Ashton Park: The Danforths of Lancashire by Murray Pura

ISBN:  9780736952859
Paperback $13.99
Harvest House Publishers

In Ashton Park the author, Murray Pura, takes us into the lives of the family of Sir William Danforth and Lady Elizabeth Danforth at the beginning of World War I. The airplane is brand new and a major tool in the war conflict. The class system in England is still in place in that among the wealthy and elite the servants and upper class do not mingle except as master and servant.

Sir William is a devout protestant in a land that still strongly remembers the conflict between Catholicism and protestant. Sir William even contents that Baptist are a cult and will have none of it in his household. He is a kind, loving, and strong head of house and he also is a leader in the English ruling system.

But things are changing everywhere. The war. The Irish uprising and on-going war between Irish and English. The class struggle. The internal struggle of family members.

Once the reader straightens out the large number of characters (it is a large family) and discovers the various plot lines, the reading becomes more engaging enjoyable. As usual Murray Pura has a well-written historical novel populated with a variety of believable characters (the well-to-do and the below-stairs folks) and historical color and facts to bring the reader a good book to enjoy.  Fluff that isn't fluffy. Fact that isn't too precise. Just a good read. Thanks Mr. Pura and I look forward to more.

About the author: Murray Pura was born and raised in Manitoba, just north of Minnesota and the Dakotas. He has published several novels and short story collections in Canada, and has been short-listed for a number of awards. His first books to be published in the United States are the inspirational works Rooted and Streams (both by Zondervan in 2010). His first novel to debut in the USA is A Bride’s Flight from Virginia City, Montana (Barbour), which was released January 2012. The second, The Wings of Morning, will be published by Harvest House on February 1. Both of these novels center around the Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  http://www.murraypura.com/