"The Navigator’s Daughter" By Nancy Cole Silverman: Review/Giveaway

Review by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a signed copy of the book and a link to purchase it. 

Introducing…

It’s 1996, Phoenix, Arizona, and Katarina “Kat” Lynn Larsen, forty-five-year-old only child of two only children, finds her personal life on the downward slide. Her husband Josh of three years will soon be an ex, her father Steven Lawson has advanced cancer, her mother Lynn’s denial of that has led to a serious shopping addiction, and she’s currently unemployed. Kat admits to having had the workplace relationship with a colleague, but disagrees with the result. Due to it being deemed “inappropriate” by those in charge at The Phoenix Gazette, she was fired, but the other half of the situation, her boss, was not. She worries the upcoming interview with The Arizona Republic may be a exercise in futility since the Republic owns the Gazette, but she’s not a quitter. Although her life is challenging right now, it’s about to change. For better or worse? Time will tell.


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Image Source Level Best Books
The Navigator’s Daughter
Earns 5/5 WWII Stories…Engaging Intrigue!

“They found my plane!” A researcher, Sandor Zselnegeller, says he found in Tamási, Hungary, the B-24 Kat’s father had escaped from in WWII, and after receiving her dad’s name and address from their Bomb Group historian, he sent a strip of the plane, a note, and a 1945 newspaper dated the day after the crash. He’s convinced, but Kat’s nose as an investigative reporter, sharpened by having reported on grifters and con artists targeting seniors, detects a scam. Reticent about this revelation, she’s reluctant to do as her father asks: “I need you to go and find out what happened.” She’d not heard many of her father’s war stories beyond humorous anecdotes, but when he finally explained what happened on that fateful thirteenth mission in 1945 and why it was so important for Kat to go in his stead, she packs up and heads off to Hungary. Arriving in Hungary, Kat is greeted by Sandor, who doesn’t instill confidence. She remains skeptical, cautious, even suspicious that something is off, and vows not to be somebody’s victim.

Brilliant! Nancy Cole Silverman’s first book in her new Kat Larsen Mystery series is an intriguing tale incorporating fascinating events from WWII. The main storyline is an extraordinary opportunity for Kat to learn more about the father some regarded as a hero. She uncovers details of the heroic efforts, by one woman and her young son particularly, to hide the three Americans, Jewish friends, and “other valuables” from the Germans occupiers. Kat’s intuition that those she meets are keeping secrets proves correct, and her diligence to stay alert reveals someone is snooping in her journal filled with personal thoughts and details about her trip and her father’s stories. Although it was slow to get to the more suspenseful aspects of Kat’s journey, a body, a hidden manila envelope, gypsy prophesies, and a criminal conspiracy, the ending was clever with “just desserts” nicely served. Kat makes some personal decisions, too, insinuating a happier future in which she has control, and opportunity knocks. Silverman’s writing is engaging, well-developed, more character driven, but very entertaining. It was a great reading experience.

A favorite element in books I read is the inclusion of facts, tips, and ideas on a theme. I enjoyed the travelogue-style information about the history of German and Soviet occupation and cultural and culinary highlights of Hungary, Budapest and beyond. Silverman’s descriptions of the two halves of the city (Buda and Pest), the countryside, and sites of interest were informative along with a diverse set of characters for which she used dialogue to illustrate their level of English. Well researched.

Be a Big Fan of Nancy Cole Silverman!

Nancy Cole Silverman started with a career in radio, then moved on to print journalism and now, fiction. She writes the Misty Dawn Mysteries follows a former psychic to the stars, the Carol Childs Mysteries follows a reporter for a talk radio show, and now she has started the new Kat Larsen Mystery series. Clever stories with wonderful female characters.

Facebook: Nancy Cole Silverman, Author

Website: Nancy Cole Silverman

 To enter to win a signed copy of The Navigator’s Daughter, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "daughter,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 6, 2022. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode goes up next week.

You can use this link to purchase the book or click here. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Comments

  1. "The Navigator’s Daughter" By Nancy Cole Silverman sounds like a fascinating book. - a real page turner!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds interesting. Great to get in on a new
    series. thanks. txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hungary is sort of on the outs just now, but there is always Vienna! Count me in!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'd like to be included! tWarner419@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds like fun. I enjoy WW2 era books, and a mystery especially.
    kozo8989@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. We have a winner!
    Lorie Ham

    ReplyDelete

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