If you like history, read this mystery!

A friend who’s interested in local history (Ulster County, New York) recently pointed out to me that my 2019 novel Ponckhockie Union may be missing some readers because the cover did not sufficiently emphasize the substantial historical content in the book. I had been thinking of the novel as something else…certainly not historical fiction, more like a postmodern pastiche of philosophy and mystery, a metaphysical detective tale. 

But it’s been at least six years since I typed “The End” and began the steps toward its publication. Things have changed. This year my wife and I have been absorbed with researching the “genealogy” of our little plot of land in the Catskill Mountains: tracing its ownership (I prefer “stewardship”) all the way back to the Native Americans. I have a lot to say about that subject, but it can wait. The point is, I’ve been in a history state of mind.

And so, seeing it through my friend’s eyes, I realized that, yes, Ponckhockie Union is indeed a book about history. It is not technically “historical fiction” because its present is 2015, with flashbacks to 1995 and 1975. But woven into the strange and twisted story are explorations of the American Revolution in New York City, the burning of Kingston in 1777 (learn about the annual commemoration here), the decisive second Battle of Saratoga, the traitor Benedict Arnold, and, in subsequent centuries, the early cement industry, a famous leftist colony in the Catskills, and more. Readers who are interested in the fascinating past of the Hudson River Valley, particularly of the Revolutionary War period, get not only a generous fix for their history addiction but also a rather wild tale of domestic drama, international intrigue, psychological crisis, and crime investigation. A multiplicity of benefits!

So I decided to do a slight reworking of the book’s cover to bring the historical aspects of the story a little more into focus.

Now on the front cover: Ponckhockie Union Congregational Church, where the main character is imprisoned in a dark cell by an apparent madman (remember, it’s fiction!). The church is a landmark cement structure with a unique heritage, almost medieval-looking, that anchors one of the blocks in Ponckhockie, which is the neighborhood on the banks of the Hudson where the British landed when they burned New York’s first capital city, Kingston. 

By the way, “Ponckhockie” is a Native American word for “dust land” or “land of ashes,” suggesting a burial ground. But other sources say it means “place of canoes,” which may make more sense. My novel is more connected to the “land of ashes” vibe. Fire everywhere!

On the back cover, besides a slight reworking of the book’s description to specifically mention the burning of Kingston, I added the following new “blurbs.”

From Alison Gaylin, Edgar Award winner and author of numerous acclaimed thrillers:

“A complex, fascinating and suspenseful journey into the past—and the myriad ways it can impact and threaten the here and now. As a Hudson Valley resident, I also loved the deep exploration of our area's history. A truly unique book.”

From John Burdick, critic for the HudsonValleyOne newspaper and popular local musician:

“A mad fireworks display of global conspiracy and paranoia, haunted synchronicities, shadow-world manipulations of history, tricksters and false guides and the sudden and irreparable rupture of everything normal and stable in one man’s life.”

And a little bonus: here are a few points made by Amazon reviewers that aren’t on the new cover:

“Part historical novel. Part meditative nightmare.”

“If you love the Hudson Valley, you'll be treated to a loving tour of some of its more hidden gems.”

“The novel is at once a study of the American Revolution as it unfolded in Kingston, New York…and also a psychic mystery of mundane and frightening proportions.”

“Intricate and exquisite…”

“A refreshing twist on the mystery genre!”

History is societal, but it is also personal. Among other things, this book may be asking, “In what ways does national history entangle with personal history?”—a good subject to ponder in our current moment, pre-election 2024.

All this brings up questions about the blurry boundary between fact and fiction, truth and lies. Before Ponckhockie Union was published, I addressed that boundary in a blog post that you can read here if you’re interested in that topic. The same questions come up in my latest novel, A Book with No Author. Maybe I’m a one-trick pony. 😀

The book is available at the usual places where books are sold, including regional shops of various sorts. I hope you’ll give Ponckhockie Union a try, and let me know whatever thoughts you may have about it.