The Turncoat
by T.J. London

Publication Date: May 23, 2019
eBook & Paperback

Series: The Rebels and Redcoats Saga, Book 3
Genre: Historical Fiction

Spy. Redcoat. Traitor.

 

 

After Captain John Carlisle’s dance with death, he’s retreated to the serenity of the Oneida village with his beloved Dellis McKesson, trying to hide from the inevitable truth: war is coming. But when duty calls, and John’s expertise is needed to negotiate a treaty between the Six Nations of the Iroquois and the Crown, he’ll once again be faced with a decision: his King or his conscience.

Many truths that have yet to be revealed, and a deal with the Devil made in desperation, threatens to ruin Dellis and John’s hard-won love. As ghosts of the past resurface, and bitter family rivalry exposes betrayal from those closest to her, Dellis is dragged down a devastating path to the truth of her parents’ murders.

Now, the die is cast as war comes to the Mohawk River Valley in the Summer of 1777. St. Leger and his native allies siege Fort Stanwix. They’re also plotting a secret attack that will force the Rebels and the Oneida to face off against the Crown and their allies, further dividing John’s loyalties, leaving him on the precipice of another decision: Rebel or Redcoat?

Available in eBook and Paperback

About the Author

T.J. London is a rebel, liberal, lover, fighter, diehard punk, and pharmacist-turned-author who loves history. As an author her goal is to fill in the gaps, writing stories about missing history, those little places that are so interesting yet sadly forgotten. Her favorite time periods to write in are first and foremost the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolution, the French and Indian War, the Russian Revolution and the Victorian Era. Her passions are traveling, writing, reading, barre, and sharing a glass of wine with her friends, while she collects experiences in this drama called life. She is a native of Metropolitan Detroit (but secretly dreams of being a Londoner) and resides there with her husband Fred and her beloved cat and writing partner Mickey.

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EXCERPT

“Get the Redcoats! Let’s tar and feather the bastards!”

“Oh no!” Her heart stunned in her chest and then thrummed with an irregular rhythm of terror. At the head of the pack, carrying a burning torch, was Stuart, and next to him was her cousin, Ruslan.

John.

Dellis raced down the stairs; as she passed through the dining room, a brick flew through the window, throwing glass in every direction, shards of it piercing her cheek. “Simon! John!”

When she reached the kitchen, she found Agnes already up, kneading dough, while Will, elbows deep in hot water, cleaned dishes and hummed a merry tune. They had no idea what was coming, or they wouldn’t have looked so calm. “Agnes, where’s John and Simon?”

Agnes deposited her dough on a tray and wiped her hands on her apron. “Dellis, my goodness, what’s wrong?”

“There’s no time to explain.” She huffed between labored breaths, pointing to the window. “There’s a mob outside. They’ve come for John and Simon.”

The noise from the crowd finally reach the kitchen, another brick flying through the window, landing on the floor with a big thud and then cracking into muddy pieces.

“Where are they?” Dellis yelled frantically.

Agnes visibly swallowed, a portent of her fear. “Simon’s in the barn. The Captain left already.”

“Oh my God! We have to find him!”

“He’s meeting someone near the river on the north side of town at dawn,” Will said from behind.

“Who’s he meeting? Who?” Dellis ran up to the boy and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him vigorously. “How do you know this?”

A rock flew through the kitchen window, hitting Dellis in the back, throwing more glass in every direction.

The boy yelped, a tiny shard cutting his right cheek, a slow trickle of blood starting. “Oh my God! They’re going to kill us!”

“They don’t want us! We have to help John and Simon,” Dellis replied, sounding more confident than she actually was. “Will, tell me what you know.”

The boy stammered fearfully, his eyes tracking back and forth, searching for answers, while the shouts of the mob echoed in through the broken window. “Last night, he asked me to take a letter to his brother at The Kettle and wait for a response.”

“What did Gavin say?” Panic set in, her worst fears playing out: a meeting at dawn, outside of town, near the river. Oh God. A duel.

“Tell me what he said!” Dellis yelled, giving Will another hard shake.

The shouts were getting louder, reverberating through the kitchen, further adding to her fear. The three of them were trapped together in a crucible at the mercy of an angry mob with a taste for blood. It could only go one way if John was found.

“Will, you must tell me.”

“The Captain was to meet him near the North side of the river, and they wouldn’t need seconds.”

“Oh, no.” She gasped. “I’ve got to stop them. I’ve got to warn him.”

Simon rushed in the back door, musket in hand. “Dellis, where’s John?”

“He’s gone to the river to duel his brother. You need to leave now, and we have to figure out a way to convince that mob that you’re not here.”

He shook his head. “It’s not going to work. They’ll burn this place down before they stop.”

“No!” Not her house. She bit back the fear that threatened to consume her, fighting it with every fiber of her being. Rational thought was the only thing that would see her through. Taking a deep, calming breath, she tried to focus on one thing at a time. “I can reason with Stuart and Ruslan. I’ll go talk to them.”

“Lass, that’s not going to work with an angry mob.” Simon stopped her before she could make for the door, his eyes scanning the kitchen. “Do you have any weapons here?”

Dellis nodded. “I have three pistols upstairs”—she looked around the kitchen then grabbed one of the large knives off the counter—“and this.”

Clark laughed and took it from her. “Well, let’s not hope it comes to that. Get your pistols and meet me down here.”

“Simon, what are you going to do?” Agnes asked, digging through the drawers, pulling out every knife, fork, or utensil that could be used as a weapon, even an ugly-looking iron hook. From under the counter, she pulled out a copper pot and a cast-iron pan, putting them both on the table.

“I’m going to ride off towards the river and hope they follow. Dellis, you’re the only one besides me who can ride fast enough if they decide to chase. You wait until I leave and then sneak out and find John. Tell him to meet me at sundown on the old military road north of the dock on Wood Creek.”

“What about them?” Dellis looked back at Agnes and Will. “The mob will brand them Tories for giving aid to Redcoats.”

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, July 8
Excerpt at The Lit Bitch

Tuesday, July 9
Review at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, July 10
Guest Post at Passages to the Past

Thursday, July 11
Review at Locks, Hooks and Books

Friday, July 12
Excerpt at Words and Peace

Saturday, July 13
Feature at Coffee and Ink

Monday, July 15
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews

Tuesday, July 16
Review at Gwendalyn_Books_

Wednesday, July 17
Excerpt at Historical Fiction with Spirit
Review & Excerpt at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Thursday, July 18
Review at Historical Fiction Reviews

Friday, July 19
Review at Broken Teepee
Feature at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away some fabulous prizes! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

1. A Signed copy of each of my Revolutionary books
2. A bag with my Revolutionary Author Logo
3. A Sterling Silver Tricorn hat charm, so you’re always in style
4. My favorite T-Shirt to wear when I write my Revolutionary tales, that says: The original New England Patriots, from 1630 in Boston
5. A stuffed founding father doll by Little Thinkers to inspire the Rebel in you
6. And a Founding Father book of quotes. Seditious banter from our brash Rebels!

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on July 19th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

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