The protagonist of Sigmund Brouwer’s new novel, Saffire, is James Holt. He was a member of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and rode with Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Rider. He is stranger neither to fear or death.

Currently, in the year 1909, he is quietly living his life in the Dakota Badlands, trying his hand at ranching, raising his eight-year-old daughter, Winona. His wife had died several years earlier. That’s an interesting story that I wish had been delved further into as a flashback.

The ranch isn’t doing well; in fact, Holt is so far behind in his mortgage payments that he is in danger of foreclosure. His old friend, TR, hires him to do some investigating down in South America at the building site of the Panama Canal, and he jumps at the opportunity. All he has to do is show up to get paid. And that is exactly what Holt plans to do. He travels six weeks to get there, and all he wants is his check, to catch the next streamer home, save his ranch and live the rest of his life watching Winona grow up.

But if the money was that easy to get, Brouwer wouldn’t have been able to write such a fascinating new novel. Holt arrives at 6 a.m. Sunday morning. He strolls a bit, watching the construction. Brouwer does an excellent job in making the reader hear the noise, feel the heat, and see the controlled chaos that was part of such a mammoth undertaking in joining the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Holt’s first order of business is to meet with Colonel George Goethals. On Sundays, Col. Goethals opens his office to anyone who would like to submit a complaint. And on this particular Sunday morning, the room is jammed with people, waiting their turn. Holt becomes fascinated by a young girl, Saffire (“because a p and an h are silly letters to form an f sound”). All Saffire wants is for someone to investigate her mother’s disappearance.

Soon, Holt is neck-deep in sabotage, political corruption, racism, conspiracies and collusions. He seems to always be in trouble of some kind.

Saffire got off to a slow start for me, which is why I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars. However, by page 51, I was completely engrossed.

I received Saffire from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review. ( )

Saffire is a really fun and mysterious book. There the main character is brought to Panama Canal to do something and to have chat with General. You get a good history about the time period. You also get a romance and action packed.

What will happen to Holt? There are some historical characters in the book. Sigmund does a wonderful job of tells the facts about 1909. The year may by a bit off but the facts stated are true. You will find that at the end of the book.

If you enjoy historical fiction, you will enjoy this book. It tells of the building of the Panama Canal. I like that fell. It also gives a little mystery along with the action in the book. ( )

It's the beginning of the 20th Century in the American Zone of the Panama Canal. James Holt is compelled to help a mixed race girl, Saffire, in her search for her mother, even as Holt is anxious to return to the States and home to his own young daughter. But the more Holt tries to track down the missing woman, the more his life is put in jeopardy in Saffire, a novel by author Sigmund Brouwer.

Before reading this history-rich novel, I probably hadn't read so much about President Theodore Roosevelt and the Panama Canal since I was in high school. But what I enjoyed most about this novel? Saffire. She's not been afforded the luxury of innocence in her childhood, but her savvy is matched with compassion for other children in her community, and her scenes of interaction with Holt are smart and engaging, infused with heart.

However, compared to the length of the novel, Saffire only appears in it a relatively short amount of time, and overall, the read was slow-going for me. I could tell that the mystery involving the canal was leading up to something, but I didn't find the unfolding of it to be very compelling, as the story mostly seemed to be lagging and beating around the bush. Hence, I had trouble making it through the novel and didn't really get into the story until the last quarter of it. However, that last quarter is rather heartwrenching, and I did have a few tears over it.

I was first introduced to this author when I read Thief of Glory, which I found to be absolutely superb. That, coupled with this story's final fourth, is enough for me to look forward to reading this author again in the future.
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Blogging for Books provided me with an advance review copy of this book for an honest review. ( )

Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Saffire by Sigmund Brouwer, © 2016
This is a work of fiction. Apart from well-known people, events, and locales that figure into the narrative, all names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. --The publisher.

a historical mystery

I so enjoyed Thief of Glory written by this author, that I looked forward to reading this novel, Saffire. He writes with truisms ~ a self-evident, obvious truth. Truth evident in the ruins.

the east-west passage between two oceans 1909
A simple helping someone becomes the focus of his character, James Holt. Drawn in simply to help ~ turns his life around beyond what he could have ever imagined his life would become.

The Panama Canal Mystery
I like how Sigmund Brouwer writes like he is divulging a secret to you as if you are sitting in a room of people silently and he has chosen you to share his confidences with. You are privy to information only shared by his antagonist in strictest confidence. Along with the three men in the closed room, chapter six will reveal an outline of intent that will change everything known. You look up and everyone else continues to expand their day, walking about, talking, so unaware of what is actually happening. For it is actual and the room closes back in as you listen.

You have one question in the back of your mind. Will Saffire still be hanging around waiting for James Holt's exit? For there is contact, lest the title be obscure ~ which you are certain it will not be. Saffire with no p and no h but just as brilliant and standing out without a word.

"Your secret is safe with me. I have no one to tell and I'll be gone tomorrow."
--Saffire, 147.

Everyone came with the same intent ~ to fill their coffers. Everyone hoped to leave different than they came; possibly not within their own realm of expectation.

I liked the historical descriptions throughout ~ educational, along with the intrigue of the story.

***Thank you, Blogging for Books, for sending me a copy of Sigmund Brouwer's Saffire to review. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.*** ( )

I enjoyed the story. I have never read anything that had to do with the Panama Canal so those details were interesting. I really liked the Saffire character and James Holt. It wa interesting how they interacted. I would not have liked to be in that area during those years with all the sicknesses and revolts going on. It was fun to learn who James is helping and bits and pieces about his daughter. I received a copy of this book from blogging for books for a fair and honest opinion. ( )