EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
Key to Lawrence
(Edward Ware Thriller Series Book 1)
(Edward Ware Thriller Series Book 1)
by Linda and Gary Cargill
This book blast and giveaway for Key to Lawrence is brought to you by Goddess Fish Promotions. Please be sure to visit the other participating blogs as well.
Description
Water rushed into the four, great smoke stacks of the ship as they, too, hit the waves. Tremendous, churning whirlpools sucked victims inside. A few were ejected, blackened with soot. Propellers rose above the maelstrom. The rudder lifted higher than the smoke stacks. The ship's prow pointed down toward the deep. It looked as if the ship's nose would hit the sea bed hundreds of feet below. The Lusitania sank in only 18 minutes after being torpedoed on May 7, 1915. Dora Benley vowed revenge on the enemy.
Key to Lawrence tracks the beginning of her quest for justice in this special edition of the first volume of the Edward Ware Thriller Series. It commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Great War.
Book Video
Excerpt
Manhattan — Saturday, May 1, 1915
The stranger stared at Dora’s package. A wide-brimmed hat shaded his face, revealing only a dark beard and mustache. Smoking a small, cheap, stubby cigar, dressed in a nondescript, ill-fitting dark suit, the man strutted towards her in a menacing fashion. Blueish-white cigar smoke curled upward in a lazy corkscrew. It vanished into the air several yards above his head.
Twenty-year-old Dora Benley quickly stuffed the surprise birthday gift for her father into her satchel. Holding a green parasol edged with black fringe over her head she skirted crowds of well-dressed, gossiping passengers waiting to board the Lusitania. Dressed in a full-length, aquamarine dress with white lace around the sleeves, Dora moved as far away from the intruder as she could without falling off the edge of the pier.
She searched impatiently for her parents. They were supposed to rendezvous with her at 11:00 AM. By now it was almost noon!
A man and woman reporting team burst upon the crowd at Cunard’s Pier 54. They were trailed by a photographer and his assistants carrying a large folding camera and a tripod. The reporters hurled themselves at the passengers.
“What do you think of the German announcement?” The male reporter thrust a copy of The New York Times at Dora. He pointed to the advertisement prominently displayed on the front page.
The Lusitania
Praise for the Book
"Dora's journey takes her across the length and breadth of the Great War from Ireland to Arabia, the sea to the desert, finding adventure, danger, and love along the way." ~ Heather Domin, Historical Novels Review Online
"From the very first sentence this story grabbed my attention. I have a definite appreciation for the way the book begins. Sure enough after reading the first paragraph my mind was filled with a million questions. Who is this stranger? What does Dora have in the present? This is an excellent story and as the plot progresses you will realize that the mystery never ends. When Dora and her parents are confronted with the possibility that the ship they are traveling on could be blown up we can only hope the story goes well. While reading this book you will realize there is always a turn we never anticipated. This story is a real page turner. I think that the plot of the story was excellently developed. The setting of the story on the cusps of the First World War was a genius idea. The atmosphere of war adds a sense of urgency which made me anxious to learn what was happening. Would the ship be blown to bits or not? The sweet torture of reading this book is unlike anything you will ever experience. This novel proved to be an ideal reading experience and not to mention the historical facts behind it. It is a great book for everyone. I applaud Cargill and I look forward to more from this author." ~ Phoebe Brown
"Key To Lawrence follows Dora Benley who has a package that a mysterious stranger would like to get his hands on. The brilliant details painted a portrait that made me feel like I was really there in 1915 on the Lusitania. The action kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. My favourite character was Dora Benley because she was witty and sounded like someone who is easy to get along with. If you are looking for a great mystery, don't pass this one up! I will definitely be reading it again." ~ Teddy O'Malley
"This is an interesting combination of careful historical research interwoven with creative fiction which reorientates history to centre around the characters. What makes the novel unusual is that it does not do this in the customary literary style of the genre, but in the hectic action packed drama of the ripping yarn of the period. In today's world this makes Key to Lawrence refreshingly different but worth trying if you like to be adventurous rather than safe. A lot of effort has been put into the portraying the last hours of the Lusitania by the authors which deserves recognition." ~ Gordon Williams
About the Author
Linda and Gary Cargills docked at Southampton and explored the South of England in preparation for this thriller, Key to Lawrence. They also sailed the North Atlantic just like Dora Benley. But their transatlantic voyages were on the Queen Mary 2 instead of the Lusitania. They made use of the American Southwest where they live to depict the Syrian Desert that was home to Lawrence of Arabia.
Giveaway
Enter the blast-wide giveaway for a chance to win a historical, 100-year-old postcard of the Lusitania – a valuable collector's item (open internationally).
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