Angel Trumpet: A Civil War Mystery [Paperback]

Ann McMillan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 27, 2001

Casualties are mounting when a murder calls widow Narcissa Powers and herbalist Judah Daniel, a former slave, away from tending to wounded soldiers. A colonel on leave comes home to find his family butchered and his servants clutching knives and raving about spirits, but the weapons don't match the wounds. Are rebellious slaves to blame for this crime, or could it be the work of an avenging angel? Aided by their friend, the British journalist, Brit Wallace, Narcissa and Judah investigate. When another murder makes Judah a prime suspect, finding the killer becomes frighteningly urgent. Set against a fascinating historical background and graced with richly developed characters, Angel Trumpet proves that McMillan is a writer to whom any reader will come back again and again.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Narcissa Powers, a white widowed nurse, and Judah Daniel, a free black healer, as well as many secondary characters introduced in McMillan's debut Civil War mystery, 1998's Dead March, return for a second outing. In Richmond, Va., in October 1861, with the war at a temporary lull, Col. John Berton returns from the front to find his parents and wife slain and his house slaves in a stupor. The fear of slave rebellions is intense; if Berton's slaves committed the murders, it is important not only that they be punished, but that word of the slaughter be kept quiet. For not only might the news inspire further uprisings, but it could sap the will of the soldiers who have left loved ones behind. Surgeon Cameron Archer, Powers and Daniel find themselves unlikely and uneasy allies as each tries to unravel the same mystery for different reasons. McMillan's descriptions of 19th-century medicine, transportation and social customs are fascinating, but the novel's frequent shifts in viewpoint give it an episodic feel that blunts its dramatic thrust. Even so, this is a solid entry in a series of high interest and great promise. Agent, Nancy Yost.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Narcissa Powers, a rich white widow, and Judah Daniel, a free black herbalist, tackle another puzzling murder. They investigate the bizarre slaughter of a colonel's entire family near Richmond. A solid, satisfying Civil War-era historical.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics); Reprint edition (February 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014029838X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140298383
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,471,909 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ann McMillan was born in Columbus, Georgia, and lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Ann's Civil War mystery short story, Castle Thunder, is now available on Kindle. Like her novels, the story tells a dramatic story of what might have happened against a scrupulously researched historical background -- in this case, the infamous Confederate prison.

"Please Dispose Of Properly" -- a short story with a modern setting (inspired by a trip to the Hanover County dump) -- appears in They Had It Comin' (Chesapeake Crimes IV).

Ann's four Civil War mystery novels set in Richmond weave together three points of view: Narcissa Powers, a white widow who becomes a Confederate nurse; Judah Daniel, a free black doctoress; and Brit Wallace, a British war correspondent.

Each novel has a medical theme. Dead March tells what happens when the "sack-'em-up boys" who rob graves to supply the medical school with cadavers dig up a murder victim. Angel Trumpet involves the hallucinogenic effects of datura poisoning. In Civil Blood, smallpox-tainted money wreaks havoc on those too greedy to destroy it, as well as the innocent with whom their lives intersect. Chickahominy Fever infects its heroine with malaria.

For more information, including a bibliography, see Ann's website, civilwarmystery.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A mystery with depth and power, October 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Angel Trumpet: A Civil War Mystery (Hardcover)

After reading McMillan's sparkling debut mystery, "Dead March," I waited eagerly to see if her second book would match that high standard. She did not disappoint. "Angel Trumpet" takes the engaging characters from Book I and propels them further into this fascinating time and place, Civil War Richmond. The mystery plot is woven in a tapestry of meaning and sub-meaning that gives the reader something lasting -- as well as a thrilling read. Narcissa Powers and Judah Daniel dig deep to solve a gruesome slaughter, and their world is populated with a remarkable cast of allies and suspects. The historical detail, once again, is adroitly handled and utterly believable. Book III can't come soon enough for me.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical mystery, September 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Angel Trumpet: A Civil War Mystery (Hardcover)

In 1861, the South recently won the Battle of Manasses. A lull before the bigger storm has set in as the fighting temporarily stops. Throughout the region, debate is common as not everyone feels war is the answer. Slave owners fear an uprising as the black population is much greater than that of the whites.

Confederate Colonial John Bretton returns home to visit his family in Manakin Plantation in Virginia. When he arrives, his worst nightmare becomes real. His parents and his wife are dead while their personal slaves hold the apparent murder weapons bloody knives. Thanks to the bravery of their nanny, John's son survives. She hid the lad before falling into a catatonic shock. To obtain the truth, family friend Dr. Cameron Archer enlists the aid of Narcissa (a white individual) and Judah (a black person). Their inquiry will soon lead to another murder with Judah being the prime suspect.

Civil War buffs and historical mystery fans will fully enjoy ANGEL TRUMPET. Through the eyes of a variety of Southerners, the story line provides a fascinating look at the early stage of the war. The structure of the mystery is well defined yet complex as many individuals have motives and opportunities to commit the slaughter. Narcissa and Judah symbolize race relations as they should be friends, but simply cannot since they are not equal. Ann McMillan has written a fascinating tale that will gain her much critical acclaim even as readers will demand more novels set in 1860's Virginia.

Harriet Klausner

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Richmond to Cornwell: Move Over, March 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Angel Trumpet: A Civil War Mystery (Hardcover)

In addition to being a rousing good mystery, Ann McMillan's Angel Trumpet, is also one of the best summaries of the slave rebellions around Richmond, a story not often told around here. It's hard enough to develop a good plot; to re-create Richmond as it was in 1861 is difficult indeed. But McMillan shines in both her story telling and her setting. Her meticulous attention to historical detail is a delight and a relief from the romanticized Confederate sterotype. Her African charaters, freed and slave, are richly alive. Judah Daniel has taught me as much about herbal remedies as Euell Gibbons. You'll not find a better Civil War series, a better historical novel, or a more enjoyable mystery. She's 2 for 2. I can't wait for the next installment.