River Peril by Susan K. Marlow - REVIEWED

About the Book:

Jem Coulter thinks his family is just on a sightseeing trip to the big city of Sacramento. Then armed bandits hold up the stagecoach for the secret stash they’re carrying: gold for the Union Army fighting the distant Civil War! Suddenly war isn’t so far away; it’s right there on the road to Sacramento, with Jem’s father, the sheriff of Goldtown, fighting against the rebel army’s Knights of the Golden Circle.

When the family finally reaches the city, they think they’re safe at last. Setting out to see the sights, Jem, his sister Ellie, and their cousin Nathan make a new friend. But is Henry the pal they think he is? With a father who is a die-hard Confederate, could Henry be in cahoots with the thieves?

River of Peril gives readers ages 8 to 12 the fast-moving, exciting adventure they’ve come to expect in this series, as well as a glimpse into the history of post–Gold Rush and Civil War life in 1860s California, with stagecoaches, steamboats, stowaways—and lots of gold!

My Thoughts:

“Boilers are tricky things.”  (p. 65)

Stage wagon bandits, top secret gold shipments and the teeming city of Sacramento, California are among some of the many things that fill the Coulter family’s world in the fourth book of the Goldtown Adventure series – River of Peril.  Once again, Susan Marlow cleverly ties together many strands of a story line that leaves Jem Coulter and his family perilously close to and among many dangerous people and places.  I was thoroughly entertained at the intricate plot twists and the fast paced story telling.

I am well beyond Marlow’s target age group – boys between the ages of 9-12 – but a well-told story is not limited by age!  It thrills my heart to know that there are such wholesome, entertaining and adventuresome books for young boys!

You can read my review of the third book in the series HERE.  I would encourage folks to purchase this set of books for the young readers in your life and to consider donating a set to your local library as well.  It would make a sound investment in the future of young readers!

Roasted Rattlesnakes!  What are you waiting for!? 

About the Author:

Susan K. Marlow has an imagination that never stops! Whether she’s writing books, teaching writing workshops, or sharing what she’s learned as a homeschooling mom, she’s always on the lookout for a new story. The author of the Circle C Adventures and the Circle C Beginnings, Susan enjoys relaxing on her fourteen-acre homestead in the great state of Washington.