"Passage to Moorea is one of the greatest adventure novels of our era." – BookBub “...a thoroughly engrossing, action-packed wild ride…an edge-of-your-seat thriller...an unforgettable read." – Midwest Book Review “Big and brash…a powerful and dazzling blend of swashbuckling heroics, tender romance, fascinating characters and heart-stopping action that is deeply moving (occasionally hilarious) and relentlessly entertaining.” – BookQuest "Passage to Moorea takes the historical fiction / action adventure genre to new heights. Unstoppable action,superb character development, fantastic location descriptions, and an engrossing and unforgettable story." Goodreads 1872. From the turquoise blue waters of Polynesia to the grimy alleys of New York City, the chase is on. Civil War hero and adventurer Thomas Scoundrel is working as an investigative journalist in San Francisco, where he pens an exposé of a powerful businessman and is marked for death. He stows away on a warship bound for Hawaii, wins a sugar plantation in a poker hand, and battles missionary bankers, loan-collecting Tahitian warriors, Irish gang leaders, a ruthless assassin and the most powerful figures in the world of fine art. From a starlit swim in a cobalt lagoon with the Princess of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, to hand-to-hand combat with a legendary South Seas fighter, and a race to stay a step ahead of the growing number of killers bent on seeing him dead, Thomas risks everything for his friends and the woman he loves. Along the way he trades stories with Jules Verne and Ulysses S. Grant, plays a leading role in the birth of Impressionistic art, and inspires a young Teddy Roosevelt to break out of his pampered shell and embrace a life of vigorous adventure. Thomas Scoundrel is no stranger to death and danger, but in Passage to Moorea he faces a trial whose devastating consequences will change his life forever. "Passage to Moorea is a thoroughly engrossing, action-packed wild ride...an edge-of-your-seat thriller read that crafts a "you are here" experience that pulls you deep into the world of 19th century fine art in the company of trained assassins, villainous art dealers, Tahitian warriors, American robber barons, and a host of unforgettable characters." - Midwest Book Review "Big and brash...a powerful and dazzling blend of swashbuckling heroics, tender romance, fascinating characters and heart-stopping action that is deeply moving (occasionally hilarious) and relentlessly entertaining." - BookQuest "Passage to Moorea is among the greatest adventure novels of our era." -Benjamin X.Wretlind for BookBub The trek each morning from our turn-of-the century farmhouse in Oregon's Willamette Valley to the converted barn in the pasture in which I write takes on a new sense of purpose when it is time to begin researching and drafting a new Thomas Scoundrel novel. I was a historian in an earlier life and I thoroughly enjoy diving into the research; from geographical places to the state of technology in that era, I spend hundreds of hours studying the food, wine (!) clothing, language, and social and political mores of the time.I also take a great deal of care as I 'get into' the mindset of each leading character; flaws and frailties make for true three dimensional characters, for example. And what you may have heard about creating villains is true-it's fun to build the bad guys, especially when they are highly intelligent and complex.   My lead character, Thomas Scoundrel is complex in his way, too. My original character notes include this description: Thomas is a perfect reflection of the age in which he lives: an era of social, political, financial, technological, and cultural exuberance and confidence. He laughs easily, including at his own foibles. He is self-educated, an avid reader.  He does not suffer fools or insults, and he does not dwell-even for a moment-on past failures. The past has no hold on Thomas Scoundrel. He loves everything about women, but he is no lecher. His romantic adventures are matches between equals, not conquests of lesser spirits or intellects. Thomas has spent years learning to control his (half) Irish temper, but he is not always successful. He is adventurous, but also has a finely honed sense of self-preservation. Thus, he may-and does- commit acts of real heroism when circumstances compel, but he is not one who steps willingly onto the field of battle. His bravery is more a function of the will to do whatever it takes for HIM to survive when he finds himself in a jam, and that if in the act of saving his own hide he also happens to save others, well, that is just a collateral result of his own selfishness. And, while we see that trait play out many times in his life, there are also times when classical altruism and bravery come to the fore and he does risk all for someone he cares for more than for himself. (Not often, of course!) He is highly independent, and prefers the company of a few-or one-to being