On Distant Shores

1847. Ballyclaven, Ireland. A terrible famine has ravaged the devastated Emerald island. With little food to eat, young Jonathan Flynn is struggling to stay alive after losing his family in the course of a single fateful night. Life is already bad, but Jonathan’s pride and youthful temper make him a dangerous enemy to his ruthless landlord, Lord Cavanaugh, who wouldn’t rest until he sends the young lad to gallows. With the assistance of a kindly family priest, Jonathan finds a temporary hideaway in the infamous Scartagg workhouse, only to realize that the sinister warden of the workhouse is just one of the many villains’ fate has thrown his way. Jonathan boards a ship to Boston hoping to start a new life on distant shores, but fate has other plans for him. Jonathon’s dream of escaping to America becomes a horrendous journey of never-ending physical and mental torture. It’s his will to survive and a burning desire for vengeance that keeps Jonathan alive. And revenge is a dish best served cold…More than a century later, when old secrets surface, threatening to unravel Flynn family’s present, Jonathon’s descendant, Rory O’Flynn must decide if he should let sleeping dogs lie…or not.

PBR Five Star*****review: 

Solidly convincing and wholly engrossing...
Treachery, murder, love, and ambition mark Snowdens page-turning latest, a tale of one mans journey of revenge and redemption. When Rory OFlynn unexpectedly inherited a ten-acres property in Ireland, he had no idea he was going to be instrumental in unearthing his ancestors long-buried past: After Jonathan Flynn lost his whole family to tragic circumstances in 1847 Ireland, it was just the beginning of a series of unfortunate incidents that followed the struggling young man. Trying to escape his dangerous enemies, Jonathan boards a ship to Boston, but fate has other plans for him. Snowdens cast is morally diverse, and the fast-moving narrative beautifully highlights the book's underlying message of retribution and deliverance. The intricate worldbuilding and winding storyline with almost nonstop shocking twists keep the pages turning. At its core, the novel is an exploration of one mans journey of survival in the face of depravity and deprivation and his ability to rise above his birth station. This is a genuine page turner...