Praise for Shelby’s Creek:
SHELBY'S CREEK
Mark Matthiessen
4 Stars
"Matthiessen's debut novel about life during World War II is a compelling, emotional read. The story takes place in both Iowa and France, and is told in alternating chapters, Cain which juxtaposes the peacefulness of American farm life with the horror of war, building momentum and maintaining tension. The main characters are written beautifully, real and honest. The first in a series, this book will grip readers and not let go, leaving them anxiously awaiting the next installment."
RT BOOK REVIEWS - 09/26/16
"An appealing, meditative tale about life during wartime...the discussions of obligation, ethics, and resistance are quite nuanced and engaging."
-KIRKUS REVIEWS - April 19th, 2016
"Shelby's Creek is a work of love of family and the farmland of Shelby County. The characters are realistic with authentic problems of the time placing the reader into each situation. Each setting vividly exposes the time and place making the reader feel as if they are the character, creating an enthralling historical journey."
-COUNCIL BLUFFS NONPAREIL
"Shelby's Creek" is rich in detail, full of character development and gives its readers a unique glimpse at life during World War II . . .can't wait to read the next entry in Matthiessen's series."
-SIOUX CITY JOURNAL
"This riveting story juxtaposes life on an Iowa farm with the struggle of the French Resistance during World War II. A great read with amazing detail about life in Iowa . . . and life in Paris under the Nazis."
-SHENANDOAH VALLEY NEWS
“As a Shelby County native, I know how much our farmers love their land, and Mark eloquently captured their emotions with rich prose. He added such beautiful detail of our flora and fauna. I am excited to know he will delight us further with a second book.
It truly was great!!”
- Shelby County Iowa Attorney, Kathleen Kohorst
“Well-written; interesting characters; look forward to the next book”
– WWII 8th Air Force Staff Sergeant, Elmer McGinty
“My overall impression of the novel, “Shelby’s Creek” is very good. The action moving from Iowa to France and back again keeps things moving along. The descriptions of people involved in action make the story more vivid, especially the French partisans . . . Then, back in Iowa all the details of the farmers, their families and how they make a livelihood from the fertile land makes the story come alive.”
– WWII Air Force Captain, Al Crisi
“The first in a series of WWII historical novels, Mark Matthiessen’s Shelby’s Creek is a moving tale of the powerful and unshakeable bonds of family and love that extend across the globe and across generations to bind us to each other, and that empower regular people to transcend their limits and heroically take part in the making of history. Shelby’s Creek tells the story of the French resistance by following the unforgettable France Deschamps, freshly widowed and still raw with pain, as well as the story of the pacifist farmer Valentin Schmitz, on the other side of the world on his farm in Iowa, as he contemplates the unthinkable: leaving the safety of his farm and entering the war of his own accord to find
and hopefully save his relatives, who, as Jehovah’s Witnesses, have been forced to hide from the Reich––and who, for all he knows, may already be dead. A thoughtful and well-crafted story. I look forward to the next entry in the series.”
- BookFuel Editor, Justin Luzader
“A beautifully designed story bringing the characters, their lives and ties to life very realistically. The pace moves along superbly switching back and forth from Iowa to France truly captivating as the characters become more familiar and you get absorbed in their stories. The realism of the descriptions really allows the reader to become immersed in the story as if they were a part of it.
Really looking forward to the next in the series.”
- Pauline Rawson, Independent translator, Toulouse, France
