ROMANCE

When Johnny Came Marching Home

by William Heffernan
Akashic. 2012. 320p. ISBN 9781617751271. $24.95; pap. ISBN 9781617751356. $15.95; ebk. ISBN 9781617751431. M
COPY ISBN
A sweet kid returns home to rural Vermont from the Civil War, nasty and brutish. Not long after, someone sticks a shiv in him. The reluctant detective is a boyhood pal, also a former soldier but missing an arm instead of a conscience. There's also some romance—legitimate and not so legitimate—and a shady guy from out of town. Heffernan's (The Dead Detective) latest sounds like a lot of other mysteries, except for its setting and the interweaving of boyhood and wartime scenes. Jubal Foster, the hero, is kin to NCIS's Jethro Gibbs: laconic and tough; one could see him as a recurring character in a series. Although rather laden with descriptors, the book is still an enjoyable read.
VERDICT Mystery fans will zip through this, fans of historical fiction will enjoy the fin de guerre mood, but this novel is more noted for its characters and atmosphere than for an imaginative or mystifying plot.
Reviewed by W. Keith McCoy, Somerset Cty. Lib. Syst., Bridgewater, NJ , Dec 21, 2012
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

Secret Fling with the Billionaire
by Douglas, Michelle
FICTION

Holiday Under Wraps
by Mettner, Katie
FICTION

Tracking Down the Lawman’s Son
by Fossen, Delores
FICTION

Cold Case Protection
by Helm, Nicole
FICTION

One Waltz with the Viscount
by Martin, Laura
FICTION

When Cinderella Met the Duke
by Williams, Sophia
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?