Traitor’s Curse by Beth Trissel

Publisher & Release Date: The Wild Rose Press, November 6, 2015 

Time and setting: 1783, Halifax, North Carolina

Genre: Historical Romance/Paranormal

Length: 238 pages

Rating: 3.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description:

A quest for treasure unites Captain Stuart Monroe and

Hettie Fairfax, but as their romance grows, so does the danger.  

Halifax, North Carolina, 1783. 

Captain Stuart Monroe returns home from the Revolutionary War to find Thornton Hall threatened by a peacetime foe: debt. He knows the location of a treasure amassed to pay for the capture of Benedict Arnold that would restore his manor to its former glory. The catch, it's hidden in the graveyard, and coveted by old enemies.

Hettie Fairfax inherited the Sight from her Cherokee ancestors, and her otherworldly visitors warn her, and Stuart, away from the buried treasure. Half-dead from fever, she delivers a message: the treasure is cursed. But will he believe a girl half out of her mind with illness? Even when a very real enemy attempts to poison her.

Stuart soon wants to marry Hettie, but she fears her "odd ways" will blemish his reputation. The spirits have their own agenda, however, and the battle against darkness tests everything the couple holds dear, including their love for each other.

Buy Link:

Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/Traitors-Curse-Legacy-Book-ebook/dp/B0165WGROE/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/traitors-curse-beth-trissel/1122733638?ean=2940150924161

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27391822-traitor-s-curse

Vikki’s Musings

I was offered a chance to participate in the release day Virtual tour with an opportunity to read and review Traitor’s Curse for an honest review. The book description sounded intriguing so I accept. This book crosses several genres, romance, mystery, paranormal and historical.

Captain Stuart Monroe has returned from the war. Even though the fighting has ended, there is still friction between the Loyalists and the freedom fighters. Stuart goes to the cemetery to search for hidden treasure. While on his mission, he is confronted by a woman with a warning. The woman is burning with fever, so acting quickly he carries her to his home to discover the stranger is Hettie Fairfax, a friend of his sister.

Hettie Fairfax is visited by Captain John Monroe, a ghost with a warning. While she recovers from her fever at Thornton Hall, she is drawn to Stuart, and he to her. Her nocturnal visits continue and she must stop Stuart from returning to the cemetery.

While the couple fall in love, will danger and Hettie’s gift of sight keep them apart, or will the power of their love triumph over evil and her concerns for Stuart’s reputation?

There is no doubt: this story is unusual and pulled me in quickly. It is very well-written and the editing is good. The attraction between Hettie and Stuart is strong. As the plot unfolded, the pacing slows a bit, but still kept me engaged for the most part.

While I liked Hettie’s character, she is honorable, determined and compassionate, I did struggle with identifying with her. I never felt a deep connection. It kept me from becoming fully vested in her and the story. I liked Stuart’s character from the start, but again I did not feel that I ever truly got to know him either.

Nonetheless, Traitor’s Curse is an interesting read, especially for individuals who enjoy a good mystery with a paranormal twist, set in a period of history not explored as much today as in the past. I enjoyed the glimpse of the political turmoil that existed after the end of the American Revolutionary War. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

Married to my high school sweetheart, I live on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia surrounded by my children, grandbabies, and assorted animals. An avid gardener, my love of herbs and heirloom plants figures into my work. The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans and the people who journeyed here from far beyond her borders are at the heart of my inspiration. In addition to American settings, I also write historical and time travel romances set in the British Isles, and nonfiction about gardening, herbal lore, and country life.