After grieving the loss of his parents and brother, graduate
student Tom Flanagan returns from a lengthy sabbatical to his
winter--locked SUNY upstate campus to begin life anew in the spring
semester, only to learn of the "accidental" death of his history
professor, Peter Langley. Puzzled by the accounts of the accident,
Tom is driven to pursue the facts of the case-and is immediately
drawn into the intrigue surrounding another death--that of the
Revolutionary War hero Theodorick Crane--Langley's obsession
throughout his entire academic career. Putting his historical
research skills to work, Tom pursues the two mysteries and soon
becomes intimately involved with Crane's descendants: a
manipulative college administrator, her even more manipulative
Congressman husband, and their captivating niece--all of whom have
vague former connections to Langley. Standing in the shadows behind
it all is the ghost of Cornflower, an Iroquois woman executed for
treason by Crane, who seems to be the key to unlocking the secrets
of the past. But as the semester progresses and Tom delves deeper
into Langley's life and death, he and those close to him become
tangled in a dangerous web of political ambition and academic
deceit, the unraveling of which threatens to disrupt the lives of
all involved.
Thomas Pullyblank has skillfully woven a tapestry of historical
mystery and modern-day campus politics into a uniquely American
story that addresses the larger question of how our past should or
should not be employed to address contemporary issues. Based upon
two hundred years of upstate New York history, "Cornflower's Ghost"
translates meticulous research into believable historical
characters and events. As with the lessons of history, each of the
contemporary characters strives not just to solve a historical
puzzle, but rather to gain some degree of self-understanding.
REVIEWS
"'Cornflower's Ghost' is a vastly entertaining novel, replete
with mysterious deaths, romantic intrigues, political deceits and
historical schemes covering more than 200 years. Implicated in
these antics are professors and graduate students at a modern
university, 1960s radicals, leaders of the American Revolution,
18th century politicians, and the specter of an Iroquois ghost.
Thomas Pullyblank weaves this tale with a keen eye for detail and a
storyteller's gift. But there's more than just a good story here:
at the center of 'Cornflower's Ghost' is history itself, and how we
use the past to define ourselves and give meaning to our current
struggles. Amid all the intrigue and suspense, Pullyblank's
characters are fighting to claim the past and to understand it,
since only history can reveal the answers to the secrets at the
heart of Cornflower's Ghost. It's a novel that pulls you in and
keeps you thinking long after you've turned the last page."
Brian Carso Jr., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History,
Misericordia University
"Pullyblank's intricate tale of love, betrayal, lies, and murder
cleverly weaves past and present in ways that will change the way
we think about history. In fast-moving episodes full of plot twists
and turns he deftly explores a fascinating region of the
country--upstate New York--and the characters that have had parts
both major and minor in the unfolding drama of the state's history.
Importantly, 'Cornflower's Ghost' is a vivid reminder that the past
is always with us, and it profoundly affects how we live in the
present and how we shape the future."
Paul S. D'Ambrosio, Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Curator,
New York State Historical Association
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