Title: Moon’s Black Gold
Author: R.H. Peake
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-0595466009
Pages: 236
Genre: Romance/Mysteries
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
Moon’s Black Gold, the story of a Vietnam veteran seeking wealth to raise his status in society finds a life troubled with heartbreak, competition and overwhelming greed.In this novel, a man named Everett Adamo, aka “Moon,” returns from the war torn country of Vietnam to make a name for himself by starting a surface mining company using eco-friendly practices at the height of the coal boom of the late 60’s and early 70’s. However he is surrounded by competition who are more obsessed with their bank accounts than the environment, and will stop at nothing to drive him out of business. Meanwhile Moon hopes to use his newfound wealth and status for finding love and happiness, but soon learns the pitfalls that come with that journey and the trouble that can come from trying to break free of that lifestyle.
This was a very unique and well written tale. The mixture of a close knit family grouping with the conflict between the average citizen and those who view themselves above the rest of society made for interesting character dynamics in this book. The exploration of the various ways the coal boom affected not only people but the land itself was fascinating to see integrated into the novel, and the twist of including a romantic affair turned tragic mystery made for an excellent hook to draw readers into the narrative further.
This is a book for anyone who enjoys a good period story, particularly in the late 60’s and early 70’s, mixed with a heavy dose of romance, drama and finally a mystery that will leave readers shocked. As a fan of romance and a good mystery, this story had me hooked and fascinated to see where the book would take the mystery in so many different directions, that it had you second guessing who could be responsible.
This was a whirlwind and quick book to read, and yet it struck literary gold with complex characterization and a heavy dose of realism that explored themes of social status, racism, wealth in connection with happiness, and the impact on the world and environment as a whole. If readers haven’t yet, they should be sure to check out author R.H. Peake’s novel Moon’s Black Gold today!