favorite kind of vacation is backpacking across Dartmoor or among the hills of Wales in order to find new and exciting legends about Druids, fairy folk and unsolved mysteries to inspire her own writing. After she graduated from Yale University, this interest in folkore and legend led her to an M.A. in Creative Writing from City College of New York and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the City University of New York, where she published articles and a book about female folklorists of the nineteenth century before she decided she’d rather be writing the stories herself.

Along with their macaw Fasolt and a rotating assortment of cats, she and her husband divide their time between New York City and Woodstock, where they spend far too much time gardening – growing native woodland plants, roses, and old-fashioned cottage favorites, while fighting the chipmunks for the fruits of their kitchen garden – and losing. She is passionately committed to finding new and exciting recipes and eating with the seasons, although it’s abundantly clear that if she and her husband actually have to live off the land, they’d die. Check out some pictures on her website, beginning on St. David’s Day (Mar.1.)

As for her supremely untalented running, well, it gives her a chance to relax and think about her novels, even if, when she’s training for a marathon, it literally takes all day – as does walking the 2 miles back and forth from her apartment in Manhattan to Fordham University, where she teaches writing.

Reviews

[V.S. Kemanis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Horseman's Word is a unique historical mystery with a multifaceted plot incorporating Irish mythology, ancient curses, seditious conspiracies, romance, and the secret society of the Horseman’s Word. The adventure takes place during and after the Civil War in New York City and Saratoga Springs. With interesting, well-drawn characters, the novel organically weaves historical events into the story. The prose style and dialogue feel true to the era, and the writing is excellent. Besides enjoying a suspenseful tale, I also learned a few things about the Civil War era, such as the Irish Brigade, British interests, the New York City draft riots, and the schism between abolitionists and supporters of the Confederacy in New York. This novel is for anyone interested in this subject matter, presented in an engaging, well-written, and complex plot.

[Florence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could read the Horseman's word thankfully to NetGalley. As a teacher, I will recommend the book to my young adults students, they will be totally happy to read such an unsual story told with such great gifts.
As a European, it was mind blowing to dive into the world of the early days of the USA. The book is a real page turner, the reader does not get tired of the characters, the settings, the adventures and the complexity of the story. Everything is orchestrated with brio, and I will definitely read more from this author.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable historical mystery story filled with suspense and adventure. Well-developed characters. A well-written book. It is a pleasure to read this advanced reader's copy of this book and voluntarily review it.