Review: Touchstone by Laurie R. King

HC, $30.00, 0553803557

I have read and bought every one of Laurie R. King's books and enjoyed each one. My favourite is the Mary Russell series. Touchstone is a stand alone tale set in England in the 1920s. The main characters are an American, Harris Stuyvesant, and a WWI veteran, Bennett Grey. Bennett Grey was almost killed in the trenches and since then seems to have some special insights into people and the future. The setting is the miner's strike. The story also highlights the differences in the class structure during this period. The tale really picks up when Bennett's sister Sarah and Lady Laura enter the scene. The book takes many twists and turns as the socially active women support Richard Munson, a left wing activist. Richard is a handsome, charming eloquent speaker, and a bit of a rogue. Also lurking in the background is Aldous Carstairs, the British Secret Service Agent who stirs up the pot. The book starts off slowly, but picks up speed so much you can't put it down. I recommend this book to readers who like period settings, great descriptions of historical times and places, plots and a little romance.