Customer Reviews

The Gold of Cape Girardeau: A Novel

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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.

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.

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.

CAPE GIRARDEAU ON THE MISSISSIPPI MEETS BUDAPEST ON THE DANUBE - Morley Swingle's new book, The Gold of Cape Girardeau, reached me here in spring, 2006, and I had the great pleasure of reading it, while at the same time musing over my own boyhood in Kansas City, yet another river city in Missouri.

The book has everything--murder, intrigue and love portrayed against the background of the tragic days of the civil war and steam boating on the great river. Swingle's astonishing scholarship on these subjects is evident throughout and gives the tale a remarkable authenticity.

There's a deeper feeling to this novel though, that is somewhat difficult to define. In my opinion, Morley Swingle is a natural born story teller. Of course, he's a flawless wordsmith, but the quality of this story goes well beyond mere fluency with the language. While reading, I always had the sensation that Mark Twain's spirit was hovering approvingly in the background, manifesting itself at every twist, turn, and nuance of the river, as well as through the action and dialogue of the characters. Rather spooky, don't you think - but in a wonderfully entertaining sort of way. Read the book and see if you don't sense this continuity from Twain and Hannibal to Swingle and Cape Girardeau. You will become deeply aware of Swingle's love and profound respect for his city and his region. This is indeed Mark Twain and Swingle country and Morley writes about it with the same loving care that Twain used when immortalizing Hannibal, Missouri, his boyhood home. Morley Swingle is a worthy successor to Mark Twain and I eagerly await more of his work.

Mystery and history fans out there, don't miss this one, it's a rare treat!

Greg, Budapest, Hungary

An outstanding book! Morley Swingle did a great job of combining an intriguing era in Missouri history with all of the elements (Hero, evil guy, love, greed, hope, tragedy, justice)that make a great story. It would make an excellent movie. I look forward to his next work.

"The Gold of Cape Girardeau" is a wonderful story that successfully combines fiction with history. You fall in love with the characters and become unable to put the book down. It has an intriguing plot that mixes the past with modern day. You go back through time and become a part of Lindy's and John's world, laughing when they laugh, crying when they cry. It evokes all your emotions and touches your heart. It is truly one of the best!

Morley Swingle has a gift of storytelling that makes the 290+ pages of this book speed by, you'll be reading and not notice that hours have passed. The characters in The Gold of Cape Girardeau were honest and believable, the villian didn't even come forth as being cartoony, even though that would have been easy to do with someone as hateful as Claxton. I highly reccomend this book to anyone who loves a good story. For someone who lived in Cape Girardeau for four years and who has lived in Missouri his whole life this book is even more entertaining. The numerous references to the area made the book leap to life in my head. I often used to drive out to Cape Rock to watch the river and the boats drift past lazily. As an alumni of Southeast Missouri State University i'm proud for the schools name to be attached to this book. A friend who is involved with the SEMO Press tells me the book may be turned into a movie. Keep your fingers crossed!

When you start reading "The Gold of Cape Girardeau," a novel by Morley Swingle ... it is difficult to put the book down.
That is because it is telling two stories, one of the Civil War a century and a half ago and a court trial taking place in current times. In all, it is a fascinating mixture of Missouri steamboating, state history, war, suspense and fiction that entralls the reader. At issue, as the story begins, is the ownership of some 15,000 gold coins, with a face value of more than $44,000 and a numismatic valuation of more than $11 million. The coins, found in the basement of a Cape home, are claimed by the homeowner who found the treasure and also are sought by the grandson of a man whose Civil War belt buckle was discovered near the chest of coins. Adding to the mystery is a nearby unearthed skull with a bullet entry and an exit hole. A bonus for St. Joseph readers are several references to M. Jeff Thomspon, the St. Joseph mayor who tore the Stars and Stripes from a flag pole of the post office. He allied with the South and was known as "The Swamp Fox of the Confederacy."
Swingle, the author, is serving his fourth four-year term as prosecuting attorney of Cape Girardeau County. He has written an intriguing story of yesterday and today.

Swingle has written a very entertaining novel. It is full of entertaining history of the glory days of Mississippi River steamboating as well as a realistic portrait of the Civil War in and around Southeast Missouri. The characters are engaging and the story will keep you reading late into the night. He has also, created a thoroughly dispicable character in Horace Claxton, who provides an evil counterpoint to John and Lindy. I doubt that you will find a more interesting historical novel available today. Buy it and read it!

Mr. Swingle has spun a unique story spanning several generations. As a native of the area, I particularly enjoyed the authentic local history. It is clear by the information provided in the afterword that the author "did his homework"...taking much of his research from exhaustive eyewitness accounts. However, it is not necessary to be a history buff to enjoy this novel. By introducing very real and likeable characters (and a few unsavory ones!) he captured the essence of the riverboating and Civil War eras. Add in a little courtroom drama and suspense and it adds up to one thoroughly enjoyable novel. I recommend it highly.