Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: York's Moon
Author: Elizabeth Engstrom
Publisher: Gale
ISBN-13: 978-1-59414-928-3
Release Date: March 2011
Genre/Sub-genre: Mystery/Suspense
Year/Setting: Present day, Yorktown (Hobo Camp in West Wheaton, CA)
Overall Rating: 4.0
Sexual Content Rating: Subtle/Sensual
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: Minimal/Moderate
Violent Content Rating: Moderate/Extreme
Elizabeth's Website: www.elizabethengstrom.com
Dear Readers:
This book is most certainly not what you would call your average mystery. In fact, there are many facets of inspirational fiction, melancholy drama, and threads of romance scattered throughout, that mix in extremely well with the murder mystery that this novel focuses on.
We begin in a hobo camp called Yorktown. The camp is named this way because of the seventy year old man who has been what you would call the minister, or the sage of the community. His name is York, and he has prided himself on the fact that at his camp there are never any drugs, booze, or violent uprisings of any kind. In fact, when York was younger he was an aide to an evangelist for quite a while, until the evangelist turned a bit odd and York took off on his own to spread the Good Word. And he’s been doing that ever since.
Two young men who have lived in Yorktown for a while now are Sly and Denny. These men look up to York as if he were their father – watching out for them in the cold, cruel world. Sly loves trains; therefore, he’s very happy with the hobo camp’s location, seeing as that its right next to the railroad tracks that run through the town of West Wheaton. He’s a war veteran and loves conspiracy theories. He also has a tendency once in a while to climb up the hill, go into town, and get a job because it makes him feel very good to bring home the bacon every now and again. Denny is another matter. Denny looks nothing like a hobo; he’s actually extremely good looking, with straight, white, clean teeth and a handsome face. What Denny also has is a girlfriend. Clover is a wonderful young woman who works and lives in her own apartment in town. She comes down to visit Denny and the others and always brings food, toothpaste – anything they may need. It’s not only because she likes Denny, she also thinks of York as her "Daddy" and she’ll do anything for him.
One day, as they’re sitting there at the camp having coffee, the Western Express rumbles down the railroad tracks, and as it goes by, a body is flung from the train. York and the others don’t know what to do. Should they call the sheriff and tell him about the body? Wouldn’t that bring bad things down on their heads? Would they be in danger of losing their home? In fact, this may be just what the townspeople and the law need in order to evict them once and for all off the property.
Through a series of strange occurrences, including a bar fight, a theft, and a misunderstanding – a mystery evolves that encompasses everyone from the Sheriff, who actually likes York and wants to make sure that nothing happens to him; to a shifty Mayor, who wants nothing more than for the hobo’s to get off the land; a Deputy, who is not only interested in Clover, but likes to take jobs that involve more than a little police brutality; and, a few female characters that have their hands in the midst of everything…including knowledge of the murdered stranger and what that has to do with the town’s future.
The one thing I can tell you is that you will not guess the end. In fact, you’ll be quite surprised at how the good and evil sides in this story begin to merge and look the same after awhile. And, the one other thing I can say with all faith is that you’ll absolutely love the character of York. This mature, blind man not only throws out pearls of wisdom, but he truly feels that his purpose in life is to help people follow the right path, so that they can get a better future. Enjoy!
Until next time,
Amy
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