More Praise for Grindstone
“Anya, a young Irish immigrant, lives alone during the Civil War on an island on the St. Lawrence River, near the border of Canada. When a Confederate spy takes refuge nearby, their lives intersect in complicated and dangerous ways. A fresh, absorbing take on this time in history, Grindstone sheds new light on a story we think we know. Haunting and evocative.” Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Orphan Train.
“A historical novel bound to hook you from the start, an exciting read with finely drawn, believable characters caught in a dangerous world. Characters contending with brutality and treachery are as memorable as those in Charles Frazier’s Civil War masterpiece, “Cold Mountain.” Critics hail “Grindstone” as “an astonishing piece of historical fiction” with ‘spellbinding descriptions of the river and islands.’ I agree. It’s a gem of a novel.” Portland Press Herald
“I am deeply impressed. Grindstone vividly depicts 19th century life in the Thousand Islands while drawing the reader into a fascinating and little known Confederate spy ring based in Canada. Her outstanding talent brings history to life.” Ian Coristine, best-selling author & photographer, One in a Thousand, The 1000 Islands
“This wondrous novel is rich with tales of Confederate spies, a young Irish immigrant and the hardships of winter in this hard place. And it’s a love story, one that will take you along on that journey. The writing is clear and lyrical and creates a sweet balance of wanting to know what happens next but also of reading slowly enough to savor the language.” Maggie Evans Silverstein, Double Take, Portraits Over Time
The novel is beautifully written, its characters believable and compelling; Inglehart paints a living, breathing landscape of the Thousand Islands so that you can smell and feel the wildness around you. The suspense is strong and the pace fast, so that I couldn’t put the book down and ended up reading it in one long sitting. Can’t recommend this book enough.” Jeanne Mayell, Intuitive Knowing
Grindstone forms the picturesque backdrop for Donna Walsh Inglehart’s atmospheric and very moving novel Grindstone. On Grindstone is Irish immigrant Anya MacGregor, living out a lonely existence waiting for her brother Finn to return from the American Civil War. But the Civil War ends up finding its way to Anya; in Inglehart’s graceful, confident narrative, a fugitive from the Confederacy enters Anya’s life… Inglehart has set in place a complex web of factors to complicate their story. The novel’s various plot lines are smoothly calibrated to touch the heartstrings, with well-timed jolts of excitement thrown in. Highly recommended.” Historical Novel Society
“HISTORICAL FICTION AT ITS FINEST! “The past is a foreign country,” L.P. Hartley wrote, “they do things differently there. That was the feeling I got while first reading Grindstone, the wonderful historical novel by Donna Walsh Inglehart. The mud, the smoke, the desperation, the rough and tumble camaraderie–all of it is so convincingly rendered as to almost make modern-day Clayton seem like another place altogether. And yet there is also a familiarity to Inglehart’s story in its telling, a connection with the River that existed just as much in the Civil War era as it does now. It’s the same beautiful and dangerous River that Jonathon Douglas must navigate to maintain his precarious freedom. For all of us who love the River, reading Donna Walsh Inglehart’s Grindstone is an unforgettable experience.” 1000 Islands Books
“Compelling, engrossing historical fiction…Perhaps the most compelling portion is how realistic it seems, rather than plotted. Rather than following the traditional plot arc, Grindstone works its way into a unique and satisfying storyline. This book comes highly recommended for fans of historical novels, the Civil War, or simply good writing.” Awesome Indies
“We are proud to announce that Grindstone, by Donna Walsh Inglehart, is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree.” IndieBRAG International Reviewers
From Amazon: Average Customer Reviews – 5 Stars
“What a great novel. We bought the Kindle version and it has made its way through my entire family at this point. Beautifully written story. Highly recommend it.”
“The descriptive writing allowed me to feel as if I were eavesdropping and watching the characters, as well as appreciating the surroundings. I finished the book in a day because I could not put it down.”
“Being of Irish American descent, I was amazed at the Irish involvement in the Civil War in this very northern region in our Greatest Battle. When I started to read the book, that was it, I went late into the next morning to finish it. I truly loved the journey.”