In the dying days of the Civil War, an assassination attempt is made on Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Faced with this ongoing threat, the decision is made to evacuate the Southern capital of Richmond, Virginia. Everything must be moved, including the Confederacy’s substantial gold and silver reserves, which must be kept out of Union hands. Thus, a covert plan is devised to transfer it to … to a secret location. However, during the move, the treasure vanishes without a trace. One hundred and fifty years later, two historians, Des Cook and Madison Callum, stumble upon clues that could solve one of the war’s greatest mysteries while leading them to the richest and most significant find in American history. But others are searching for it too and will do anything to obtain it. Now, Des and Madison find themselves entangled in a race that, if they fail to win, would not only result in their deaths but also change the very future of the country.
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“The Arlington Orders” is the perfect mix of a plot-driven thriller and a character-driven literary novel. There’s a lot going on in this book, and all of it is interesting. The modern-day quest to find the lost Confederate treasury is interspersed with the Civil War storyline, which is accompanied by some fictional (but very realistic) primary sources. I enjoyed both aspects….following the clues along with main characters Des and Madison, and reliving history with the older storyline. Once Des and Madison accidentally stumble upon the first clue, they are 100% committed to solving the mystery, and throw themselves into it with abandon and enthusiasm. There is enough excitement, danger, and suspense to keep any mystery or thriller fan happy.
In addition, the characters were exceptionally well written. Often in this type of story, the major characters are little more than caricatures; pretty much anyone could be dropped into the roles, as the plot is the most important thing. In this book, the characters are equally important. It is obvious that the author thought about each of them a great deal, and provides enough back story for each that the reader can really understand why they are unique and what motivates them. As Des and Madison interact during their mission, the reader also gets to observe the character development of both. William 2.0 is also interesting, as his motives aren’t the same as what you’d typically expect for a character in his role. I enjoyed his misgivings about his partner, and appreciated his dedication to his goal and his internal monologue throughout.
I must also mention that the locations were amazing! I live in the general area of many of the book’s events, and am familiar with most of the locations…I’ve even been to quite a few. I appreciated the attention to detail included…the places are described well enough to ring true to a “local”, and to be very clear for a reader less familiar with the area.
All in all, an exceptionally well-written novel. I look forward to following Des and Madison on their next escapade!
Five out of five perfect, thin slices of provolone!
I don’t read much historical fiction, but this sounded so intriguing and I truly did enjoy it. I have southern roots, with ancestors who fought on both sides of the war, so I found this story particularly fascinating. The book alternated viewpoints between the Civil War and present day, but I didn’t find it confusing in this format. The pace is pretty quick and exciting, so I didn’t find the historical aspect boring at all—I enjoyed the attention to detail and obvious research that went into writing this, as well as the deft storytelling. I highly recommend this book and would be interested in reading more from this author. I was provided an arc of this book, but these opinions are my own.
BLURB
Elliot writes, “In the dying days of the Civil War, an assassination attempt is made on Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Faced with this ongoing threat, the decision is made to evacuate the Southern capital of Richmond, Virginia. Everything must be moved, including the Confederacy’s substantial gold and silver reserves, which must be kept out of Union hands. Thus, a covert plan is devised to transfer it to a secret location. However, during the move, the treasure vanishes without a trace.
One hundred and fifty years later, two historians, Des Cook and Madison Callum, stumble upon clues that could solve one of the war’s greatest mysteries while leading them to the richest and most significant find in American history. But others are searching for it too and will do anything to obtain it.
Now, Des and Madison find themselves entangled in a race that, if they fail to win, would not only result in their deaths but also change the very future of the country.”
REVIEW
A savvy mystery/treasure hunt/thriller – yes, that what The Arlington Orders is, my fellow readers. The long lost Confederate gold spirited away from Richmond before it fell is being hunted by a diverse group of people for a variety of reasons…not all of them altruistic. The story is well paced, and filled with twists and turns in the plot. The characters are well written; interesting and imbued with believable emotional responses and motives for their actions. Page turning suspense sprinkled with edge of the seat action, The Arlington Orders keeps the reader engaged and entertained. You could compare it to National Treasure, but with a villain who is even nastier than Sean Bean. 4
I love treasure hunting books, so The Arlington Orders immediately caught my attention. Two characters, Des and Madison, chance upon what appear to be clues to a long lost Confederate treasure. Skeptical but intrigued, the pair find the first clue and are skeptics no more. No treasure hunt is complete, however, without a villain. The realization that someone else, someone sinister and lacking remorse, is also hunting the treasure is both frightening and sobering. Des and Madison know they are in danger, but with resolve and vigor, they push forward, and continue the race to find the treasure. In addition to the present actionable storyline, another tale is unfolding. It’s a Civil War accounting of this elusive treasure-the who, what, where, when, why and how of the puzzle. This story is fast paced, addictive, intense and informative. Des and Madison and their shenanigans as they barrel into the unknown is an excellent good time. I adore these two characters. Both are intelligent and clever, and they grow exponentially throug the journey. Win or lose, nothing will ever the same. The question is, who, if anyone, will find the treasure first? I think you should read this book for the answers!
*I received a complimentary copy and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.*
I really enjoyed this book! The main characters, Des and Madison, were great, and seemed very realistic. Their dialog was enjoyable, and I liked watching as they got to know each other while trying to solve a mystery.
The storyline was also good. Des and Madison are looking for the lost treasury of the Confederacy, and use their access to historical material, their general knowledge of history, and their research skills to try to find it. There were lots of twists and turns for the twosome, and even some legitimate danger. Once the action got going, I had a hard time putting the book down, because I had to see where the investigation would take them next.
I enjoyed the history part, and think I learned a few things I didn’t know about our country’s past. It’s always a bonus for me if I can learn something new while reading fiction!