Burke proves adept at romantic tension as Tom and Becky alternately resist and bask in their attraction to one another. Tom embodies his nation’s ideal hero—roguish, tender, and willing to surrender her love to Alfred if that guarantees her safety. Likewise, Becky’s uncertainty about Tom’s loyalty creates a delicious struggle against her instinctive desire. Due to a blow on the head, Tom is almost as uncertain as Becky; he’s fighting to regain his memories throughout most of the novel. Touches of humor, such as when Becky persuades him to dress as a midwife to avoid soldiers’ scrutiny, spark laughter. The resulting interplay between suspense and romance is polished in every way except occasional missing punctuation.
A self-described history geek, Burke is aTwain expert who based the story’s central turmoil on Confederate conspiracies in Missouri. (Twain himself, of course, penned a pair of Tom Sawyer sequels, too.) Trips through a brothel, an Underground Railroad hideaway, and the innards of a steamboat offer vivid, well-researched settings. Invisible-ink messages smuggled by unwitting conspirators and heroes disguised as villains provide juicy twists. This swashbuckling adventure will win the hearts of Twain fans and period romance and adventure readers alike.
Takeaway: Readers of historical adventures and romance will adore this exuberant sequel to Mark Twain’s classic.
Great for fans of: Mark Twain, Sandra Merville Hart’s A Stranger on My Land.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
E.E. Burke, the author of Tom Sawyer Returns, was featured in a virtual author spotlight program at the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, CT. Museum Director of Interpretation Rebecca Floyd spoke with her about her fascination with Mark Twain and his iconic characters, and the inspiration behind two historical novels that explore what might have happened to Huck and Tom after they grew up.
Tom Sawyer Returns by E.E. Burke was named best in class among 2021 First Place winners and walked away with the grand prize for the Laramie Book Awards, which recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the Americana and Western fiction genre. The Laramie Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).
