The Gold of Cape Girardeau: A Novel [Paperback]

Morley Swingle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2002

A treasure trove of gold is found buried next to a skeleton with a bullet hole in its skull. Young lawyer Allison Culbertson faces the toughest courtroom battle of her career to prove the gold belongs to her client. The secrets of the gold are revealed in an unforgettable story that transports the reader from a modern courtroom to the glory days of steamboating on the Mississippi, from young love on the river to the perils of living in a town of split loyalties during the Civil War.

Swingle’s riveting tale brings the Mississippi River Valley’s past to life—combining mystery, love, greed, and courtroom drama into a suspenseful blend of history and fiction.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Winner of the 2005 Governor's Book Award! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Morley Swingle is the Prosecuting Attorney of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Southeast Missouri State Univ Pr (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972430407
• ISBN-13: 978-0972430401
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,911,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Morley Swingle has crafted a perfect story, March 9, 2003

By 

R. England (Jefferson City, Missouri USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gold of Cape Girardeau: A Novel (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book! The Gold of Cape Girardeau is an exhilarating tale of life on the Mississippi during the 1850's and the civil war. The historical side of the story is part river adventure, part war story and part love story, with characters both real and varied. Meanwhile the villain and the hero posses that full measure of chilling menace and lion-hearted likeableness that kept me either cheering or booing throughout the whole book.

A fun twist is that Swingle adds a feel of time-travel without resorting to science fiction. He gives the reader a present-day courtroom drama that joins the older story--not in time--but in the basement of an old house in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Morley Swingle has crafted a perfect story, with great attention lavished on both his characters and his steamboat & civil war history. While the modern courtroom scenes are the smaller part of this book, courtroom buffs will relish Swingle's realism on that battlefield as well.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A multilayered tale of love, greed, & history, January 4, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gold of Cape Girardeau: A Novel (Paperback)

Intertwining a contemporary, modern-day setting with the Civil War past of a small Mississippi town which had divided loyalties during the Civil War, The Gold Of Cape Giradeau is a riveting novel about a treasure trove of gold, a history of murder and betrayal, and Allison Culbertson, a young female lawyer who must battle in the courtroom to prove that the gold belongs to her client. An exciting and multilayered tale of love, greed, history, and hidden secrets, The Gold Of Cape Giradeau is the debut and highly recommended novel by Morely Swingle that will leave the reader looking eagerly toward his next literary effort.

5.0 out of 5 stars This was a very good book., January 22, 2008

By 

Bryan M. Gosche "desiner1" (Saint Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gold of Cape Girardeau (Hardcover)

Although I am a big fan of the Civil War I rarely read books of this nature. Being from the Cape Girardeau area I thought I'd give it a try and was very surprised. I would highly recommend this book if you are interested in life on the Mississippi or the Civil War.