Comes a Time for Burning

By: Steven F. Havill

Narrated by: John Pruden

Busy putting in stitches and bandaging lumberjacks' injuries, young Dr. Thomas Parks has no idea that his worst enemy is lurking in the sleepy village of Port McKinney in the spring of 1892. When one of the working girls at the Clarissa Hotel is brought to the Clinic desperately ill, Thomas's newly arrived associate wastes no time in making the diagnosis: Asian Cholera has somehow found this back water near Puget Sound.

The cholera strikes viciously and kills in days, sometimes even hours. It soon becomes apparent that Thomas and his clinic have neither the supplies nor the means to provide effective treatment for the outbreak, and in hours, they are swamped. Afraid for the safety of his wife and daughter and all those close to him, Thomas still is driven by professional curiosity about the contagion's origins, especially when it appears that one of his own nurses is in some way responsible. Before he can mount a truly effective defense, the battle spreads, threatening the very life of the village. Always a man driven by his own curiosities and ambitions, Thomas discovers that his greatest allies are those closest to him.

Comes a Time for Burning is the second in the Dr. Thomas Parks adventure series of historical novels, following the recent release of Race for the Dying.

©2011 Steven F Havill (P)2010 Books In Motion

Loved the Story

I LOVED this story, but I think Mr. Havill should spend a little more to get a better narrater. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe he wanted this, but to me it sounded too much like the movie, The Cowboys, with John Wayne and Glenn Campbell. The speech patterns were too strained, not flowing and too uncomfortable sounding, not natural. The best narrater Mr. Havill ever had was Rusty Nelson. I guess I got spoiled.

Refreshing change from 'cozy mysteries'...

Would you listen to Comes a Time for Burning again? Why?

John Pruden is an excellent narrator, and the story moves along well.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The setting was my favorite character in this book. Refreshing change for me from the Victorian historicals that I usually gravitate to.

Have you listened to any of John Pruden’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

First time listening to John, will definitely seek out more performances from him.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

The story kept my attention throughout, and I found myself 'rewinding' to search for anything that I might have missed.

Any additional comments?

The second book ended, with what seemed to be a 'close-out' of the characters. I sincerely hope that the author will change his mind, and bring them back.

Got fooled - Thought if by Havill must be good

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Boring boring boring - goes into great detail about the obvious - no story there - bad use of a credit

Would you ever listen to anything by Steven F. Havill again?

Would select very carefully - Posadas stories mostly pretty good

How could the performance have been better?

Shouldn't read like a textbook

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

no redeeming qualities