OnlineBookClub.org has published its official review of Mudsills & Mooncussers, A Novel of Civil War Key West.  The Iris Chacon novel has earned four out of four stars, the highest score possible from OBC.  A digest of the OBC review follows below. The original review appears in its entirety at OnlineBookClub.org.

Mudsills & Mooncussers: A Novel of Civil War Key West, written by Iris Chacon, is a historical spy romance novel that immerses the reader into the lives of the citizens that reside on picturesque Key West. Although beautiful, life isn’t always easy during this time, especially [for] a spy [who] just happens to fall in love with the person [he’s] supposed to be hunting.

Even though Key West is a tiny island, it becomes [important] in the War Between the States. For many years Yankee soldiers, in hopes of finding a rebel spy who has [wreaked] havoc on their fight to win the war, occupy the island. Aaron Mathews,… one of those soldiers, ...has been sent undercover to live on the island [and] to eradicate the other spy. However, this turns a little messy when evidence begins to show that the spy he is hunting just may be the woman that he has fallen in love with.

Mudsills & Mooncussers wonderfully describes the breathtaking beauty of Key West; all while recounting what life was like during the Civil War. Not only is life dangerous for those fighting the war, one must watch their backs around the “conchs” of the island, … notorious wreckers [who] lure ships to their doom in hopes of salvaging what is left of the wreckage. While this island may be beautiful, it can turn deadly in an instant. Throughout the novel the excellent dialogue gives one the feeling of the ocean air on their face while smelling the tropical hints of coconut and sunshine …. Although the novel is quite short, it is packed full of intrigue, romance, and beautiful scenery. This fast paced novel will definitely leave you wanting to explore Key West’s historical beauty for yourself.

Being a lover of all three aspects of this novel [history, romance, and Key West], I was certainly intrigued by the premise, and I definitely wasn’t … disappointed. The historical aspect of the novel was incredibly interesting and gave me a desire to learn more about the island during that era, while the romantic spy aspect of the novel left me guessing what would happen next. The novel itself is an easy read; however, occasionally some of the local [dialect] was slightly confusing. Although sometimes confusing, it didn’t really detract…, it added to the charm more than anything. The novel was also well edited and didn’t have any obvious mistakes, leaving a well-rounded fun novel in its wake.

Because of its unique qualities, I give Mudsills & Mooncussers: A Novel of Civil War Key West a 4 out of 4 stars. I think lovers of historical and romantic fiction alike will enjoy this book and, [since] there is a little something for everyone in it, anyone looking for a quick read will have fun with this novel.     –Acwoolet for OnlineBookClub.org, 4/11/17

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