MrsK Books: Truth Be Told by Carol Cox

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Truth Be Told by Carol Cox

ISBN: 9780764209574

Good Reads Synopsis:

Wild West Romance and Mystery from Carol Cox
When Amelia Wagner takes over the running of her father's newspaper in Granite Springs, Arizona, she vows to carry on the paper's commitment to reporting only the truth. But Amelia soon learns that even the truth can have consequences. Her father's revealing articles about Great Western Investment
Company's business methods have caught the notice of the wrong person, and pressure mounts for Amelia to retract her father's statements.
Determined to find the truth, Amelia goes through her father's notes and begins to interview members of the community. She can't seem to shake Benjamin Stone, a Great Western employee who's been assigned to keep tabs on her for the good of the company.
The more Ben and Amelia learn, the more Amelia's father's claims appear to be accurate. In fact, it's probably worse than he realized. Even Ben is beginning to wonder if he's become a pawn in the workings of a corrupt empire. But Great Western isn't about to stand for a female reporter and one of their own men bringing down their lucrative schemes. Working against time, and never knowing what danger lurks around the next corner, Ben and Amelia set out to reveal all they've discovered before Great Western silences them for good.

MrsK's Review:

With so many books to read, it is pure satisfaction to read a book that causes you to slow your reading pace down and savoir the experience and the moments. My moments have been on the back porch (what my husband has nick-named the chicken coop). Since the porch is on the north side of our house, I can sit and read with a cool breeze. Whenever I glanced away from these pages... I would get lost in a day dream of what Amelia was seeing... hearing... and feeling.

It is May 1893 when Amelia Wagner returns to Granite Springs, Arizona:

"She closed her eyes to sort out the different scents tingling her nostrils---the sharp tang of pine trees growing on the nearby slopes, the pungent odors of fresh-cut lumber wafting from Martin Gilbreth's sawmill, and the fragrance of the creosote bushes that dotted the hillsides of Arizona's high desert.....

Amelia took in another deep breath, savoring the fragrance of home."

Home. There must be a good reason that Papa was not there to meet her. It wasn't a problem really, the Granite Springs Gazette was only a few blocks... after all her father was the owner, editor, publisher, and chief reporter... he probably just got "wind of a good story and lost track of the time."

Unfortunately, within days of her arrival Amelia is burying her father and is now the owner of the Gazette. Why was her father being intimidated by the Great Western Investment Company? Why had her father written articles that was unnerving the company? Her father's commitment to the community was to always report only the truth and to place the community's welfare before any corporation's design. What was behind his revealing articles that was pushing the company to request a retraction? Why had her father purchased the property out of town and not told her? As the Gazette's reporter, Amelia begins investigating what her father knew.

At first Amelia is not in a position to be distracted by the attention of Ben Stone. She met him on her first day in town when he came to discuss the retraction of her father's story about the Great Western company. Until that evening when he appeared on the road out of town... at just the right moment... and "rescued" her from a "buggy" breakdown. Why was Ben Stone on that road? How did he know that the buggy belonged to her? As Amelia is trying to put all of these pieces together....

Ben Stone is trying to unravel why the Great Western company has assigned him the duty of pursuing Miss Wagner. The truth that Ben discovers is more devious than what his boss originally portrayed:

"He's loyal to the company, and that's what matters. If it doesn't work out the way we hope, we can always find another way to deal with the problem... Don't be so shortsighted... Violence is not the only avenue available to us..."

What Ben was unaware of was that Merrick, his boss, knew all to well how loyal Ben would be. After all, Ben's father never "looked beyond the genial, caring surface" of his trusted friend.

With the Gazette needs, the attention of Ben, the investigation of the Great Western company, and her mother's love interest... Amelia will need to muster all the strength that God can provide.

Amelia and Ben are not the only characters that "feel" as if you know them. Homer is a perfect guardian. Merrick is detailed with so many facets of self-indulgence, cunning deception, and falsehood. One of the many talents of Carol's storytelling is the ability to set the scene. Her transitions between setting descriptions and conversations provides her readers with the illusion that you are a visitor with in the scenes. This book is a quick journey back in time, it is about a historical career in which our nation once herald as noble without deception. Reporting the truth behind every headline is what separated victory from tyranny. It was the American voice of concern for all....

Take the moments of today to travel back in time... you will enjoy your journey,

MrsK

Enjoyable read, one meant for sharing... enjoy it with your friends and/or book club.

Native Arizonan Carol Cox has an abiding love for history, mystery, and romance. The author of more than 25 books, she believes in the power of story to convey spiritual truths. Carol lives with her husband and daughter in northern Arizona, where deer and antelope really do play--within view of the family's front porch. Visit her website at www.authorcarolcox.com

I received this book free for this review from Bethany House Publishers

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MrsK's Reading Bio

Reading is important! No questions asked, not even a blink of the eye from any student I grew up with. On the first day of the First grade, we were given our first books. Day two we all read aloud, round robin of course. Day three we were place in our first basal, now known as a lit circle group. Books were so important, publishers designed new curriculum so that every student was reading by the end of the first week. These early readers had images that looked like what we could see in the classroom, beyond the classroom, even on the big screen. Reading is important, throughout history every generation has believed that “Reading” opens up the world for endless possibilities.

I adore the 1950’s Dick and Jane books. Actually, most reading specialists and experienced (45+) educators believe that every student learned to read with Dick and Jane. Since these books are being re-issued, I have heard many parents, grandparents, and students claim that Dick and Jane stories of repetition does teach students to read.

Early influences from my mother influenced my desire to read. I would watch her read and we would go on “secret” excursions to the library. The library became my playground. I owned every book I could carry home, of course they needed to be taken back to their home after visiting with me for a week or two. My first book that I could pull off of the library shelf and read was, Father Bear Comes Home. I only saw my dad on Sundays for a few hours. I would pull this beginning reader off of the library shelf every week. Every week I would try to read the first chapter. Every week I got further in the story. My mom would let me check it out, only if I could read it myself (She didn’t like the illustrations therefore she didn’t want to take time to read it to me). One day, I pulled the book from the shelf and when mom came to get me from the children’s corner, I realized that I had read the whole story. I ran to the check out desk and the Librarian KERCHUNKED the checkout card. My mother, brother and neighbors read. My teachers read. We all read aloud all day long in school. The Priest read aloud every day at mass, even in Latin. Everybody in the Doctor’s office read. People on the bus read. Dad’s waiting in their cars as the Mom’s and children grocery shopped, read. In fact, once you could read and write, Sunset Magazine considered you a reader and sent you mail every day.

Reading is important; I’ve spent my life reading. I’ve traveled around the world and into space through books. My favorite genre is whichever book I have open at the time. Children’s Literature is my passion. Book clubbing is one of the best past times, especially if food is involved. In fact my friends of old are in a book club and we are about to embark on a beach trip to “read” and discuss our newest selection.

My “home-run” book story has helped every student find his or her own “home-run” reads. Every year, I have shared my, Father Bear Comes Home, and every year my students have brought in their “home-run” books. That’s the “diving board” into our Lit. Studies.

In “Growing Up Digital,” Tapscott’s insights into the new generations enthusiasm for the Net reminded me of my generation’s enthusiasm for reading, movies, TV, parties and our driving permits. The Net-Generation, as Tapscott describes, “are learning, playing, communicating, working, creating communities, and enforcing a social transformation.”
N-Geners are interactive “techies” who are always looking for a way to “work it” verses the TV Generation of “Baby Boomers” who started out looking for “how it works.” Reading development is tougher today, society moves too fast to invest their “non-working” free time into a book or even “home work.” Since I stepped into my own classroom, I have seen students being told to read, being forced to read, and threatened into reading. Homework is not any longer the vehicle for students to gain their future lifestyles or careers with. Yet, the Internet does create an enthusiasm for learning. Since I have been enrolled in these courses, I have used the computers in every subject. My students are using the newest technology in the classroom because I am giving them investigative sites to use as they learn from each other and books. I agree with Tapscott, in order to bridge the gap with this up and coming generation we must “live and learn with them.”

FTC Required Disclaimer: I receive these books from the publishers. I did not receive monetary compensation for these reviews. These reviews have been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)