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Horse Thief 1898
Orphaned and alone in the streets of Albany, can this feisty Irish immigrant lassie forge a life for herself and her wee brother? A world apart, can a privileged piano prodigy find anything in common with her?
Ireland, 1888. Five-year-old Cally Donnelly craves love. But her mother dislikes her, so Cally thinks it's her fault when Mammy dies in childbirth. Her father, crushed by grief, neglects both Cally and her little brother. Cally feels the family is finally mending when Da comes back to them. But he decides to emigrate to America, upending Cally's entire world.
Gifted ten-year-old Charlie Malcomson can’t wait to sail with his ship captain father. The birthday gift of his first voyage disenchants when Charlie’s disobedience during a storm elicits his father’s anger. And the next ocean crossing becomes heartbreaking for both father and son, when tragedy strikes an Irish lass they meet on board.
Knowing she dare not reveal the secret that makes her terrified to return to Ireland, Cally digs deep for the courage and ingenuity she and her brother need to strike out on their own. Though Charlie wants to help them, he faces his own crisis, complicated by an emotionally distant father and a terrible to follow his lonely musical career or forge lifelong friendships as an “ordinary” boy.
Both youngsters face a traumatic adolescence. Will they ever see one another again? And will they be able to help each other if they do?
Weaving a multi-layered adventure through the challenges of a kidnapping, a street gang in Albany, a barge on the Erie Canal, and a desperate flight to Kansas City, author Debra Kornfield deftly reveals how kindness from any source can change lives. Following two characters as they mature and heal, readers will be delighted by the unexpected twists and turns in a journey of hope and growth.
But who is the horse thief?
This suspenseful first book in the Cally and Charlie historical fiction series, Horse Thief 1898 surprises and delights. If you like spirited heroines, emotional adventures, and surprise endings, then you’ll adore Debra Kornfield’s coming-of-age epic.
Ireland, 1888. Five-year-old Cally Donnelly craves love. But her mother dislikes her, so Cally thinks it's her fault when Mammy dies in childbirth. Her father, crushed by grief, neglects both Cally and her little brother. Cally feels the family is finally mending when Da comes back to them. But he decides to emigrate to America, upending Cally's entire world.
Gifted ten-year-old Charlie Malcomson can’t wait to sail with his ship captain father. The birthday gift of his first voyage disenchants when Charlie’s disobedience during a storm elicits his father’s anger. And the next ocean crossing becomes heartbreaking for both father and son, when tragedy strikes an Irish lass they meet on board.
Knowing she dare not reveal the secret that makes her terrified to return to Ireland, Cally digs deep for the courage and ingenuity she and her brother need to strike out on their own. Though Charlie wants to help them, he faces his own crisis, complicated by an emotionally distant father and a terrible to follow his lonely musical career or forge lifelong friendships as an “ordinary” boy.
Both youngsters face a traumatic adolescence. Will they ever see one another again? And will they be able to help each other if they do?
Weaving a multi-layered adventure through the challenges of a kidnapping, a street gang in Albany, a barge on the Erie Canal, and a desperate flight to Kansas City, author Debra Kornfield deftly reveals how kindness from any source can change lives. Following two characters as they mature and heal, readers will be delighted by the unexpected twists and turns in a journey of hope and growth.
But who is the horse thief?
This suspenseful first book in the Cally and Charlie historical fiction series, Horse Thief 1898 surprises and delights. If you like spirited heroines, emotional adventures, and surprise endings, then you’ll adore Debra Kornfield’s coming-of-age epic.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 30, 2022
5 people are currently reading
507 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 14, 2022
This story is full of dramatic and tragic events, but they are balanced by some beautiful, compassionate relationships between some of the characters. The author includes authentic historical details that made me want to learn more about the period in history, and her vivid descriptions of the setting piqued my imagination. The reader gets a glimpse into the inner world of the main characters - what drives them, how they internalize the events that happen to them, and how they are in turn shaped by those events. In the end, there are many things left unresolved, and I found myself wanting to read the sequel to find out how the characters would reprocess everything that happened to them as children.
June 2, 2023
I have read books 1 & 2. I fell in love with the characters and everything going on in their lives in book one and it just grew as I read book 2.
Highly suggest reading book 1 before book 2 or you miss so much of the backstory of the characters that book 2 will not be nearly as fulfilling.
It was love and loss and adventure and joy and sadness and passions and growing up and experiencing new things, it is so amazing.
I don't want to say any more because I feel like I would be giving away the storyline.
I am really hoping that there will be a book 3 as book 2 leaves a person hanging to get to see how some of the storyline from book 1 into book 2 will turn out in the end.
Highly suggest reading book 1 before book 2 or you miss so much of the backstory of the characters that book 2 will not be nearly as fulfilling.
It was love and loss and adventure and joy and sadness and passions and growing up and experiencing new things, it is so amazing.
I don't want to say any more because I feel like I would be giving away the storyline.
I am really hoping that there will be a book 3 as book 2 leaves a person hanging to get to see how some of the storyline from book 1 into book 2 will turn out in the end.
January 22, 2023
Don't let the title fool you
The weaving together of lives, families, and stories is intricate and interesting. Cally has so many adventures and misadventures, while Charlie's somewhat charmed life encounters its own complications.
This book is exquisitely entertaining, until all-too-abruptly brought to its conclusion. Still, highly recommend reading!
The weaving together of lives, families, and stories is intricate and interesting. Cally has so many adventures and misadventures, while Charlie's somewhat charmed life encounters its own complications.
This book is exquisitely entertaining, until all-too-abruptly brought to its conclusion. Still, highly recommend reading!
September 8, 2025
Horse Thief 1898
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway! Wow wow wow!!! It left me on the edge of my seat constantly! I couldn't put it down! I highly recommend it! I can't wait to read book 2! Thank you so much for my copy!!!
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway! Wow wow wow!!! It left me on the edge of my seat constantly! I couldn't put it down! I highly recommend it! I can't wait to read book 2! Thank you so much for my copy!!!
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November 26, 2022My husband started this book but DNF. He said that he lost interest because the story skipped around too much.
Thanks to the author for the Goodreads giveaway.
Thanks to the author for the Goodreads giveaway.
May 17, 2023
Thank you for the advance copy of your book. Coming of age story with lots of historical aspects and relatable conflicts.
January 2, 2024
Two parallel stories that intersect. The writing style is a series of short scenes, which makes the book easy to pick up and read in small blocks of time.
November 17, 2022
Awesome beautiful book. Thank you goodreads for winning it. Full of adventure and anticipation of what’s next.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews