The Patriot Proposition was, by all accounts, a historical thriller! There's lots of action to keep the pages turning, and the main character, the prim and proper Elizabeth Darmon, is uncannily three-dimensional. The novel's yoyo quality and pace keeps the reader intrigued page after page, and a panoply of intriguing secrets: debt, kidnapping, impersonating killers, and deceit, make it a wild ride.

Lisa Polisar
Circle Magazine

This is one of the most exciting books, bursting at the seams with story, it also finds room for some real history of a little-known period and a plucky heroine to boot whom female readers will certainly enjoy reading about.

Rachel A Hyde © MyShelf.Com
Rights Reserved, 2003

The United States was the not only country who wanted to gain freedom from the Mother Country, England… Canada also suffered her own growing pains, a time brought into focus by Mr. Thorpe's fine historical novel, The Patriote Proposition.

Set during the turbulent early 1800's, a young Englishwoman Elizabeth Darmon is visiting family and friends in Canada's wilderness when tragedy strikes. Her husband, sisters and their spouses are missing. She would have gone along on their journey to view the Grand Falls 30 miles away, but a headache kept her home to await their return. Well, all that returns is an empty carriage. Setting out to look for them, Elizabeth is dumbfounded to find scant traces of their presence and realizes they've been kidnapped. Racing back to the home in the wilderness, she is horrified to find that it's been burned to the ground in her brief absence, everyone on the premises murdered.

Alone and terribly frightened and worried for the safety of her family, Elizabeth makes the journey to Newcastle, where she invokes the help of the local constable, John Thomas.

And herein begins a tale filled with betrayal, murder and rebellion. Determined to find her family, Elizabeth discovers a rebellious group of political radicals. These men, who strive for independence from Britain, call themselves the Patriotes.

Mr. Thomas has written a compelling, fascinating and little known tale of Canada's early history. Filled with interesting characters and action driven sub-plots, this tale follows one woman's endeavor to not only find her family, but to save her country from being cleaved in two. Elizabeth is a perfect heroine who evokes instant sympathy from the reader as she strives to find that which is most dear to her. At the same time, she is a daring woman, not to be underestimated by any vivid stretch of the imagination.

The Patriote Proposition is an exemplary sample of 'painless history' that captivates, instructs and entertains at the same time.

Denise M. Clark
Denise's Pieces Author Site & Book Reviews
www.denisemclark.com

Thomas Thorpe's, "The Patriote Proposition," is a delightful and historically rich novel centered on 1833 Canada. This work of fiction cleverly combines history, adventure and political intrigue while creating a fast-paced tale thick with plots and counterplots.

Elizabeth Darmon and her family travel to Canada from England, to visit sister Victoria and her husband Richard Hudson. What should have been a happy and pleasurable family reunion and vacation instead turns out to be the ultimate nightmare. When her family leaves for an outing and only an empty carriage returns, Elizabeth is suddenly stranded in a strange country trying to find answers for her family's disappearance.

This book centers on the fight for Canadian independence from the British and the radicals that seek this freedom. Obvious then, is the immediate disadvantage that Elizabeth finds herself facing. Practically single-handed, Elizabeth has to determine what became of her family while facing adversity at every angle - culturally, politically and geographically.

Thorpe's book flows along beautifully and constantly leaves us pondering just who can and cannot be trusted. You can try and connect the dots as you weave your way through the plots and counterplots, but still the author achieves an element of surprise, not easily accomplished in the author's world.

Aside from the adventure and the non-stop action, the historical aspect of the book is wonderful. Not only does it illustrate an area of Canadian history seldom revealed, it nurtures your knowledge so cleverly that you don't realize that you're gaining a history lesson.

Lovers of history and for those seeking a delightful conspiratorial adventure should appreciate this book. Venture into an era that is often overlooked in the history market - you'll be pleased you did.

Elizabeth Batt
Founding History & Politics Dean - Suite University