In Pursuit
Joie Kinkaid is astounded to see Godfrey Winkel in a London café. Godfrey had sneered at the “half-breed” girl back in Alabama, but what is he doing here? Joie barely recognizes him before she is kidnapped by pirates. The foppish writer tries to rescue her, only to be taken as well. Fortunately, the pirate captain Gasparilla recognizes Godfrey from a speech about Captain Kidd, and commands, “You will write my story.”
In Pursuit continues the story of Joie and Godfrey, which Sharman Ramsey began with her 2012 novel Swimming With Serpents. Claiming Joie as his wife to save her from the pirates, Godfrey is the Indiana Jones of literati. Both turn pirate with gusto, swinging aboard enemy ships and wielding weapons with dexterity. Then Joie is taken by Gasparilla, and sent to his quarters on the Isle of Captive Women. In his search for Joie, Godfrey is caught up by General Andrew Jackson’s army as it pursues Creek Indians into Florida. And Joie, who is half-Creek, is rescued by Red Stick Creeks fleeing Jackson.
I commend Ramsey for bringing nearly forgotten incidents of the Seminole Wars to life. However, In Pursuit seemingly begins where Ramsey’s previous book left off, and Joie’s initial hatred of Godfrey made little sense to me. Ramsey shuttles her readers between the couple’s adventures and the search for Joie conducted by her brother, and sometimes I was left behind. It is well written and entertaining, but start with Swimming with Serpents if you want to try this novel.
