J. G. Sandom ~ Author

Reader Reviews -- THE WAVE

Here's what readers like you are saying about THE WAVE:

Malina Arevalo-cruz @ amazon.com
"The Wave is a thrilling tale of several lives converging under a terrorist plot. I found the book to be highly entertaining, I could not put it down. The characters are relatable and complex and I found myself thinking of them even after I had finished the book. The plot drives the reader through the novel at a fast pace. There is tons of scientific detail woven into the plot which creates an eerie sense of reality. I often times found myself thinking, 'This sounds like what I just read in the paper.' It's a great read and I recommend it to those who enjoy thrillers."

Rob Ferreri @ amazon.com
"Having read other novels by Sandom, which I quite enjoyed, I was very eager to jump into The Wave. The Wave is an intense action adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Sandom creates a tale of intrigue on par with Bond. The adventure manages to include current topics of debate, such as eco-terrorism and the recent tsunami hits. If you are looking for a book to spend your day off with then look no further and catch The Wave."

Dorian E. @ amazon.com

"Truth be told, The Wave by J.G. Sandom confused me at first. There were too many characters popping up way to fast. But once all the characters were introduced, I started to get into it. The pace was quick and had me thinking I was watching an action movie at times. The idea one I hadn't seen before. Eco-terrorism, yes. Eco-terrorism with a nuke? A new one for me. Overall,I enjoyed The Wave enough to put my feet back into the shallow end of the pool and try one of his young adult novels.

cpogue @ amazon.com

"This non-stop thriller centers on terrorism, a real life concern in today's world. But the story is told unlike any other I have ever read. It is strange, creative, and definitely entertaining. The author demonstrates his knowledge and experience in many facets throughout the book. While it is fiction, I learned a few things. There are some scientific details which makes The Wave a combination of plausible events and fantastic surrealism. I like that the characters did not get loss in this amazing plot. Readers will see that these characters are not robots but flawed relatable human beings. If you like thrillers, you will not be disappointed."

Jacquelyn Kunda @ amazon.com

"Whew!! After finishing this book, I felt as though I'd run a race! Once again, JG Sandom has taken us on a thrilling ride across the globe. Filled with suspense - and character that you can really believe in - this one will keep you on the edge of your seat from the very first page. Download, sit back and enjoy!"

cray @ amazon.com

"The Wave is the kind of thriller you'd get if Michener and Ludlum wrote together. Like Jack Ryan, John Decker is a desk-bound code breaker thrown into an international potboiler. As part of the Joint Terroist Task Force for the FBI, Decker, along with Emily Swenson and Israeli agent Ben Seiden, try and stop an act of eco-terrorism by El Agrab. The result of which will be an earth-destroying mega tsunami. Like Ryan, John Decker is vulnerable but up to the task. This is a fast, good read, with a romance-on-the-run. But like Michener, bone up on a wealth of information and keep track of your characters."

Nitequill @ amazon.com
"From the moment I joined this exciting adventure I was swept away by the fast moving power of the tsunami."

Complete.Diana @ amazon.com
"Wow! What an intense book...there is so much information and yet the characters are so developed they almost seem like real people. The author did a great job researching and incorporating events into the story while keeping it alive and fast paced. I especially liked the main characters. John Decker was exceptional (as a good lead character should be) and yet the author didn't shy away from showing his weaknesses and human nature which was what I found most refreshing. Ben Seiden was also a great character casting a real, human light on the kind of agent that tends to get an almost superhuman reputation. Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it as a thrilling read."

Max G. Bernard @ amazon.com
"This fast-paced thriller is extremely topical, with its backdrop of eco-terrorism and tsunamis (potentially caused by a nuclear explosion). I agree with some of the other reviews saying that this story seems to be very cinematic, and would make one heck of a movie, a great adventure that would keep any audience poised on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what happens next. At the same time, the author does not make the mistake of neglecting character development for mere plot development. If you don't grow to love or at least care for some of the characters in a story, then who cares if they succeed in their quests or get blown to bits. The author takes some initially improbable premises and then makes them believable. I thoroughly enjoyed this one."

S. Bbo @ amazon.com
"Like another review the word for this book is WOW . . . With love, loss and of course impending doom this book makes a great and very realistic adventure/thriller. Great read!"

Jeff Block @ amazon.com
"I bought The Wave because I am a huge fan of action-packed spy thrillers. This is the first time that I have read Sandom's work, and I was impressed. The plot is exciting, intriguing, mysterious and dangerous. I loved this book, it is a real page turner."

S. Frazer "avid reader" @ amazon.com
"The Wave is an action-packed thriller that will have your attention from the first page. I typically wouldn't buy this type of book and I finished it in two days!! The plot is great. It it takes you on a journey of crime, romance and murder. It's an easy read that anyone will enjoy. Get it now!"

sandi @ amazon.com
"Worth reading. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down. It moves pretty fast. Now I'm reading other books by this Author. Enjoy!"

Squirrel @ amazon.com
"The Wave by J.G. Sandom is a relentless and breathless thriller about FBI code breaker John Decker trying to prevent a Jihadist eco-terrorist named El Aqrab from setting off a mega-tsunami aimed at destroying the Eastern Seaboard. Couldn't be more timely given what's been happening in Japan. Except this book deals with a mega-tsunami, more than ten times taller and more powerful than the tsunamis we've been watching on the news from T'hoku, Japan. Incredible. Great characters and relentless action. I don't understand some of these other reviewers. What's with the two stars? Maybe they just didn't get it. I loved this book."

DT @ amazon.com
"I loved this book! It had action and suspense and more action. I'll admit at first I didn't think I'd like it. What the heck is a cryptanalyst anyway! I was wrong. Decker's a great character and the environmental terrorism angle was exciting and right on the money given the news and current events. I loved Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Wave was a lot like that book. Fast read, great characters and really exciting. I can't wait for a sequel."

Melissa P. Gray @ amazon.com
"The Wave is fantastic; a roller coaster of a book. John Decker and emily Swensen deal with terrorists both religious and environmental and a slew of governmental obstacles trying to avert a major disaster. If you want a great thriller with well written characters and a disturbingly plausible plot, then this is the book for you. Move over Crichton, Sandom is here."

Michael Weis @ amazon.com
"You always learn a lot from Sandom's books. I had to do some fact checking on mega tsunamis before I bought the premise, but Sandom checks his facts and then "arranges" them to create a truly scary threat. And, he knows how to keep the action moving, and usually on several fronts. I also learned a fair amount about Islam which is in stark contrast to the mindless, oversimplified shouting going on in the media and much of the public. I'm looking forward to other John Decker thrillers."

John T. Richardson @ amazon.com
"I first read this book around the time it was originally published. I greatly enjoy fast-paced thrillers and The Wave certainly delivers for me. John Decker is a very strong, likeable character, more than capable of sustaining a detailed and suspenseful book like this. Decker and Emily Swenson bring to mind Dirk Pitt and Eva Rojas as well as Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu. But author JG Sandom is able to bring life to his characters with the added benefit of a current topic - terrorism (eco and/or otherwise) . . . After a recent re-read, I find that the book certainly still holds up! It is even more relevant today. The author's experiences gathered while living and traveling around the world, are quite apparent and beneficial to both the story line and color of The Wave. Weave in Mossad, Al'qaeda and . . . hell, I just love this book. It is a lot of fun. Do yourself a favor - read it."

Harvey @ amazon.com
"A riveting look at the shadowy war on terrorism . . . An action-packed, non-stop thriller. John Decker, a Cryptanalyst working with the FBI assigned to the Joint Terrorist Task Force in New York, finds himself working on a deadly plot of eco-terrorism. The plot is masterminded by Jihadist El Aqrab, who has recently been arrested for slaughtering a family in Tel Aviv. John Decker is determined to discover why. This gripping book takes you along on John Decker's assigment involving the theft of 8 kilos of Highly Enriched Uranium, murder and romance. This book would be an incredible movie!"

Jeffrey Einstein @ amazon.com
"J.G. Sandom breathes real heart and soul into this utterly plausible cast of flawed but irresistable characters.  John Decker is a wonderfully reluctant hero, and even the villains in this story are unmistakably human in the depths of their pain, vengeance and sheer calculation.  This book is the real McCoy, right up there with the best modern thrillers. Sandom's eye for intrigue, suspense and drama is apparent in his attention to detail and nuance.  Can't wait to get my hands on 'Gospel Truths,' one of Sandom's earlier novels.  It it's only half as good as 'The Wave,' I'll expect two or three sleepless nights - and chalk them up once again as time well spent."

Gracie412 @ amazon.com
"I LOVED this book . . . This is a great thrill ride of a read, and if you liked The Bourne Series or any of Tom Clancy's stuff, you'll love The Wave.  I read on a blog that it's being optioned by Hollywould.  Can't wait to see the movie."

Reader Reviews -- THE GOD MACHINE

Here's what readers like you are saying about THE GOD MACHINE:

mietzemiau @ Amazon.com
"I came across this book the last night of my stay in a vacation rental. As I had an early flight to catch the next morning I figured I'd just read myself into a good nights sleep. WRONG! The plot is captivating and every chapter leaves you wanting to devour the next without hesitation. By 4am I forced myself to put the book down. The next day I downloaded The God Machine to my kindle and enjoyed yet another night of great adventure and little sleep. J.G. Sandom has written a thrilling book packed with rich characters. I loved the weaving of historical figures with modern day characters. This book is so enjoyable that I am baffled as to why it has not yet been made into a movie."

M. Lambert @ Amazon.com
"Great read! I loved how the author built in all the history elements into the book. Looking forward to his next novel."

Elaine Townsend @ Reading Addict
"This book ties the great minds of the Masons like Franklin and daVinci into a thrilling race to create a portal to Heaven. Although I had trouble getting started and hooked on this book, by the time I got about 50 pages in, I was into it. I like the way the author used short chapters to hop between past and present story lines. It was an easy plot to follow even though the stories were told in a fragmented way. There were two big ideas that struck me and stuck with me. First, a lot of the hub-bub surrounding this portal to Heaven was because it gave a way to reunite with our loved ones who had passed on. Ben Franklin (as told by the story) spent his entire life trying to build this machine to be with his deceased son Franky. But after a lifetime of failing, Franklin realized he had lived his entire life focused on the past and never truly living. He had poured all of his energy into his experiments and thus created no relationships with anyone. He realized, like so many do who suffer great loss, there is not value in living in the past. The second point was regarding this idea of a portal to Heaven and thus a direct path to God. In the end, the hero of the story realizes that what God has been trying to tell us since the beginning of time is that we don't need a portal to Him because he is always with us. All we have to do is pray/talk to Him, and we are with Him. I think sometimes it is easy to forget that just because He doesn't always answer our prayers the way we want that He isn't listening."

John Murphy @ Goodreads.com
"I was introduced to J. Sandom and his early work, Gospel Truths, by chance. Intrigued by Mr. Sandom I decided to read the Gospel Truths but did so with some trepidation. As a Jesuit-educated history student I was concerned that the historical, theological underpinnings of Mr. Sandom's novel would lack the academic rigor I would expect even for a fictional writing. Not only did Gospel Truths exceeed my intellectual expectations, but I was impressed with the seamlessness with which Mr. Sandom chases history in the context a compelling love story.  When it came to The God Machine, my trepidation returned. Why test fate? What if this sequel was not as good? I took a leap of faith and was not disappointed. Mr. Sandom confirmed his ability to interwine the continuing spiritual and emotional tribulations of Joseph Koster in a very granular and enticing examination of history, religion and morality. It is clear that Mr. Sandom has his own opinion and I congratulate him for having the courage to state it. But whether you agree or not with his point of view, your appreciation for the interplay between American history and American morality will be greatly enriched. He brings Ben Franklin to life. I found myself rooting for Ben on his odyssey and had to remind myself Mr. Franklin's story has already been told. That is because Mr. Sandom's Ben Franklin is not the well-known figure of American antiquity but, rather, a complex human being driven by love and desire for things large and small, who in the process made great history. It suggests that all of us could make great history and should. I highly recommend this God Machine."

Michael Weis @ Amazon.com
"I had read Gospel Truths and enjoyed it, so was looking forward to The God Machine and wasn't disappointed. Intricate and mysterious - Sandom is some kind of polymath - so much, about so many things, crammed into a good page-turner, from chips to church. I've heard that Sandom and Dan Brown both went to Amherst at the same time. It makes me wonder whether Brown might have been inspired by Sandom, since Sandom's was published first. But Sandom's works are much more intricate and complex. And, those 1 star reviews. What's with that? Maybe they're Church people or wish they were. Anyway, buy it."

Etienne @ Etienne's Blog
"At the hearth of this book's story there is Gnosticism. It is believed that in the beginning of Christianity there were many sects with different beliefs. One of these sects was the Gnostic sect. From the beginning, the church tried to suppress Gnosticism because according to Gnosticism and the Gnostic texts a person can personally reach God without needing the church. Due to obvious reasons the church never approved of the Gnostic and their texts.

"One of the Gnostic texts is the Gospel of Judas. In this Gospel, Judas is not a villain but a hero. He is the man who truly understands Jesus' mission on Earth and who is asked by Jesus to 'betray' him and give him to the Jews and the Romans in order to die for mankind.

"This story is a quest, a quest for diagrams which in the beginning are thought to form a map to find the Gospel of Judas. However as the protagonists start finding the pieces they start to realize that they do not resemble a map but a circuit. Different people including Benjamin Franklin and Da Vinci possessed these diagrams.  However, the circuit is not complete until Savita, one of the main characters, goes into a trance and starts drawing the final piece.

"Put together these pieces form the circuit for the God machine, a machine which allows you to communicate directly with God and see the after life. Without their knowing the main characters, especially Koster, are being used by the Masons who believe in Gnosticism. The protestant and catholic church join forces to try and steal the diagrams from them and so build the machine themselves and avoid another scandal.

"The story in the book is good, interesting and very flowing. It is hard to put the book down as every chapter leaves you wanting for more. It is also interesting how the author develops the romantic story between the two main characters as he did in his previous book Gospel Truths. I think that romance between the main characters makes the story more exciting and the characters more real. In addition to this I personally find the book more interesting because it includes the Knights of Malta who had a major influence in the history of my country.

"Great credit has to go to the author for conducting vast historical, mathematical, and scientific research to include in the book's story. One question I would like to ask him is whether all the historical data is correct. I am looking forward to the sequel to this book, and I recommended the author to include a section in the beginning or end of the book outlining what is fact and what is fiction in the story although I know that some authors do not do this just to let the readers themselves research and discover what is true and what is not."

Dave Dafilou @ Amazon.com
"The God Machine is a fast reading fun book. The plot unfolds rapidly and there is constant action. I like the characters in the book. The main character has appeared in previous Sandom books, and although I have not yet read these books, it was easy to follow the references and keep on track with the plot. I also thought Sandom did a good job of setting the scene for the book regardless if it was pre-revolutionary Philadelphia or modern day California. With a few well chosen sentences, the author made you understand the key features of where the scene takes place. That is important for a story that moves across the US and Europe and through differnt time periods. This was my first Sandom novel and I have already bought my next." 

Matt @ goodreads.com
"Great read. Fast paced and exciting. Really interesting concept; very thought provoking. Joseph Koster is a great main character, smart and deductive. A thriller you'll have a hard time putting down."

 B. Moore @ Amazon.com
"I love to read, read a great deal, but will drop a book I don't find interesting anywhere from the first page to well into the book. I want to be engaged by the plot, the characters, or both. The God Machine has a complicated, engaging plot, and is intelligently written, with vast amounts of historical detail. It moves right along and certainly kept me enthralled. It is a book that is far, far better than many of those on the best-seller lists. And J.G. Sandom is a far better writer than many of those best-selling authors who churn out books like widgets on an assembly line. He deserves a wide audience."

Moni @ Amazon.com
"J.G. Sandom's first novel, Gospel Truths, was called "the thinking man's Da Vinci Code."  Now, with the publication of The God Machine, Sandom has secured his position as the premier writer of theo-thrillers, outdoing even Dan Brown . . . I LOVED this book!  It doesn't pander to readers, and, like with Gospel Truths, I learned all kinds of interesting things about the Gnostics, an early Christian sect labeled heretics by the Church, plus a host of real historical characters: from Da Vinci and Ben Franklin, to electrical geniuses Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison...I also loved the fact that the book features a smart and beautiful woman of color, Savita Sajan, Koster's partner. It's rare to read books where such characters are truly 3-dimensional, and not just thrown in as exotic love interests. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys religious thrillers and mysteries. It's fast-paced, well-written and fun. Plus, as with all of Sandom's books, you'll not only be entertained, but learn something new and interesting too."

Thriller Crazy @ Amazon.com
"While checking out a new novel by Steve Berry, I came across this new religious thriller by J.G. Sandom called The God Machine. A quick scan revealed that the book features a heroine named Savita Sajan. As a woman of Indian descent, it's rare to see such characters in popular fiction, and so I snapped it up.

"I am so glad I did. I LOVED this book. It's a roller-coaster of a ride that flits back and forth in time, from the days of Benjamin Franklin (a central character in the book), to today. Without giving away too much of the plot, the book involves the quest for a lost Gnostic gospel (the Gospel of Judas) once owned by Ben Franklin, and thought heretical by the organized Church. If uncovered, the presence of the gospel might completely undermine the Church because it features a version of Christ's teachings that are contrary to what we have come to believe today.

"But the book is so much more. This particular version of the gospel features a strange drawing, a part of which was first rendered soon after the time of Christ by one of his followers, and then expanded over the centuries by Leonardo Da Vinci, Franklin himself, and later by other electrical inventors, from Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison, to Savita herself. (Savita actually attended Edison High School!)

"Too often in novels when Indian women are depicted, they're either subservient bystanders or exotic sex kittens. But in The God Machine, Savita Sajan is actually the head of a very successful high-tech company in Silicon Valley. (I couldn't help thinking of Padmasree Warrior, the CTO of Cisco Systems.) Brilliant, often funny, deeply religious, passionate, and, yes, beautiful, Savita Sajan is someone all girls (Indian or not) can look up to. I also liked her male counterpart, the hero of the novel, Joseph Koster, who suffers from a mild form of Asperger's syndrome, a kind of autism.

"The book is set primarily in New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC, but Savita and Koster also travel to England and France in their quest, places where Franklin lived and worked during his career as a statesman. And wherever they go, they're trailed by a Columbian killer nun who assassinates the enemies of the Church by strangling them with her rosary beads. Really creepy!

"While the book succeeds brilliantly as a thriller (I couldn't put it down), it's also chockfull of interesting tidbits about Biblical history, chip technology, the Knights of Malta, Freemasonry and, of course, the life of Ben Franklin. It also explores the connection between religion and science, things based on faith versus things based on reason. I loved that about it because it really made me think in new ways about science.

"I recommend this book to anyone who likes religious thrillers, historical thrillers (for the parts that take place in the 18th century) and for those readers who actually like to learn something while they're being entertained. It's kind of like Dan Brown meets Michael Crichton. Buy it. You won't be disappointed."

Ed Lute @ Reading Experiences
"A very good thriller...(with a) very well developed plot...(and) a strong Gnostic message...The book has made me curious again about Ben Franklin.  Recommended!"

D.T. @ Amazon.com
"I picked up this book when it was recommended by Amazon. I am so glad they did. It was really a fun read. I love religious thrillers and this was one of the best I've read. Just as good as any Dan Brown's written. In fact I liked it a lot more than The Lost Symbol. The story caught me right from the beginning. I thought the main character, Joseph Koster, was really interesting. He suffers from a mild form of autism called Asperger's Syndrome that makes him socially inept but also really good at certain mathematical problems, which is why he's a good code breaker. I also liked the heroine in the story, an Indian woman named Savita Sajan. She's smart and successful and beautiful, all at once! Plus, one of the villains is a nun who kills people (get this) with her rosary! As a former Catholic school girl, I could really identify. The pace of the book is like a roller coaster. And while you learn a lot about things like the freemasons and the founding fathers (Franklin plays a role in the book) the story is so interesting that it never gets in the way of the plot. I finished the book in two sittings! I've never read anything else by this author but I plan to now. It was that good."

David Hall @ Amazon.com
"For those of us that need to view American history from a different point, this reader was not disappointed. The writer's research and description of Ben Franklin and his time is more than commendable. It must be applauded. The locations of early America are accurate. For a reader who has not visited historical London or Paris, this is for you. For those of us who are familiar with present-day New York City, you will find comfort. I suggest that a reader read GOSPEL TRUTHS first. That novel will give a good foundation for the GOD MACHINE...How the author keeps his history, location, personalities, and science in order is almost incomprehensible. The science alone will make a science buff scream with joy...Please give this well-written work a try. You will not have wasted your money."

Traveler @ Amazon.com
"I have loved Sandom's books in the past but, with this novel, he really hit it out of the ballpark. The history is rich, the characters real, and the clip irrestible. You won't want the story to end. Perhaps most memorable for me was Sandom's portrayal of Ben Franklin. I have long been fascinated with Franklin and I feel like Sandom personalized him for me in an unforgettable way. You will savor this book long after you finish. Enjoy!"

abdoggett @ Up in the Air and BN.com
"I really enjoyed this book! It is a cross between the DaVinci Code and National Treasure. It really should be made into a movie. I am looking forward to reading THE GOSPEL TRUTHS. If you are a fan of historical thrillers such as The Lost Symbol, you should definitely read The God Machine. It is a fast-paced, page-turner that keeps you hooked right up until the last page. A GREAT read!"

 R.S. Beck @ bn.com
"The God Machine is perfect for night-time reading. The characters are accessible and the thrilling plot moves fluidly. Even if you think you know what is going to happen at the end, you keep reading to find out the conclusion. What Dan Brown has on Mr. Sandom, I do not understand. This book should be made into a movie."

George Smith @ Amazon.com
"This is the best religious thriller I've ever read...Part historical fiction, I loved the way it brought Benjamin Franklin to life...The God Machine is perfect summer reading, a beach book that will shake you like a rag doll while you sizzle...The book is also a keen exploration of the relationship between science and religion, proof and faith, and how our culture has turned technology into a kind of 21st century deity...As well-researched and historically fascinating as Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, as relentless and fast-paced as James Rollins's Doomsday Key, and as well-written as Paul Sussman's The Last Secret of the Temple, The God Machine has it all!" 

David Lincoln Ross @ Amazon.com
"Sandom is a born story-teller...(THE GOD MACHINE) is a well-oiled and humming mystery, whose pages fly by in a flurry of action and suspense."

James Wynbrandt @ Amazon.com
"An illuminating, intelligent and gripping thriller...as relentless in its pace as it is rigorous in its plotting and satisfying in its payoff...Propelled by a gallery of unforgettable supporting characters drawn not so much from imagination as from a twisted parallel universe...Sandom has managed to make both the machine and his story as real, palpable, and alternately beautiful and terrifying as what we expect to find at the heart of the eternal battle between good and evil."

Mandi @ Entertainment Weekly (under The Lost Symbol review)
"Just finished reading another book The God Machine by JG Sandom that also has the masons. That one was good too."

E.M.S. Cohen @ jgsandom.com
"Just read you for the first time.  Thrilled!  Enjoyed it."

A.G. (Gavin) Williams @ Amazon.co.uk
"The cross that anyone writing a book such as The God Machine must bear is the horrendous oversaturation of the thriller genre at the moment with Da Vinci Code similarities. (Note:  Da Vinci Code was not the first of this type of book, but was the one most easily recognised.)  So, it was with a lot of caution I started reading this book, and was fully prepared to go into "airport-lounge-rapid-page-flick" mode.  I surprised myself by actually enjoying this. Good job by J.G. Sandom to keep some elements fresh.  If you like that type of genre, it's a good book to buy."

Bonnie Brooks @ Amazon.com
"This gripping historic adventure mystery weaves through the past to the present and will keep you turning the pages."

Ted Gramkow @ Amazon.com
"The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons were made possible by Mr Sandom's genre-breaking novel Gospel Truths published in 1992. Now with The God Machine, he has set the bar even higher for future religious thrillers...In The God Machine the reader gets it all:  crafty intrigue, implausable situations, historical references all tightly woven and masterfully written...Before you head to the movies this summer and spend $12 for a ticket to see another lackluster Hollywood summer bummer like Angels and Demons, order The God Machine, pull out the beach chair, pop open the umbrella, dig your toes in the sand and have fun with this well-crafted thriller. It's well worth the time."

Douglas W. Randall @ Amazon.com
"One thing I liked about The God Machine is its historical detail. I spent hours looking up enlightening things from the book. It's a good read and a great story."

Ladybug @ Amazon.com
"I loved this book! It's not a difficult read, (and) you don't have to get too bogged down in any special knowledge; the author gives you what you need. The characters are likeable and believable...A fun read for vacation, when you don't want to overinvest!"

James T. Glover @ Amazon.com
"I bought this book and actually quit reading the book that I was presently reading at the time. Once I started I couldn't put it down. Excellent job keeping you interested and it never lets up. I don't remember a slow part in the whole book. Characters were great and the story was great. Kind of reminded me of Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol. Not that the plot was the same just there was a lot of stuff that was in both books. However, I found this book much better and better written. I would suggest this book to anyone who loves a historical thriller."

Karen Elley @ The Book Case
Re Nikola Tesla's recent 115th Birthday, Karen writes:  "Tesla is in good company—Edison, da Vinci, and Ben Franklin—in J.G. Sandom’s page-turning thriller, The God Machine, released in paperback in May 2009."

Marcia Zand @ jgsandom.com
"The perfect balance of history, intrigue and action to leave the veteran reader sated." 

Jeff Einstein @ Amazon.com
"J. Sandom just keeps getting better. Who else can write in such delicious detail about religion, microchip architecture, Ben Franklin, the Freemasons and the Enlightenment -- all under one cover? And who else can dress it all up in the habit of a disarmingly gorgeous but sociopathic killer nun? The God Machine is terrific fun, and a great read. Buy it."

gracie412 @ Amazon.com
"I loved this book...fast-paced, easy to read, and kept me on my toes until the last page...If you like books with action, adventure and really smart plots, this is the novel for you!"

seagull49 @ BN.com
"One of the best books I have ever read. Right there with the great Dan Brown...Do your shelf a favor and buy it."

Muriel Falvey @ jgsandom.com
"I love history, I love religious thrillers, and 'The God Machine' is one of the best I've read...Who needs Dan Brown when you have J. G. Sandom?"

Adam Bierman @ jgsandom.com
"Highly entertaining, and yet you don't leave your brain at the front cover!"

John Moore @ jgsandom.com
"As good as any Dan Brown has written...I could not put it down."

Travis Deputy @ Amazon.com
"This novel can definitely stand on its own two feet amongst the crowded religious thriller genre; and not only does it stand, it shines among some of the best in the field. This one's got wheels, not feet!  Definitely the best religious thriller I've read in a while...Better than The Da Vinci Code...I give it 5 stars out of 5, or 10 out of 10!  It's a rarity in the world of fiction, especially amongst those of this ilk.  Buy it now and prepare to be up for an allnighter!!!"

 Amos Lassen @ Amazon.com
"This is quite a book--so much so that I read this in one sitting. It is full of adventure and paced so that, for me, it was impossible to put down...The God Machine pulled me in and kept me hooked."

To purchase your copy of THE GOD MACHINE, click here.

Reader Reviews -- GOSPEL TRUTHS

Here's what readers like you have been saying about GOSPEL TRUTHS:

Linda "katknit" @ Amazon.com
"Gospel Truths is an intelligent, complex, and competently written thriller. No bells or whistles here, just a few laptops, along with some dedicated and dangerous individuals determined to get their hands on Q, for various reasons of their own. And no neatly wrapped up ends in the final chapters. But there are some interesting passages descriptive of different locations, such as Chartres and the Rodin Museum in Paris . . . Masonic secrets, corrupt church officials, and money laundering schemes - all well before Da Vinci Code, imagine that!"

Etienne @ Etienne's Blog
"I chose this book and this author because I read an article comparing the author to Dan Brown and the book to The Da Vinci Code. Well, now that I finished it I can say that (it's)...a very good story...The ending is slightly different than that of other books which deal with the same subject...Usually, in other books, the characters decide to do nothing with the discovery (of a hertical gospel) -- as this would upset society. But, in this case, the author chooses a more open ending."

David Hall @ www.jgsandom.com
"I ordered Gospel Truths from amazon.com. Michner and Rutherford wrote complex historical novels. I am so amazed when an author combines technical, historical and complex writing in a single work, as you have. We readers of novels depend on the accuracy of the presentations.  I could not find a single misspelled word or improper sentence structure in either books. Your editors must be complemented for their throughness. In these tough economic times I do come across misspelled words and poor sentence structure. These editorial errors are not the fault of the writer but of the too quick editor. Hopefully when you go into hardbacks (again) the editors will be just as efficient. I look forward to any future writings."

Dan @ Square Dancing Dan in Denmark
"The atmosphere in Gospel Truths is dark and moody. Sandom is a creative wordsmith and his characters are compelling and likeable...(GOSPEL TRUTHS) delivers a well crafted story with surprising twists...l am looking forward to reading the sequel."

Tom Bradley @ www.chapters.indigo.ca
"I haven't read any of Sandom's other works, but Gospel Truths is a moody, literate thriller that preceded The Da Vinci Code by more than a decade. It's a great mystery, intricate and complex. A great read."

 

 

 

Ben at www.goodreads.com
"A fascinating religious thriller, which preceded Da Vinci Code by a decade, apparently. Involves the search for a lost gnostic gospel, the Gospel of Thomas, whose discovery would undermine the Church. Features a haunted City of London Police Inspector, a brilliant American mathematician, the head of the Vatican Bank, and members of the ultra-secret pseudo-Masonic loge, the I4. Fascinating and well-written, it's what the genre should be -- an intellectual, as well as a visceral thrill."

Lee Titus @ www.jgsandom.com
"Wow! Great read! I first encountered the Divine Principle in '75. The mathmatical relationships between science and religion, the spirit world, spiritual life and truth and the physical world, including historical mathmatical developements in human history, is simply mind-boggling yet comforting. What has been hidden is revealed in an open mind and an open heart. May God truly guide your wonderfully magnificent work! Thank you from Lee! P.S. I really look forward to reading The God Machine."

Ed Viger @ www.jgsandom.com
"By chance I saw Gospel Truths sitting on a small book stand at my local grocery store and it caught my eye.  Thank God...no pun intended. I must tell you that it was a totally fascinating read, hard to put down and now I feel like a kid who can't wait for Christmas to come anticipating the arrival of The God Machine. Thank you so much for a truly intruiging and fascinating read.  Keep 'em coming and please keep me posted of any new developments."

 Ron Ulrici @ Amazon.com
"I have been studying the origins of Christianity for years now, and this book tells it like it is. There is a great summary on pages 166-171. When the Da Vinci Code came out, I thought there could be no equal. Gospel Truths surpasses the more popular book in the story telling and in the facts department."

Mark Carol @ www.jgsandom.com
"An Amherst Grad who just finished reading "Gospel Truths" after having read "The Labyrinth" by Kate Mosse and "The Secret Supper" by Sierra...of course, after "Da Vinci Code" and, long ago, "The Word" by Irving Wallace.  I had just spent some time reading on the history of the various gospels; your text was like visiting an old friend.  I specifically enjoyed the sophisticated level of your writing and am looking forward to your next book."

Gracie412 @ Amazon
"I'm a huge fan of thrillers of all types and Gospel Truths delivered a great read on every level. I was excited to read a thriller/mystery that was set in some of the great cathedrals I've visited in Europe and had a hero who was a mathematician! So often, great writing is sacrificed on the pillar of a good mystery but not in this case. Sandom writes beautifully and his language makes you realize that you didn't waste your time getting past secondary school. The interplay between the two main detectives Lyman and Koster is reminiscent of the chemistry between Holmes and Watson. Both men have their demons and seeing them struggle with them makes the book all the more believable and intriguing. A great romance, exotic settings and more than a pinch of murder, global conspiracy and a lost gospel add up to a great story that keeps you guessing till the last page. Written before DaVinci Code and rereleased, Gospel Truths is what the genre should be -- smart, thrilling and suspenseful. I can't wait for the sequel!"

Squirrel 610va @ Amazon
"Captivating, erudite and masterfully plotted, Gospel Truths is the thinking man's Da Vinci Code. The novel is set primarily in the cathedral towns of France (Chartres and Amiens), features colorful characters, and explores a variety of issues from Medieval architecture and topology, to the early Gnostic Christians (considered Heretics by the established Church) and Free Masonry. Interestingly, both Sandom and Brown went to Amherst College. Wonder if Brown was influenced by his fellow alumni's novel. Sure seems that way. But Gospel Truths is actually far more interesting and complex, though clearly a more "difficult" and challenging read. A "must read" for any mystery lover. If you liked Da Vinci Code, you'll LOVE Gospel Truths. Stick with it and the book will deliver in spades."

Bob Hohrman of Eden Prairie, MN, @ www.jgsandom.com
"Thanks for the wonderful writing ... Add me to your list for updates on new releases."

Dave Russell @ www.jgsandom.com
"Please don't kill any more true loves ... Hungry for intelligent thrillers."

 

Reader Reviews -- CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BODY SNATCHER

Here's what readers like you are saying about CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BODY SNATCHER (originally titled Resurrection Men, released under pen name T.K. Welsh):

Olivia Jonowicz @ Newbie Critics
"...What I absolutely loved about this book, is how descriptive the author was when describing ‘London’...There were many parts where I just wanted to lean to the side and hurl; there were others that made me feel the pain of having my leg smashed against the hard metal of a ship; and other parts where I could smell the rotting carcass of a body being crushed underneath someone being trapped in a coffin; or where I could just feel the thick fog of the putrid air in the streets...I really enjoyed this book, and I’d recommend it for the older age group."

Jon Faith @ JEBI_SE
"Resurrection Men by T.K. Welsh is a delight, much in the vein of Kidnapped."

Michelle @ tkwelsh.com
"I've just completed reading Resurrection Men and I must say that it made it to my favorite book list (only one so far, and I do read often) Which is saying a lot... T.K you are an extraordinary writer that snags me out of my surroundings and into your imagintion! I plan to read The Unresolved and any other future book you may write! Share your talent! Its a substance you must not waste!"

Kat M @ Shelfari
"A super book! Very Dickensian, which I love. Setting was partly 1830's London and trying to live in appalling conditions. The resurrection men were those who dug up bodies for science. It was also about a doctor using these bodies. And about a boy living on the streets until a nice doctor takes him in. A great book."

MLECOMPT @ shelfari.com
"I thought this would be a straightforward story about grave robbers, but it turned out to be a much deeper story than that."

Cat @ www.goodreads.com
"A great book for boys. The story takes place in the 1830's in London. Victor is a beggar on the streets trying everything he can to survive, when a friendly Doctor finds him and takes him in. Things start to turn sour for Victor when his friends start to disappear and he is left with their fate in his hands."

Meaghan @ www.goodreads.com
"A beautifully told and spellbinding tale of an outcast in the London underworld of the 1830s."

Terry @ www.goodreads.com
"I was first attracted to the red and black cover, with the eerie picture. The book jacket description sounded interesting, too -- body stealing in 19th century England. But the book is far more complex than that, with a lot going on. I do not think the book jacket information adequately described what the book was about...Given the blood, grime, and gore, this book should fly off the shelves around Halloween. Recommended for those who like historical novels that will keep them up at night."

Krista the Krazy Kataloguer @ www.goodreads.com
"This odd novel reminded me of the rags-to-riches and the picaresque types of stories. The main character went through a lot of adventures and suffering to end up in a good position. The description of the beggar subculture and the state of surgery at the time was fascinating. For a closer look at the beggar culture, and their language, see A Pickpocket's Tale by Karen Schwabach."

ohioyalibrarian @ LibraryThing
"A very well-written and grisly fictional account based on the body-snatching trials of the early 1800's."

pmlyayakkers @ LibraryThing
"After Victor's parents are murdered, he leaves Italian village and signs onto a merchant ship. A fight with another crewman results in his being injured and thrown overboard. Found on shore in England, he is sold to two disreputable "resurrection men" who set him up as a beggar. Poor children's lives were worthless in 1830's London. This is the story of how he and others struggled to live, often died and were taken advantage of. Victor's story has a happy ending - many others did not. Resurrection men were in the business of stealing corpses or otherwise obtaining bodies for medical research."

Elizabeth @ www.tkwelsh.com
"Hello, your book is quiet an inspiration to me. I, as a 12 (going on 20) year old girl, love to write. Sometimes my friends think I'm crazy that I'm writing for fun. Even yet, I'm consistent of writing my book. Your book, has helped me with this process. I think it would be a great honor on my part, if you came to the Book Smith, in the Cumberland mall! Though I am not finished with the book, I am very close to the end, (and on the edge of my seat I might add). The settings and perspective of story telling between Victor's life, and the story telling within the military setting, intrigues me so. I find that it is hard to put down this book, and at times, I would absentmindedly say something out loud while reading, such as encouragement for Victor to run, or 'No... Tatters...', but of course, I know full well the characters cannot hear me. Here I am, getting off subject; me and my mother would be very honored, once again, if you came to Book Smith. I will try my best in school to 'market' the placing around, and put up some flyers in local libraries, and the book store itself. New Jersey doesn't get this much excitement, so when people hear that a writer, as sucessfull as yourself, is coming to a book store locally, I'm sure fellow book readers will jump at the chance! Also, I have yet to read your book "The Unresolved", (which is probly next on my list, after I'm free of all the papers for school I must write). I'm a Jewish teen myself, and think it would be an enriching book to read! We need more writers like you, that are tangible to the public. Thank you again. Aspiring writer, Elizabeth."

Andrea @ genrefluent.com
Teen Comments on Books Eligible for 2007 & 2008 Awards
"Resurrection Menis the first book of its kind that I've ever read. It's set in 1830 London. It's the time when doctors are discovering amazing things about diseases and the human anatomy. Unfortunately, people didn't have enough cadavers to go around. So a black market business is set up, selling bodies dug up from their graves, but that's just one way to get a hold of bodies. It's very dark, so don't read it if you don't like that kind of thing. I would like a copy of this book. Nominate? Yes!"

Ally @ www.tkwelsh.com
"Hi, I just wanted to say that i really loved your book and that you should make another book that is just as creepy and even more so spine chilling. All of my friends are waiting in line to read your book because i gave it a good recomendation. Because of your book it has inspired me to write as well. And just in time as well because i have to write a short story for Lit. Congrats again."

Jan@ www.goodreads.com
"A dark story about child enslavement and other horrors of the Victorian age...a fascinating read."

Trevor @ www.goodreads.com
"The dark, putrid, gray atmosphere of 1830s London is recreated here in vivid and sometimes brutal detail, accurately reflecting the environment of the era...Welsh has incorporated gothic, mystery, and horror genres into a historical novel that is very readable...The feel of the language of the time has been maintained without getting bogged down in exact replication...The action and pace is steady and quick, rarely pausing, and finishes in an unforgettable, movie-quality fight-to-the-death."

Ben @ www.goodreads.com
"A chilling portrait of 1830s London, when corpses were highly valued for medical research, and the streets of London were filled with homeless children. The fresher the subject, the more valuable the cadaver. Eventually, someone realized it was easier to kill the children than to dig them up after death. The book follows the troubles of Victor, from his home in Italy where he witnesses the murder of his parents as Carbonari, to the muck-filled streets of London where he's sold to a Master and forced to beg for a living. Chilling and yet beautifully written. The book haunted me long after I put it down."

Kurt A. Johnson (Top 50 Reviewer) @ Amazon
"While working on a poor street child that was run over along a road, Dr. Lambro has a story to tell. It's the story of Victor, a young Italian lad, who saw his parents murdered before his own eyes, and then was sold into virtual slavery as a ship's cabin boy. Ending up in England, Victor experiences street life in Victorian England, with all of its poverty, degeneracy, and downright murderous danger. This book is written for young adult readers, and is intended to teach them the depths of the horrors that some people experienced in Victorian England. Now, as you might expect from the above description, this is not a happy book, and is bound to be upsetting for younger or more sensitive readers. But, if you are willing to take this book for what it is, you will find it to be an interesting look into the dark, dark side of The Good Old Days. Personally, I found it to be a very interesting read, and a very educational one. I highly recommend this book."

Reluctant Boy Reader @ Amazon
"What makes this book so remarkable to me, as a mom of a son who NEVER reads, is that he LOVED this book. In fact, he couldn't put it down, and was genuinely sad when he'd finished it. It's so difficult for parents to find books for boys these days. Most young adult books are written for girls by girls. Here's a book written for boys about a subject that's gory and ghoulish...but extremely well written and historical to boot. In an age when boys are playing graphic video games, the vividness of the language and the story kept his interest. While the story has some gruesome scenes, based on what I know of the period, it is a very realistic portrayal of what life was actually like. He also completely related to the young boy protagonist. He felt the kid's pain and suffering, and learned that when struggling against the worst possible odds, courage and strength of character will see you through. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK."

Gracie412 in Manhattan @ Amazon
"I bought a few copies of this book for my nephews who find it hard to find books that interest them. They could hardly put it down, they loved the grisly bits but surprisingly also loved the plot. I enjoy T.K. Welsh's books as an adult and my daughter loved The Unresolved but my nephews have had such a wonderful time with this book that they keep re-reading their favorite parts! My sister is ecstatic by their love of reading and is buying The Unresolved for them also. It's very hard to find books that boys will enjoy, and to find a historical fiction book that captures the senses and is well written is a godsend. I think this is a book that can be read by fathers and sons, as well as mothers and daughters. Once again, bravo to T.K. Welsh and as my nephews would say, 'Dude, this rocks!'"

Reader Reviews -- KISS ME, I'M DEAD

Here's what readers like you are saying about KISS ME, I'M DEAD (formerly titled The Unresolved, and released under pen name T.K. Welsh):

Elvis57 @ Amazon
"Kiss Me, I'm Dead will delight students of history and lovers of mystery. Writing in the voice of Mallory Meer, a ghost, J.G. Sandom has crafted a captivating tale of intrigue, romance, and redemption. Set against the backdrop of early 20th century Little Germany in NYC, Sandom paints a detailed portrait of life in the bustling German immigrant culture of the Lower East Side, and the ensuing conflict that occurred after a terrible disaster. On June 15, 1904, the General Slocum set sail from New York for a Sunday picnic in Locust Grove. Packed with over 1,300 Germans, the boat caught fire and quickly sank. Mallory Meer, an adolescent infatuated with her first love, drowned in the accident. Kiss Me, I'm Dead is Mallory's story. In death, her search for love is transformed into a quest for truth. An unseen observer to the grief and desire for vengeance in her community, she roams her former home and neighborhood, witness to all. As her story unfolds, the reader is transported to the lower east side in 1904. History students will be thrilled at the insight into life in Kleindeutschland, rich in detail of the German immigrants, and rife with social and religious tensions within this community and between it and the politics and press of NYC. The causes of the shipwreck and the following investigation will resonate with today's readers. Fans of mystery and intrigue will be carried along as the thirst for blame and retribution unjustly target Mallory's first love, Dustin and his family. Fans of J.G. Sandom will be thrilled that he has written a thoughtful and thought-provoking novel for young adults. The cast of characters in Kiss Me I'm Dead is varied and fully developed. Readers will root for the heroes, boo the villains, and gain insight to the motivations of all. This novel would make an excellent book club selection for young adult and adult readers. In addition to the historical aspects of the novel, character development and writer's craft would both be rich seeds for discussion."

IS Librarian @ LibrisNotes
"The Unresolved is a fascinating blend of ghost story and historical fiction...This gripping historical novel held my interest to the shocking end."

Laurie Balderson "Jamesmom" @ Amazon
"I purchased this book as a supplement to a classroom play that I do every year on the General Slocum disaster of 1904.  Most people don't realize that this was the worst disaster to hit NY until 9/11; few, if any, have heard about it.  Rather than weigh the reader down with technical details, (The Unresolved) gives a heart-wrenching account from the main character's POV (who is dead) of the senseless acts that went on before and right after the burning of the ship."

jlarsonhamilton @ librarything.com
"Mallory thought that life was just beginning, when she finds herself dead and drifting as a ghost through the events and people that led to her death. Will the person or persons responsible for her death and the thousands of others go unresolved or will the culprit be caught? A very graphic and detailed story that takes the reader into that fateful day that really happened. A great way to help students understand a true event, but told through the eyes of a fictional character."

Krista the Krazy Kataloguer @ goodreads.com
"I grabbed this one because I read Edward T. O'Donnell's Ship Ablaze: the Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum a few years ago. This novel is told from the point of view of a teenage girl, Mallory, who died aboard the ship and whose ghost is seeking closure (revenge? resolution?). I really liked the author's description of how Mallory can, as a ghost, travel anywhere, be inside people, appear to people, and know the past and future...I do like T.K. Welsh's writing style, and would like to read more of his/her books."

Jenny @ goodreads.com
"In 1904 steamship General Slocum burned and sank off Manhatten killing over 1,000 people – mostly German immigrants out for a Sunday School outing. (I grew up on L.I. and had never heard of this incident). Narrated by the ghost of Malory – 15 years old when dies on board – Did her young lover set the fire? Will those responsible for the tragedy be punished? Gripping story – read in a single sitting."

Regi @ goodreads.com
"I don’t like ghost stories in particular, but I did enjoy this one. It was dark in a few places and very sad. My favorite quote, 'Not that I was selfish, mind you; just self-preoccupied.'"

Stephanie @ goodreads.com
"Very good historical fiction with a tie-in to today's world that makes it germane."

Lizette @ Barnes & Noble.com
Fantastic Ghost Story
"I loved this book. It was really, really scary and yet full of hope. Mallory is a great character. I couldn't put it down."

Kelly @ Bookshelves of Doom
"I LOVE T.K. Welsh's books. I'm so glad The Unresolved made the (Teens' Top Ten) list. His books are completely crossover, and should be read by adults as well."

Teen Reviewer @ 2007 Teens' Top Ten Book Nominees
"Brilliant story, beautifully written."

ML @ SeeMe4Books
"This was a great book. It really made me feel like I was back in 1904. It's a ghost story and a love story, and it's really creepy but beautiful. I couldn't put it down."

Annie/Winks @ www.goodreads.com
"You start this book thinking that you know the end before you get there because it's clear the narrator is dead. But then she dies right in the beginning of the book and you spend the rest of your time following her and the other still live characters around as she tries to get justice meted out for the burning of the boat she was on with over a thousand others, many of whom also perished. It is an excellent thing to be able to write a compelling book that holds you until the climax, guides you through every turn and provides you with an excellent explanation of historical zenophobia and sexism in turn of the century New York City."

Ben @ www.goodreads.com
"Beautifully written and haunting. I highly recommend this book. Fantastic! Shouldn't be just for young adults. This and Welsh's other so-called teen book (Resurrection Men) transcend the genre."

Sylvana @ the Christian Science Monitor, Book Bits, Readers' Picks
"The Unresolved by T.K. Welsh is historical fiction for young adults based on the real General Slocum steamship disaster. It was one of the best books I've read all year."

Jessica @ BN.com
"The most interesting book ever.  I am someone who reads a lot of tec. i think this is the most coolest book ever because it is just a book someone could really get in to."

Bazile @ www.goodreads.com
"This book challanged my expectations of young adult fiction. I read this book because it was assigned it to youth reading club that I moderate and I must say I was happily surprised at how well written it was. The story was engrossing, the characters well defined and I didn't feel as if I had wandered into a pint sized version of a soap opera.

The story revolves around an actual event, the fire and sinking of the General Slocum steamship in 1904 which until 9/11 was the worst loss of life in NYC. As a New Yorker I was appalled that I had no idea about this. A fifteen year old German girl Mallory is on an outing with her family and more than a thousand other German immigrants on the boat. They are on a day cruise, by the end of the day Mallory and over a thousand others will be dead, a Jewish boy implicated in the fire and a witchunt will have begun.

TK Welsh does an amazing job of painting early 20th century New York and all of its issues. Antisemitism, sexism, immigration, zenophobia, love, betrayal, death and redemption are all featured in a plot that moves along breathlessly. Mallory, as a ghost is trying to come to grips with her ever after as well as keeping an eye on her friends and family. As she learns the truth of what happened to her she sets out to make sure that the truth does come out.

The girls in my reading group (Katrina survivors) loved this book and I must say I did also. Mallory's life is changed but she adapts and finds strength in her new status, the world of 1904 New York is not so different than modern day and one voice can move mountains. I've since made my "adult" friends read this book and they've all enjoyed it. Bravo to TK Welsh for bringing history alive with such beautiful language and story. A great book and a must read."

Carol Reinhard @ www.tkwelsh.com
"I loved The Unresolved. In fact loved it so much I have chosen it to be the featured book this month on an on-line book clubI edit for Christie Vilsack, the former first lady of Iowa."

Norgelia @ The New York Times, "Book News and Reviews" Forum
"I just read my daughter's latest book, The Unresolved, by TK Welsh, and it made me think that there may be hope for (the YA) genre. I am so sick of her reading books that are mini versions of Sex and the City.  This book dealt with the General Slocum tragedy, which I had never heard of. Well-written, the book dealt with some weighty topics -- anti-semitism, death and dying, justice -- without losing momentum or becoming maudlin. Mallory, the main character, is a great young protagonist and, placed against the backdrop of historical events, I was impressed at how beautiful and evocative the language was. I was encouraged that my daughter would read something which would enlarge her brain rather than deplete my wallet (have you read about the clothing in some of these teen books? Paris Hilton wannabees.) I'm grateful for The Unresolved...."

Carlie, teen librarian, in Hackensack, NJ @ BCCLS Mock Awards
Listed as a nominee for the "Printz Award"

Scarlett @ www.penguin.ca
"The Unresolved is a great book. T.K. Welsh tells the story of the General Slocum, a steamship that sank in NYC. This ghost story really grabs your attention and keeps it throughout the entire book. I would reccomend it to any young adult looking for a good ghost story."

Dee @ www.yabookscentral.com
"This book was very touching because it was based on a true story. It is about love, lies, and death...It is a sad story, but love prevails. I recommend this book!!"

Penny @ www.reads4teens.org
"It was great! I love the way Mallory goes into the different characters and feels what they're feeling and thinks what they're thinking. She's stuck on earth trying to make sure the guilty are punished and because she's so in love with her Jewish boyfriend, Dustin, who's accused of starting the fire on the ship...It's both a love story and a ghost story in one. Creepy and romantic too."

SQUIRREL610 @ www.amazon.com
"(A) mesmerizing, often brilliant new historical YA novel by T.K. Welsh...Caught in that netherspace between this world and the next, there is no place where Mallory belongs...The Unresolved is a story of a love that's so great the rupture of death cannot break it. It's a story of a girl's spirit, unresolved yet resilient, betwixt this and what follows; neither child nor adult; neither lover nor friend. It's a story of the ultimate outsider...What a startling, evocative and promising debut...A must for any teenage girl, aged 13+, who likes historical fiction, who feels uncertain of her place in the world, and who has ever been in love."

S. joseh @ www.amazon.com
"Welsh takes an oft overlooked chapter of New York history and breathes life into it by making his main character otherworldly. The sense of unrest and unease is uniquely potrayed as not just the province of those souls in limbo, but also of the very real flesh and blood cast that are living in early twentieth century New York. The intrigue, jealousies and destructive behavior are taut enough to satisfy any modern millie, (imagine early twentieth century Desperate Housewives angst) while keeping the veracity of the historical perspective...T. K. Welsh proves that you don't have to be a wizard to write a book that both parents and children will read and enjoy."

zora31 @ Powells.com
"What a great book! It's a ghost story and a love story. Mallory Meer dies in the General Slocum steamship disaster. I didn't even know there was such a thing and I live in Manhattan! Anyway, Mallory dies along with 1,000 other people and she spends the book as a ghost looking over the people involved in the disaster and making sure that justice prevails. There's a twist to the book and it's great. I liked that the author didn't use simple language. I mean he uses some really great language in here that brings you right into the story. I think it's an intriguing story that keeps you on edge and teaches you something historical too. I could relate to Mallory and many of the teenagers in the book. I guess nothing has changed in a hundred years. I think everyone would really enjoy reading this, even if you aren't a teenager."

THE GOD MACHINE

Historical Novels Review
"Several hidden pieces of a map focus the quest to find the Gospel of Judas, a puzzle spanning A. D. 33 in Egypt to the present day in Europe and New York City.

"Joseph Koster, a brilliant architect whose Asperger syndrome helps and hurts his work, and Savita Sajan, a wealthy computer engineer, are manipulated into becoming the last pieces of a puzzle that could change governments, religions, and the very existence of human beings. Their search involves Judas Iscariot, infamously known as the traitor who betrayed Jesus Christ but whose gospel might reveal that he was the most beloved disciple who actually was chosen to be the keystone of a far larger divine plan. Representatives of the Masons, the Knights of Malta, the Templars, the Roman Catholic Church, and the United States Government are on a similar quest, but what starts out as a journey to enhance each group’s status becomes a frenzied attempt to squash the revelation of a disastrous, enigmatic puzzle’s outcome.

"History galore, violence, and intrigue fill the pages of this tightly plotted, twisting and turning adventure story, reminding one of a multilayered Russian matryoshka doll. The reader will also learn a great deal about da Vinci, Ben Franklin, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and many more historical geniuses . . . Those who love numbers, physics, and a truly unpredictable, suspenseful mystery will relish the facts and ponderings replete in this well-written, mysterious spin-off of The Da Vinci Code. The God Machine is a very impressive historical thriller!"

Review by Viviane Crystal

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THE GOD MACHINE

R&B
"A fast-paced thriller of a ride which kept this reader on her toes. Side by side search and chase more than two centuries apart, the pace and mystery do not waver. A tremendous amount of research must have gone into this book, and into the hands of an author who knew what to do with it. J.G. Sandom has written previous thrillers, but this was my first introduction. It won't be my last.

"The story is historical fiction written with a factual base. Exhilarating, penetrating, even while switching between centuries as far back as A.D.33, does not lose its focus. But there are many red herrings: who does one trust? Is anyone who or what they seem? is even the quest what it seems? These are but a few of the questions that must be solved.

"The God Machine is purported to be a direct line to God. Does it work? This work of fiction will have the reader asking many questions along the way. Such luminaries as Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo da Vinci, and Thomas Edison are among the many seekers and inventors in this story. The search is claimed to be to follow clues to the hiding place of The Book of Judas, but the action mushrooms as the search changes direction. I recommend this book to readers of action, historical fiction, historical religion, and fans of thrillers."

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To buy your copy, click here!

GOSPEL TRUTHS

Crystal Reviews, September 2009
"Have you noticed the rising tide of rebellion in society, a lack of confidence in the authority of both secular and sacred leaders? Gospel Truths is a search for the Gospel of Thomas, a work that could change the very fabric of society and spirituality. For the message supposedly lying within this text contains the key to fully finding one's identity, purpose and power within one's self, and not based on external people or ideas. But, as in every powerful truth, there are those who find this potential discovery a disaster in the making, a formidable force to destroy the powers that be. So what's the obvious conflict? Travel to England and France for an unforgettable experience!

"J. G. Sandom, like Dan Brown and other writers covering similar conflicts, offers each reader a thrilling adventure ride but also some fascinating knowledge about Masons, the Founding Fathers of America, architecture, cathedrals, and so much more.

"The protagonist who will guide us through this labyrinth is Nigel Lyman, a once notable British Detective now wallowing in grief and sorrow over a job gone bad and a terrible personal loss. But morose or otherwise, Lyman is called to investigate the mysterious death of an Italian financier tied to a formidable banking scandal unprecedented in the global banking world. Little does Nigel know that more battles and deaths will follow, but on the journey Nigel begins what will bring him the purpose and healing he most needs, and a conclusion the world needs even more! To stop him, unknown enemies will galvanize their most fierce forces with their own very specific mission.

"Gospel Truths is a dynamic, exciting, intelligent read that will thrill every reader, and, for true seekers, may even send you searching for the real 'gospel truth'. A notable novel that will gain fresh attention and interest of new readers! Move over, Dan Brown!"

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THE GOD MACHINE

Books By Mail (BBM)
"I learned a valuable lesson this weekend. Don't start a J.G. Sandom book at 11:00 at night with the intention of reading a few chapters before bed. When I finally finished the book it was 2:34 in the morning and I had to get up in 4 hours. It was definitely worth the loss of sleep. The book is a non-stop suspense ride that takes the reader from past to present.

"The book tells of the God Machine, a machine that will allow the builder to speak with God or others. Benjamin Franklin wanted the machine to see his dead son again. He hid the blueprints to the machine in 3 different places. Now, there are people that want the God Machine and people that will do anything to stop it.

"The book shows you aspects of several religions and the repercussions that would be felt if the God Machine were to come to life. Joseph Koster is asked to solve the codes that will lead to the plans for the God Machine. He gets assistance from Savita Sajan, a beautiful engineer and a woman who can definitely take care of herself. They go on a journey that is filled with excitement, love, danger, and murder. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for thrilling read and a thought-provoking story."

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THE GOD MACHINE

bookpage.com
"Recently our web editor, Trisha Ping, blogged about the fact that it was Tesla’s birthday and asked if anyone had other Tesla spottings in literature. Synchronicity strikes again, since I happened to be reading a chapter in J.G. Sandom’s The God Machine that featured Tesla. I posted a comment that led to an email note of appreciation from the author, J.G. Sandom.

"Since his page-turning, historical thriller had provided me with insight into the lives of Ben Franklin, Edison, Tesla and the much-maligned Judas—as well as several hours of reading enjoyment—I wanted to know when to expect the sequel to The God Machine.

"But after a brief foray on the net, I learned I don’t have to wait for my next Sandom fix because a prequel, Gospel Truths, was published in 1992 and has been favorably compared to The Da Vinci Code and National Treasure.

"If that book is anything like the one I just finished, I definitely concur. Sandom has a knack for combining legendary gospels, ancient secrets, star-crossed lovers and Masonic puzzles to create a simmering stew of conspiracy, intrigue and danger that keeps the plot pot boiling until the very end.

"When asked what he’s working on now, Sandom said, 'In between trying to make a living—I’m a single dad with an 8-year-old daughter—I’ve been outlining two new novels. One is a book called The Plague that looks at cyber-terrorism and the role of online identities in the world of social networking sites (as yet unsold but my agent is pitching); and the other is a sequel to The God Machine.' The sequel deals with another machine that Franklin invented, the one alluded to by Koster—Sandom’s long-suffering main character—at the end his book.

"Sandom is one busy fellow. He also writes YA books under the pen name T.K. Welsh. Last month, he took part in a Skype online video reading and book conference with high school kids from upstate NY and had a letter about the experience publishedin the School Library Journal. 'It was so much fun, and the kids loved it,' Sandom said.

"Let’s hope he finds time to finish those other book projects. I’m waiting!"

Review by Karen Trotter Elley

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THE GOD MACHINE

Caroline Thompson (author of Edward Scissorhands) @ Small & Creepy Films
"Dan Brown is considered the god of the God thrillers. Well, move over, Dan Brown. Or, better yet, f**k you, Dan Brown. You can’t write for sh*t. And the movie of ANGELS AND DEMONS promises to be crap too.

"All hail J.G. Sandom.

"Do you love codes? Hidden maps? Forbidden sacred texts? Secret societies? Ancient cover-ups? Masonic puzzles? Then, get yourself THE GOD MACHINE as fast as you can — freshly published by Bantam paperbacks. It is a thrilling and breathless, rapturously-written and mind-blowing read. It’ll keep you up all night, turning pages as fast as your little fingers can manage.

"I see on the author’s website –- www.jgsandom.com -- that he even has a Readers’ Contest on offer:  five hundred bucks or a new Kindle 2.  Jeez.  What’s keeping you?"

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THE GOD MACHINE

bookideas.com
"In the prologue of this historical thriller the reader visits ancient Egypt, Leonardo Da Vinci's room in Milan in 1492 and the home of Benjamin Franklin's Philadelphia in 1738.

"Once this groundwork is laid, J.G. Sandom is ready to introduce Joseph Koster and set him on the trail of one of the most amazing and fearsome discoveries of all time. The coded journal of Franklin, a hidden map, a legendary gospel -these are all pieces of the puzzle. The prize that the completed puzzle will reveal is the resting place of the Gospel of Judas.

"A document that could challenge the very foundations of Christianity, the Gospel of Judas will expose Koster to terrible danger because there are those who naturally do not want its content revealed. But, the trail also leads to the plans for a curious and apocalyptical device called the God Machine which could, if completed, open a doorway to Heaven or a portal to Hell.

"The author of Gospel Truths, J.G. Sandom has already shown he intends to give Dan Brown some competition. Fortunately, he has the talent to make this a serious challenge. Brown would be well advised to check his rear view mirror because there's someone closing fast and about to overtake the famous author of The Da Vinci Code!"

Review by Bob Walch
Rating:

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THE GOD MACHINE

Susan Palmer @ ArmchairInterviews
"What do Abraham, Leonardo Da Vinci, Ben Franklin and Edison all have in common? The creation of the God Machine, an engineering blueprint passed on for generations of freemasons. It is present day and Joseph Koster is summoned by his friend Nick Robinson, a collector of unique books, for a task of finding the Gospel of Judas. Nick had previously sent Joseph on a quest for the Gospel of Thomas, which Joseph did not succeed, and had lost his girlfriend Marianne in the process. Joseph still has nightmares about that quest. Nick promises Joseph this will be last quest and even offers someone to help Joseph, an electrical engineer named Savita Sajan.

"As both Savita and Joseph search through Benjamin Franklin’s coded journal in the task of finding pieces of a map that direct them to the Gospel of Judas, many people try to harm them in their quest. Joseph concludes that not everyone wants the Gospel of Judas to get out, which could possibly destroy Christianity along with the prospect of Jesus Christ asking Judas to betray him, rather than Judas taking on the action alone. Roman Catholics and present-day Freemasons would harm Savita and Joseph in this search. What Savita and Joseph do not know is they are not really collecting pieces of a map but pieces of the blueprint that will help someone create a machine that will transport you to God.

"J.G. Sandom creates a thriller that compares in suspense to Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. The story takes place in present day but also includes snippets of Benjamin Franklin’s time. For Benjamin Franklin was closest of all in building the God Machine. Franklin’s quest was simple: he wanted to be connected with his dead son Franky, whom he loved dearly even more than his other children.

"This book is considered a sequel to Gospel of Truths, yet it is a story that is fast-paced for the reader, and succeeds in telling its own story of the God Machine."

Armchair Interviews says: A 5-star thriller.

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THE GOD MACHINE

Book Passage
"In a thrilling tale of secret societies, ancient cover-ups, intellectual puzzles, and nonstop action, one man--spurred by the discovery of Benjamin Franklin's coded journal--goes in search of the legendary Gospel of Judas, but finds something even more incredible.  Original."

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RESURRECTION MEN

Curriculum Connections, November 2008
Murder and Mayhem Under Grey Skies
"Dissecting corpses for medical study also figures in T. K. Welsh’s Resurrection Men (Dutton, 2007), set in 1830s London. Victor, orphaned at 12, is kidnapped and sold to a pair of grave robbers, “resurrection men” who sell fresh bodies to researchers and run a ring of beggar children on the side. In a gruesomely detailed recounting of Victor’s wildly fluctuating fortunes, Welsh creates a bleak portrait of London street life, darkly Dickensian and thoroughly riveting. Offer this one alongside Oliver Twist for lively, if uneasy, discussion."

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THE UNRESOLVED

The Washington Post, June 22, 2008
"Book World's For Young Readers column kicked off almost seven years ago, in the shadow of 9/11. Since then, I've churned out 170-plus columns covering hundreds of titles, from board books to YA heavy hitters, science to science fiction. It's been a joy, and as I get ready to hand off the baton, I know I'll miss it -- well, everything except tripping over the tottering piles of kids' books in my bedroom. A rummage through the files reminds me why. Despite the derivative dross in those book piles (please, no more dragons), nearly every week brought some delightful surprise. In the face of huge pressures on their field, children's authors remain a remarkably fertile and original bunch.

"Absolutely the best part of reviewing is discovery. For me, especially early on, that often meant blithely discovering writers who were already giants. Many writers acclaimed in this space I'd admired for years: Ursula K. Le Guin, Daniel Pinkwater, Susan Cooper, J.K. Rowling. But I was as tickled as a kid on her birthday when I "found" terrific new books by the likes of Polly Horvath, Richard Peck and Christopher Paul Curtis -- laurelled heads all, as it turned out. Last year, I was bowled over by Gary D. Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars, only to learn that he'd won a Newbery Honor for a 2004 book that had sailed right by me.

"It was the same with such picture-book luminaries as Kevin Henkes, Ian Falconer (creator of Olivia the pig), three-time Caldecott medalist David Wiesner, Peggy Rathmann and Ed Young, all dazzlingly new to me when I started this gig. Every one of them helped me define, and refine, what I considered the gold standard in their genres, but it wasn't as if they needed me to actually introduce them to anybody. No, the real fun was in discovering first-time or overlooked authors, sometimes foreign, sometimes from small publishers or even university presses. Lots of names jump out from the files. Britain's Geraldine McCaughrean, never as big a seller in the United States as she should be, won regular plaudits in this space, particularly for her sparkling authorized sequel to Peter Pan and her Antarctic thriller, The White Darkness. So did such under-the-radar titles as Mister Boots, a sci fi novel by Carol Emshwiller featuring a man who is really a horse; Birdwing, Rafe Martin's lovely retelling of a Grimm tale; and Shyam Selvadurai's Swimming in the Monsoon Sea, about a gay boy coming of age in Sri Lanka.

"One day in 2006, I stumbled across the galley of The Unresolved, a first novel for older teens by an author I'd never heard of, T.K. Welsh. Welsh turned out to be a pseudonym for J.G. Sandom, an established adult author, and The Unresolved a subtle gem based on the true story of a steamship that sank in New York's East River in 1904. In February 2004, a package yielded a copy of The Legend of Buddy Bush, a wrenching tale of segregation-era North Carolina by new author Shelia P. Moses; subsequent titles by Moses proved it was no fluke. Australia's Sonya Hartnett and the Dominican Republic's Julia Alvarez also got early salutes here.

"In June 2005, the column was devoted for the first time to a single stunning book: The Diary of Ma Yan, extracts from the journal of a 13-year-old schoolgirl in a poor, drought-stricken corner of northwestern China.

"There were picture-book discoveries, too. I treasure my copies of Barbara Joosse's Hot City, with its sizzling paintings by R. Gregory Christie, Elisha Cooper's meditative A Good Night Walk, and David Slonim's infectiously silly He Came with the Couch. ("Seriously," this column opined, "kindergarteners have all the fun.") Many reviewers praised Jon J Muth's books Zen Shorts and Zen Ties, starring a philosophical giant panda. But I take pride in having drawn attention to two outstanding books from Asia: On My Way to Buy Eggs, by Chih-Yuan Chen of Taiwan, whose next book, Guji Guji, went on to win broad acclaim in this country; and The Zoo, by Korea's Suzy Lee.

"This has been a mostly cheerful space, focused on celebrating the best. But sometimes, it has been the column's sad duty to point out the bad, usually when an established author appeared to have slipped, as in the case of Blue Balliett's The Wright 3; fallen short, as with Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret (which despite our strictures went on to win this year's Caldecott Medal); or gone off the rails entirely, as happened with Kate DiCamillo's bafflingly cruel The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. After all, readers' book budgets are limited.

"And the one title that stands out? This may come as a surprise: Runny Babbit, a "billy sook" of inspired verse by the late, great Shel Silverstein, posthumously published in 2005. You could give this utterly joyous book to anyone, child or adult, and be certain it will make their day. For me, it more than made up for seven years worth of dragons."

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RESURRECTION MEN

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, February 2008
"When Tyrolean soldiers kill young Victor’s parents, he leaves his hometown of Modena on a merchant ship headed up the Mediterranean coast. A violent spat with another crewmember casts Victor overboard and clinging to a gaff in the English Channel with almost all chances of hope gone. He washes ashore, and an elderly Englishman takes in the injured boy and nurses him back to health. The man then sells him to Tipple and Biggs, two undertakers who intend to teach Victor the mortuary trade. Victor is taken to London, where he learns of Tipple’s and Biggs’s questionable practices such as digging up the recently deceased to sell their organs to doctors, or worse, murdering orphans to increase their profit with 'fresh subjects.' Part historical fiction and part adventure story, the novel brings excitement to Victorian England through an elaborate plot of body snatching, greed, and street life. This is a challenging read, but competent readers will be on the edge of their seats as they follow Victor from Italy to England as he seeks to solve mysteries and combat the rampant malevolence of the period."

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THE WAVE

Kirkus, January 2008
"In Sandom’s doomsday thriller, a cryptanalyst and an oceanographer combine forces in an attempt to thwart a terrorist plan to inundate the eastern seaboard of the United States.

"'What you need is something to make the Americans veer away from peace. Something abominable,' says jihadist El Aqrab, who has something abominable in mind: a mega-tsunami sweeping west across the Atlantic, generated by the aftereffects of his very own nuclear detonation. El Aqrab is a mean and devious dude; though he 'destroys with an aesthetic sensibility,' as a Mossad agent notes, he is a pure force of darkness. Just so, he is in keeping with most of Sandom’s other characters: very bad, like El Aqrab, or very good, like code-breaker Decker ('the gentle features of a poet'), or good and gorgeous, like grad-student Swenson ('To be intelligent and to look like this? It was a fucking outrage.')...Sandom’s strength lies in the verve of his story, with writing that has both muscle, in its pacing and violence, and a measure of brains as it goes about knitting Islamic calligraphy into the action, as well as making skirmishes into cryptography, vulcan stimulation and the higher physics of radiation and isotope decay without force-feeding the dense material to the reader...After a rather stately start, punctuated by little flurries of menace and barbarism from the stock bad guys, and a critical massing of feints and distractions, the story races from improbable to crazywild, all in good fun, with Sandom always one step ahead — and who cares if you can’t tell a 'temperature-compensated quartz oscillator pressure transducer' from a toaster oven?

A story with enough manic energy to be worthy of a nuclear explosion."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Bookslut, October 2007
"Initially, (J.G. Sandom's) The Unresolved read like a traditional historical novel, albeit with a narrator who dies in the opening chapter. (Sandom) does an excellent job of detailing the tragedy of the General Slocum, a steamship that caught fire in New York’s East River in 1904 and caused the deaths of more than 1,000 people. In the weeks after the accident it was revealed that much of the rescue equipment onboard was unusable, including fire hoses, life boats and life jackets. It’s a rotted life jacket that led to the drowning death of Mallory, the book’s undead protagonist, and is the reason why she is begins haunting many other people.

"The survivors are suspicious and they and their families need to find somebody to blame. The tragedy pulled apart the New York community of Little Germany and the deaths ultimately led to its demise. Mallory moves between family members and friends, sharing their thoughts, and then eases into the lives of those who were responsible for the tragedy, forcing liars to see the truth and not letting others forget. Along the way, she observes what it means to be not only dead, but to have left behind a body that is unrecognizable:

And then it was my turn. I saw my mangled body being lowered down the frightful lip of that mass grave -- great hole for the unrecognized and unremembered. I felt my torso slide, my legs unfold beneath me. Legs wrapped about yet other limbs, despite our individual coffins. And arms and fingers, intertwined. That’s how I stumbled onto Nixie. What was left of her was propped up underneath another girl so that it was hard to tell where one began and the other finished. They had been baked together by the fire. My sister sat there, looking so nonchalant, without fear, without the slightest trepidation. I caught her eye, and I could feel her smile.

"The Unresolved scores on several levels, most notably as a drama that blows apart all preconceived notions of how history can be retold. Mallory is a very engaging protagonist, both alive and dead, but it is as she evolves as a ghost that she will truly resonate with readers. Equal parts naïve and determined, eventually she becomes a force to be reckoned with and the true face of an avenging ghostly angel."

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THE UNRESOLVED

FLIP THE SWITCH: TEENS AWAKE, October 2007
"The Unresolved is a historical mystery about the General Slocum steamboat fire. The steamboat fire was the worst disaster in New York City until the World Trade Center attack on September 11, 2001. Sadly, this fire and shipwreck, in which over 1,000 people lost their lives, has largely been forgotten today. The cause of the fire was never determined.

"On June 14, 1904, members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church boarded the steamboat on the way to their annual end of Sunday School class picnic. Most members of St. Mark’s were German immigrants. The story is told by the ghost of one of the trip takers, fifteen-year-old Mallory Meer. Mallory has a secret rendezvous to meet Dustin, a young Jewish boy she has a crush on and who also happens to be her father’s apprentice. Their secret meeting does not last very long, because soon after the immigrants board the ship, the fire starts. The life jackets were made of cork, and they disintegrated, allowing people to drown instead of float. The life boat bolts were rusted to the side of the boat and all water hoses burst making both items of no use to the trapped passengers.

"Mallory’s ghost chronicles the aftermath of the fire and shipwreck. She attends the coroner’s inquest, which were of great interest to the community. Historical records indicate that over 600 families lost someone in the fire and shipwreck. Mallory follows the life of the key players of the shipwreck throughout the course of the rest of their lives. The Unresolved is a great quick read for those who like historical fiction or who want to know more about this forgotten tragedy.

"The Unresolved is a nominee for the Teens Top 10...If it’s your favorite, don’t forget to place your vote during Teen Read Week, October 14-20, 2007."

Review by Marci @ Duraleigh Road Library

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THE UNRESOLVED

Gemini Moon, September 2007
"Mallory Meer, a 15-year-old victim of the 'General Slocum' steamship disaster, haunts those responsible for the tragedy, determined to see that justice is served.  A good suspence book. Short but well written. The courtroom scenes reminded me a lot of the scenes from To Kill a Mockingbird."

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RESURRECTION MEN

Necropsy -- The Review of Horror Fiction, Summer 2007
"A Corpse Is a Corpse, Of Course" -- June Pulliam

"Although (J.G. Sandom's) Resurrection Men is published by an imprint that markets books to children and young adults, I am reviewing it here in Necropsy nevertheless. It is something that can be enjoyed by a much wider audience, which is the case with a good deal of young adult fiction of the past twenty years.

"(Sandom's) novel is a complex frame tale very loosely based upon the infamous exploits of those most infamous of resurrection men, Burke and Hare...(Sandom) creates a similar situation in 1831 London. His protagonist, Victor, an Italian lad orphaned at twelve, finds his way to the British Isles by way of being sold to a ship’s captain to be his cabin boy. When Victor breaks his leg at sea while climbing the rigging, the captain declares the child is no longer of any use to anyone and has him thrown overboard. Miraculously Victor survives, and is rescued by a beach comber with enough raw medical skills to set his badly broken limb. But because the man is barely able to feed himself, let alone support Victor, he eventually sells the youth as an apprentice to a man similar to Charles Dickens’ Artful Dodger. This new master trains Victor to be a professional cadger who gives a percentage of the daily alms he begs in the streets to his master in return for his lodging. In this position, Victor has the opportunity to see how the poor of the city are treated and expand his already bountiful store of sympathy for his fellow humans. Victor also learns quickly that begging is not an unskilled job, but a high art, where the most successful of his lot either have an attraction such as a rented taxidermied animal to pose with or are particularly adept at evoking pathos in their marks so that they part with their coins. Some among his fellow cadgers are also able to augment their meager incomes through prostitution.

"Since Victor’s leg healed crookedly, he is still crippled, and is sometimes able to use this disability to his advantage when he begs. It is in this capacity that he comes to the attention of Dr. Quigley, a well-to-do London physician who takes an interest in Victor and re-breaks and re-sets his leg for him free of charge so that he will be able to walk once again without impediment. During Victor’s convalescence, Quigley soon discovers that the lad has a quick mind and instinct for healing in his own right, and puts the idea in Victor’s head that he could become his apprentice and eventually be a physician himself.

"But then Victor discovers how people like Quigley get the bodies they use in their work. As with most tales of resurrection men, there is some tension between the sometimes unsavory deeds that must be performed in the name of the advancement of knowledge vs. the dignity due the dead. But since this tale is being told in the 21st century rather than the 19th, readers have long since given up being disgusted by the idea that human bodies are dissected in the name of medical science, and so the writer must use a new technique to awaken our revulsion at the practice. Robert Wise’s 1945 film The Body Snatcher, as well as Sheri Holman’s 2000 novel The Dress Lodger, use the device of the anatomy student (or teacher) being forced through convoluted circumstances to dissect the body of someone they knew well, thus rejuvenating our primordial sense of outrage about the fate of the dead. And both The Body Snatcher (Wise’s film and the 1884 Robert Louis Stevenson short story of the same name on which it is based) and Resurrection Men venture into Burke and Hare territory to enflame our sense of moral outrage.

"When Victor confronts the man ultimately responsible for creating a market for the immorally procured cadavers, he responds that his actions are justified in order to further medical science, and that the unfortunate “Burked” individuals were nothing more than cadgers. Without giving away too much, as this is fiction, the good end happily while the bad end badly...Resurrection Men is a well-written story, and the author (and perhaps the author’s publisher too) demonstrates faith in the target audience’s intelligence, as there is no deus ex machina to explain the term “resurrection man,” and words like “cadger,” that are generally not used in the United States, are not Americanized the way some words were changed in earlier editions of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter’s novels. The writer instead has enough faith that the reader will understand these things or even take the radical step of consulting a dictionary when in doubt."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Church and Synagogue Library Association (CSLA), August 2007
"In 1904, a fifteen-year-old German-American girl named Mallory Meer finds herself in love with Dustin, a boy who has finally noticed her. Unfortunately, their romance comes to a fatal end when a fire breaks out on the General Slocum steamship and she dies, along with thousands of other passengers. Now her ghost seems trapped, unable to move on. How can she let go of her family or Dustin? How can she help bring those responsible for the horrific fire to justice? Is Dustin wrongfully accused of the crime because he is a Jew? Filled with intrigue, corruption, and revenge motifs, (Sandom) weaves a fast-paced romance with time shifts clearly delineated.

"This is (Sandom's) first young adult novel, although (he) has written seven books in the adult fiction category. Let’s hope this is just the beginning of more young adult books from this author."

Review by: Mary Lou Henneman

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RESURRECTION MEN

It's All About the Book, July 2007
"(J.G. Sandom's) last book, The Unresolved, was one of my favorites of 2006, and Resurrection Men doesn’t disappoint. In the 1830’s, an Italian boy witnesses his parents being murdered, and is then sold as a cabin boy on a ship. A bad fall from the rigging means he’s no longer useful so he’s thrown overboard. Miraculously, he makes it to shore and is found by an old man who nurses him back to health, only to sell him to a couple of “resurrection men” whose job is to procure corpses for doctors to autopsy. He makes his way to London, where he plunges into the worst of the underbelly of society — beggars, prostitutes, thieves and murderers. After many trials and tribulations, the boy’s decency and courage help him rise above the life he’s been forced to live.

"Of course, the inevitable comparison to Dickens’ Oliver Twist comes to mind, but Resurrection Men is far more than that. (Sandom) makes the horrific living conditions, especially those for children, come alive here. (He) doesn’t rely on innuendo, but lays it all out, from the dens of beggar children to the trade in child prostitution, so the reader comes to know that living in London in the 1830’s was anything but idyllic. Reading this, I was reminded of a book I read years ago called The Anti-Society by Kellow Chesney which described the lives of the poor during the reign of Queen Victoria. Most history books recount the glorious reign of the Queen and ignore the harsh reality lived by her poorest subjects. (Sandom) succeeds in bringing that reality to vivid life."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Scholar's Blog, June 2007
"(J.G. Sandom's) The Unresolved is based on a true story. In 1904 a fire on board the steamboat General Slocum killed more than 1000 people, mostly woman and children, most of whom were German immigrants, on New York's East River. Many people suffered as a result of this tragic event and (Sandom) has written a hauntingly compelling novel that looks at who was to blame for this tragedy. The focus of the story is 15 year old Mallory Meer who shared her first kiss with the boy she loved, Dustin Brauer, the son of a Jewish beer brewer; he's accused of starting the fire, and he and his father are both persecuted by the Lutheran German community of Kleindeutschland. Mallory's spirit haunts the community, moving through time and space, influencing people, until justice is done and the person who really started the fire is discovered.

"I don't want to say too much more about this book because that would spoil it, I feel. Just find a copy, if you can, and read it; it's well written and very moving."

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RESURRECTION MEN

The Miss Rumphius Effect, June 2007
I also finished Resurrection Men this afternoon. (J.G. Sandom), where have you been? I loved this book! As a fan of Sherlock Holmes novels and most pieces of historical fiction set in the Victorian era, I was right at home in this work. The fact that I had recently finished Anne Roiphe's An Imperfect Lens about the cholera epidemic of 1883 in Alexandria just put me in the mood for the grisly details of Welsh's story. Victor is a worthy protagonist, and one that is not easily forgotten once the book is finished. Suffering a cruel early life, Victor witnesses the murder of his parents, is sold to a merchant, and is abused at sea and finally thrown overboard. Once he washes ashore in England, he is taken in by an elderly man who helps him recover, only to sell him to a pair of grave robbers (the "Resurrection men") who steal corpses for use in research and dissection. This is a wonderfully ghoulish story that captures the darkness of London in the mid-1800's. Pick it up and you'll find it hard to put down. Once you reach the end, you have the option of logging on to the hidden section of (J.G. Sandom's) web site for some added fun.

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RESURRECTION MEN

BIG A, little a, June 2007
"(J.G. Sandom) is fast becoming one of my favorite writers. His work transcends genre and audience classification,* and his style is provocatively old fashioned for the early 21st century. (Sandom's) first (YA) novel, The Unresolved, employed a ghost narrator in the telling of a tragic historical event and was one of my favorite novels of 2006. (Sandom's) sophomore novel, Resurrection Men, is straight-up historical fiction with a focus on class and the gritty streets of 19th-century London that would make Dickens proud.

"Resurrection Men begins in Surrey in 1852 when a repellent Marquess of Stanton runs over a small boy in his carriage. The Marquess wants to leave the severely injured boy by the side of the road because "the boy is obviously a vagabond" and "shouldn't have been gamboling out there on the road." But, his lady friend insists and the boy is delivered to a Dr. Lambro. While Dr. Lambro operates on the boy (who has broken ribs and a collapsed lung), he tells a story to his neighbor Colonel Maxwell about another little boy born 25 years earlier in Italy. This boy, Victor, is the hero of Resurrection Men.

"Victor begins his life in Italy and watches the assassination of his parents as Carbonari. He's sold as a Cabin boy and, after a hellish voyage or two, washes up on the shores of England with a leg shattered into bits. A kindly old man takes care of him, helps him to heal, and teaches him to fight. When times get tough, however, the old man sells the boy to a "Master," a man who uses children to beg on the streets, pocketing a share of their earnings. Victor travels to London and the Master with a pair of Resurrection Men -- men who steal corpses for autopsies and scientific research.

"Victor makes friends amongst the other children, particularly with a young boy named Nico, who is also from Italy, and with a blind girl named Rebecca. Each day the children take an animal with them in an attempt to gain sympathy and attention amongst the crowds of London. (Sandom's) London is place of nightmares and dreams, of fog and pollution, of rich and poor. Victor watches as his friends are used and abused (Rebecca most of all) and vows to protect them in the streets and in the home of the Master.

"One day, a wealthy, kindly doctor approaches Victor and Rebecca on the streets and offers to fix Victor's mangled leg. After the operation, Victor stays with the doctor and begins helping in his practice. On one occasion, he attends a private autopsy and discovers that it's his friend Nico on the table. He discovers the Resurrection Men who took him to London are responsible for Nico's death and plan on providing more corpses culled from the Master's children.

"Resurrection Men is a moody, evocative tale in which more than bodies are resurrected--the souls of the primary characters are at stake as well. (Sandom) brings 19th-century London to life in all its horrors and brilliance and Victor is a hero worthy of the reader's attention. Pair this one with a classic in a high school classroom, or share it with an intelligent teen reader today.

=====================

* "I have to admit I'm not entirely sure what makes Resurrection Men and The Unresolved Young Adult fiction outside the age of their narrators. These are books any adult would enjoy and, more importantly, think about long after reading."

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RESURRECTION MEN

KLIATT, Free Online Library, April 2007
"After his parents are killed right in front of him, 12-year-old Victor, from Modena, Italy, is sold as a cabin boy. His leg is shattered in a terrible fall on a ship and he is flung overboard, washing up on the shores of England. But all the danger and hurt Victor has experienced so far is nothing compared to the calculated cruelty he encounters as a crippled beggar in the mean, filthy streets of London in 1830, where bodysnatchers ("resurrection men") supply physicians eager to study human anatomy with not only fresh corpses but also live children for their experiments. Victor must risk his life to uncover the identity of a particularly evil doctor and save the girl he loves.

"Based on the body-snatcher trials of the 1830s, this dark, atmospheric thriller by the author of the YA novel The Unresolved is an absorbing if often gruesome read. There are gory details of our hero cramming into an already occupied coffin and what takes place in a slaughterhouse and at a dissection, which will either thrill or appall readers. Like M.T. Anderson's The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, this look at sinister events in history makes the era come alive and lingers in the memory."

Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT

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THE UNRESOLVED

ALAN Review, April 2007 (Winter Edition)
"In an interesting twist for historical fiction, (J.G. Sandom's) first young adult novel, The Unresolved, develops a tale of romance told from the point of view of a ghost, a victim of the true-life burning and sinking of the steamship the General Slocum in New York City's East River in June 1904.

"In the novel, the steamship fire is started after our protagonist, 15-year-old Mallory, receives her first kiss from a young man. He attempts to save her, but the ship's lifejackets are rotten (a historically accurate detail), and she drowns after he pushes her into the water. He survives, only to be blamed for causing the fire, and our now ghostly narrator cannot rest until justice is done.

"No doubt many adolescents will enjoy this blend of romance and the supernatural set against the backdrop of an American tragedy that is often overlooked."

F. Todd Goodson

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RESURRECTION MEN

Publishers Weekly, April 2007
"(Sandom's) latest historical novel takes readers on a haunting tour of London's underclass during the 1830s. Victor is a 12-year-old Italian boy whose cheerful life in Modena is dramatically altered when his parents, suspected revolutionaries, are murdered before his eyes by Austrian soldiers. Victor is sold to a merchant who uses him as a cabin boy; he adjusts to the brutal life on board the ship, but his ill luck is unrelenting: while escaping a crew member who attempts to molest him, Victor breaks his leg and is tossed overboard. He washes ashore in England, and is taken in by an elderly man who helps him learn English and recover from his injury. But the man eventually sells Victor to a pair of grave robbers, the eponymous "Resurrection men" who steal corpses for doctors' use in research and dissection. The men bring Victor to London, where he joins a guild of beggars and befriends some fellow outcasts. His luck finally begins to change when a wealthy physician makes him his apprentice, but Victor discovers evil practices within that profession as well. Welsh's visceral descriptions of industrial London are unflinching: in the city's meat market, 'Many sheep were skinned while alive. And horses were frequently stabled in the putrefying remains of their fellows, maimed and starving, awaiting their own executions. Somehow they knew. Victor could see it in their pitiful eyes.' Teens will likely be both captivated by Victor's harrowing story as well as his ability to prevail in the face of harsh injustices."

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RESURRECTION MEN

VOYA, April 2007
"Medical scholars in 1830 London are desperate for dead bodies to use in the study of human anatomy. Body snatchers, or 'resurrection men' steal corpses from fresh graves, or even pose as dying poor in order to claim their bodies and sel1 them to researchers. Twelve-year Victor, an Italian orphan who has barely survived a ruthless sea journey, is purchased by resurrection men Biggs and Tipple to use as a driver for their carriage. They place him in a rundown house filled with beggar children. Victor’s fortune changes when a kind physician, Dr. Thomas Quigley, takes an interest in him. He moves in with Dr. Quigley and becomes his apprentice. But Victor is unable to forget Rebecca and Nico, his only two friends from his former residence. While attending a human dissection demonstrated by the renowned Dr. Crumm, Victor realizes that the subject on the table is Nico. Shocked and sickened, he is determined to find justice for his friend. In the process, he discovers that Dr. Crumm has been infecting kidnapped street children in order to study the disease.

"(Sandom) paints a harsh, bleak portrait of life in London during this period, with a special emphasis on the exploitation of the hordes of homeless children who roamed the streets. His plot and writing style are reminiscent of Oliver Twist by Dickens but far more graphic. Teen readers will thoroughly enjoy the hair-raising suspense in this historical thriller."

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RESURRECTION MEN

Kirkus Reviews, March, 2007
"Set in London in 1830 where the selling of human corpses to those in science has become a lucrative business, twelve-year-old Victor is aware that his body would fetch a good price and so must watch out for those who mean to do him harm while working to put a stop to their evil ways.

"(For) audiences that relish historical fiction...(Sandom) pits an orphaned beggar lad with a shattered leg and some martial-arts training against a pair of genial body snatchers in the employ of a prominent doctor who likes to molest girls and infect kidnapped children with cholera in the name of scientific discovery....(A) lurid stomach-churner... strewn with corpses and gruesome relics."

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GOSPEL TRUTHS

BookReporter.com, February 2007
"The year is 1991, and British police inspector Nigel Lyman has fallen from grace following a run as media darling after he solved a gruesome case involving a teacher who had dismembered several young students who attended a prestigious school. But then Lyman's (partner) dies during a scuffle with some bad guys. Add to that the loss of his son in the Falklands war and the end of his marriage, and Lyman nearly reached his breaking point.

"To top it off, he's been assigned to a seemingly insignificant but reopened case involving a powerful Vatican-connected Italian banker who presumably hanged himself off Blackfriars Bridge in London a year earlier. Like the labyrinths that will eventually provide pivotal clues, the path Lyman follows in solving the case will take turns that appear to lead directly to the center of the mystery, only to steer him in another direction entirely.

"At the heart of the case is the legendary "Q" document, which is purported to be the gospel that the apostles Matthew, Mark and Luke used as source material for their own gospel accounts. It's believed to have been hidden away in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres in France. But before Lyman figures out the link to Q in Chartres, his investigation leads him to another French city, Amiens, and its cathedral -- plus a half-dozen or so people who play essential roles in the unraveling of a web of crime extending far beyond a London bridge.

"It helps to get the characters straight right away: Guy Soury-Fontaine, tour guide at the Amiens Cathedral; Mariane, his sister, whose lover, Maurice Duval, mysteriously disappeared a year earlier; Joseph Koster, an American mathematician and architect who is smitten with Mariane; Archbishop Kazimierz Grabowski, who heads up the Vatican Bank; and Marco Scarcella, who has his hands in all manner of nefarious enterprises.

"And then there's Countess Irene de Rochembaud, who is worthy of her own paragraph though she gets less ink in the book than the other main characters. But in this novel of superbly written scenes, the scene in which Koster meets the countess in a Paris park merits honorable mention. It provides a delightful respite from the gripping suspense that characterizes the novel as a whole.

"All are in one way or another connected to the pursuit of Q, which is believed to contain passages that would undermine the foundations of Christianity. Some, of course, would love to find the document so they could threaten to expose its contents, while others want it in order to hide it all over again and protect the church. With so much at stake -- particularly the extraordinary sum of money that could fall into the hands of either camp should Q be found -- there is lots of opportunity for intrigue, corruption, murder, deception, mystery, greed and the like.

"Based on a true incident, GOSPEL TRUTHS was first published in 1992 and is facing the prospect of a second successful run in light of the resurgence in popularity of religious thrillers. Sandom's novel, however, is no way typical of the current spate of Da Vinci wannabes; his is an outstanding accomplishment -- a beautifully written, intelligent, complex suspense novel. The plot and its various subplots hold together throughout, and the characters remain believable from start to finish -- a remarkable achievement considering the scope of Sandom's effort. Highly recommended."

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RESURRECTION MEN

Jen Robinson's Book Page, February 2007
"Resurrection Men, by (J.G. Sandom), is a mystery set in London in the 1830s, at a time when body-snatchers sold corpses to doctors eager to learn. Victor is a plucky young Italian boy who endures a series of horrific events. His parents are killed in front of him, and he's forced into life as a cabin boy. When an accident damages his leg, crippling him, he's thrown callously overboard, no longer of use. Rescued, and then sold again, he ends up a professional beggar in London. Only his friends, Rebecca and Nico, keep Victor going. At least until a wealthy gentleman takes an interest in him.

"(J.G. Sandom) doesn't shrink from depicting the horrors and dangers faced by beggar children in the city: police and criminals and filth and beatings, to name a few. But these ordinary perils pale in comparison to the challenge faced by Victor and his friends in Resurrection Men. Victor, Nico, and Rebecca each have their own strengths, and Victor in particular comes across as a boy who anyone would be proud to know.

"I found this story gripping and fast-paced, filled with intriguing historical details. Several of the characters, as well as the general atmosphere of the book, feel menacing. You can practically smell the smells, and feel the hair rising on the back of your neck, as you read this book. The ending is utterly satisfying and consistent.  Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Jen Robinson's Book Page, February 2007
"The Unresolved is a deceptively slim book about an actual historical tragedy. In 1904 fire on the steamboat General Slocum killed more than 1000 people, mostly woman and children, mostly German immigrants, on New York's East River. Many people suffered, and many people were to blame. According to Wikipedia, this was New York City's worst loss-of-life disaster until September 11th, 2001.

"In this novel by (J.G. Sandom), the spirit of one of the dead, Mallory Meer, is unable to rest until she uncovers the reasons for the disaster. Mallory, as a spirit, isn't very strongly anchored in time, and her thoughts and experiences drift backwards and forwards in a somewhat stream-of-consciousness manner. For example (from page 2):

My name is Mallory Meer. I'd turned fifteen the week before, and in an hour -- thanks to the only boy I've ever loved -- I would be dead.

I float around the white memorial in Middle Village, Queens, among the other insubstantial figures. We are the unidentified remembered -- the unknown, unforgotten victims of the General Slocum who continue, unresolved, like Tantalus, to grasp at something slightly out of reach.

"Mallory travels through time and space, haunting the survivors and those culpable in the disaster, though most don't know that she's there. She learns things about their backgrounds, and their actions, and gradually pieces together the chain of events that led to so many unnecessary deaths. But it's a difficult non-life for Mallory, visiting with person after person, reliving traumatic events over and over again, and trying to communicate with the living.

"This book is a haunting chronicle of the ways things can go wrong, one decision at a time, and the way people hide from the truth, and lie to protect themselves. There are also interesting tidbits about immigrant life in New York, and the way that breweries work. Although the writing style takes getting used to, I found the story riveting, and read it in a single sitting. I recommend it for fans of historical fiction, especially mysteries, and fans of ghost stories."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee (Association of Jewish Libraries), January 2007
"Before the tragic events of 9/11, the greatest disaster in New York history was the fire aboard the General Slocum steamship in 1904, killing more than a thousand people on a church outing. (Sandom's) fictionalized account is narrated by the ghost of one of the victims, fifteen-year-old Mallory Meer. Her boyfriend Dustin Brauer, the Jewish son of a beer brewer, is accused of starting the fire, and he and his father are persecuted by the Lutheran German community of Kleindeutschland. Mallory's spirit and soul will not rest until justice is achieved. As the story of Dustin's alleged involvement in the fire spreads, the anti-Semitic and bigoted views of his neighbors are exposed. A unique and spooky departure from the typical historical novel, The Unresolved, while disturbing and haunting, is also compelling and captivating."

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RESURRECTION MEN

TeensReadToo, January 2007
"1830, Modena, Italy. 12-year-old Victor returned to his home and had to watch with horror the cruel murder of his parents by three Tyrolean soldiers. The reason? They were Carboniaris, a group of revolutionaries that fought to keep Italy united.

"After the massacre, the soldiers sold Victor as a cabin boy to the Chief Mate of the Ceres, a ship that was about to set sail. The ship departed from Italy, and sailed along the Mediterranean coast through the Strait of Gibraltar. It sailed past the coasts of Portugal, northern Spain, and France.

"One day, in the middle of a big storm, Victor climbed up the mainmast, all the way to the topgallant, trying to escape from a crew member whom he had accused of stealing food. But as the seaman drew closer, Victor lost his footing, fell on the deck, and crushed his leg completely. The Chief Mate didn’t think twice: “A cabin boy who cannot walk is of no value to this ship…. Throw him overboard.” Which he did.

"Clinging to a gaff, Victor drifted in the middle of the sea for several days, until he arrived at the coast of England. He was rescued by an old man and his dog. The old man treated his leg, fed him, and taught him how to speak English and fight with his crutch. After a few months, the old man couldn’t afford to keep Victor any more and, once again, Victor was sold. This time to Tipple and Biggs, two unscrupulous men who took Victor to London, by hiding him in a coffin with a decaying body.

"In London, Victor lived in a house full of children and animals. He was forced to beg in the streets during the day. Life in London at that time was difficult: jobs were scarce, health conditions were deplorable, the streets were full of excrement and mud; people were dying of cholera. Victor soon discovered that there was a black market for dead bodies and body parts. Doctors wanted to study the human body and were willing to pay high amounts of money for them. People like Tripple and Biggs met the demand, and were willing to do anything for a few guineas, including digging up corpses, kidnapping, selling, or even killing someone. Victor found out that Tripple and Biggs were after some of his friends, and he decided that he had to reveal the mastermind of this wicked market and put an end to it.

"RESURRECTION MEN is an intense, dark work of historical fiction that made me read every page intently to the end, while trying to cope with the knot of sadness and anguish that I had in my stomach. (J.G. Sandom's) rich vocabulary and detailed descriptions, where almost no noun goes without an adjective, transported me to the streets of London, and made me smell the putrid odors of the city, live the horrors of the children’s lives, witness the horrid dissections of the dead bodies, and hear the unsettling noise of the broken bones. When I finished the novel, I was looking forward to reading the section at the end of the book that explained which historical facts of the book were real, but unfortunately, there was none.

"I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and is interested in learning more about an unfortunate time in the history of medicine and the city of London. But if you’re looking for a fun, happy read, this may not be it!"

13-year-old Christian C. from New York

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THE UNRESOLVED

Flamingnet, January 2007
"Mallory's story begins on the day she dies. Soon after her first kiss, the steamship on which she is traveling goes up in flames, and, because of her old, waterlogged life jacket, she drowns.

"She's not the only one to die in the accident; the lifeboats are rusted to the deck, the water hoses rotten, and the lifejackets useless, so many of her friends and neighbors, as well as her little sister, die that day in New York City.

"Mallory is a silent, incorporeal observer to the aftermath of the accident, unable to move on into whatever comes next for spirits who leave this world. This is not normal historical fiction -- it's told from the perspective of a ghost.

"The aftermath of the accident, when everyone is trying to assign the blame to someone, anyone, is very interesting. It's a look at the way justice worked in 1904, and it's not particularly different from the way it seems to work today ... this is a gripping story that will surely keep reader's attention."

15-year-old reviewer from Asheville, NC

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THE UNRESOLVED

Children and Books, December, 2006
"Our Teen Advisory Board mentioned that they would like to see more historical fiction, and this book is an excellent example of the genre.  The story centers on the 1904 New York City General Slocum steamship fire that killed 1000 people, and (Sandom) imagines the ghost of one of the victims witnessing the trial of her young boyfriend who is accused of setting the fire."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Cricket in the Corner, December, 2006
"This outstanding novel grips immediately and doesn’t let go easily. Its 15-year-old protagonist, Mallory Meer, is dead -- the victim of a steamship disaster that actually happened in 1904, on a hot summer day in Manhattan. A blaze erupts aboard the General Slocum, and Mallory is among the more than 1000 killed. That her Jewish boyfriend is blamed for tossing the cigarette that sparked the fire drives one of the story’s major themes: the virulence of blind prejudice.

"'My skirt began to suck me down. The water was my outer skin. I could feel it crushing me as the ship slipped under the waves. I was trapped. I could not move. Dustin was gone. I was alone, save for the other figures waving in the currents, grist for the running tide. I let the water in, then. Into my mouth and nose. Into my lungs. I let it take me, like a lover, like Dustin wanted to, and should have done. Before. I let the river fill me up.'

"Expect your young reader to be glued to this one to its shivery, satisfying ending. An artful mix of history (with vivid details of immigrant life), romance, corruption, revenge, and the supernatural, this skillfully woven tale offers a rich and deeply affecting journey. Don’t miss this one."

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THE UNRESOLVED

BookLoons Reviews, November, 2006
"On June 15, 1904 fifteen-year-old Mallory Meer boarded the General Slocum steamship. The morning was festive and warm as families from Kleindeutschland, or Little Germany, headed toward Long Island Sound for a church outing. Mallory's thoughts were on one thing - Dustin, whom she had arranged to meet on board. As the band played German love songs Mallory and Dustin snuck downstairs for their first kiss. Neither had any idea the day would end in one of the greatest disasters in New York City history.

"Author (J.G. Sandom) brings Mallory's story to life in the book, The Unresolved. Just moments after Mallory emerges from post-first-kiss-bliss, a fire starts on board the ship. The steamship, in a negligent state of repair, goes up in flames quickly. Lifejackets disintegrate, lifeboats are rusted to the side and immobile, and the captain steams ahead, despite the fact that the ship is burning and sinking. Mallory, like more than a thousand others, drowns. She narrates the story from above as the city is caught up in a rush of grief and the need to find a scapegoat. Religion, money, and power come into play as the story plays out. But in the end all lives are forever changed.

"Based on the true story of the General Slocum, (Sandom's) book tells the tale from an interesting perspective. (The) writing is fresh and vivid. Mallory takes turns inhabiting different minds and seeing what others see...this approach lends a depth to the book otherwise impossible. For an account of a little known tragedy (Sandom) does a tidy job of painting time and place...The Unresolved is a tale of love, corruption, and revenge - which in the end is always a good combination."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Historical Novels Review, November, 2006
"Fire! This is the greatest fear of passengers and crews of ships, both now and in the past. On 15 June 1904, fear becomes reality for fifteen-year-old Mallory Meer of Little Germany on New York City's Lower East Side. She is one of more than 1300 passengers aboard the General Slocum bound for Locust Grove when fire spreads rapidly through the steamship.

"Mallory and her baby sister are among the 1,021 who die amidst the panic and confusion as people try to escape while the crew attempts to extinguish the flames.

"Her unexpected death compels Mallory to recount what happened - her excitement of a secret tryst with Dustin Brauer, her disappointment when Bingham Goldstein's bullying ruins her first kiss. With so many dead, everyone knows someone who died; sadness turns to anger after Bingham accuses Dustin of starting the fire. This injustice, the Slocum's owners' cover-up of oversights, and love for her grieving family spur Mallory to induce those who know the truth to speak.

"This spellbinding young adult novel, based on a true story, overwhelms the reader with the tragic loss of so many lives and the sudden end to the promising life of one young girl. She tells her story without looking through rose-colored glasses and confronts the truths even when they hurt. Mallory will haunt you, just as she does those she leaves behind."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Library Thing, November, 2006
"I picked this one up because I love history and I love ghost stories, and this is both. I admit, I was also curious to see if (Sandom) could pull off what Katharine Weber couldn't in Triangle -- successfully combining authentic NYC history with a story that appeals to teens. I think (Sandom) has succeeded admirably here."

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THE UNRESOLVED

The Edge of the Forest, October, 2006
"The Unresolved, by (J.G. Sandom), is one part historical novel, one part ghost story, and one part gorgeous, dark, evocative prose. It may be the most beautifully written novel I've read this year.

"A disaster is a the center of The Unresolved. On June 15, 1904, St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, located in Kleindeutschland (Little Germany), Manhattan, chartered the General Slocum for a cruise around New York City. The passengers dressed up and there was dancing and other festivities aboard the ship. Then a fire broke out and and approximately 1,000 passengers died (of 1,300 on board). The lifeboats were rusted to the ship and the lifejackets crumbled to dust or, simply, failed to float. You can read more about the General Slocum catastrophe—the worst in New York's history until 9/11—here.

"Mallory Meer died on the General Slocum just after receiving her first kiss from the gorgeous Dustin Brauer. She was on the General Slocum with her mother, sister Louisa, brother Helmuth, and infant sister, Nixie. Nixie died as well. Mallory's family was not unique: everyone in Kleindeutschland lost someone in the fire. But, Mallory, unlike the rest of the burnt and drowned passengers, does not go away. She remains behind to watch what happens after the disaster and, indeed, to effect the inquest to follow.

"Mallory's Dustin takes the hit for the fire, as a group of Kleindeutschland boys accuse him of smoking a cigarette after the kiss and flinging it into a pile of straw. There's a sinister element to this accusation: Dustin is Jewish and the other boys German. Mallory, as a ghost who can inhabit anybody and see events and feelings from their point of view, aches for her Dustin and seeks her revenge.

"When Kleindeutschland calls for an inquest, it appears as if Dustin will be found guilty. Mallory watches most of the inquest through her sister Louisa's eyes, feeling her pain as she too loves Dustin and she too has lost beloved family members. Dustin goes into hiding as his life is in danger in the community. Mallory learns how to haunt those most responsibe—the shipping company, members of government inspection committees, and the boy who knows who really threw a cigarette into the straw. Her persistence saves Dustin and, to some extent, the community. While it is true Kleindeutschland does not survive the General Slocum disaster, at least it dissolves rather than exploding from within.

"Dustin and Mallory's family survive and move from New York City. But not so, Mallory. Mallory travels:

     The spirit does not grow decrepit.  There are not bones to age.  But thoughts grow old and feeble.  They wear away like Nixie's christening gown.  How could they not?  Once thought, perceived, ideas and feelings do not vanish.  But they fade.  Even mine.  They crack and crumble over time.  They grind.  Like stones in the streambed of memory.
     I am tired now.  From time to time, I visit what was once my body.  There is so little left.  I have become a box of bones.  From time to time, I visit Dustin and Louisa; I visit Mallory, my niece.  But I grow bored of simply being a witness, an insubstantial spy.  And there are times I see things that I shouldn't see.

"Mallory remains behind to do one more thing. I won't tell you what that is—you'll have to read The Unresolved to find out. I promise you won't be disappointed."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Midwest Book Review - "Children's Bookwatch", October, 2006
"Mallory Meer turns fifteen the week before she boards a steamship in 1904 on what will be her last voyage before the steamship burns and kills her and a thousand others. Yet she lingers, a ghost, unable to leave her love or family until the fire's setters are brought to justice. Turn-of-the-century Manhattan comes to life in a wonderfully different kind of ghost story."

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THE UNRESOLVED

All About the Book, October, 2006
"I picked this one up because I love history and I love ghost stories, and this is both. I admit, I was also curious to see if (Sandom) could pull off what Katharine Weber couldn't in Triangle -- successfully combining authentic NYC history with a story that appeals to teens. I think (Sandom) has succeeded admirably here...Young love doomed, a horrific tragedy, and a ghost bound to earth by the terrible event. What more could you ask for? I sped through the first few chapters and then read the end. This is the ultimate test of the "goodness" of a book for me -- if I can read the end and then still want to go back and finish the rest of the book, it's a good'un. The Unresolved is a great one. Mallory is the most well-developed ghostly character I've seen in a long, long time...maybe even since my Blossom Culp days. I can't recall another story where I've felt so connected to the ghost, and I was particularly impressed with the way (Sandom) moved Mallory in and out of other characters and told their stories in that way. (Sandom) skillfully manipulates emotions and develops characters through the relatively short novel, and I found myself genuinely caring about these people...."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books -
Volume 60, Number 2, October, 2006
The Johns Hopkins University Press

"Of the 1300 passengers aboard the General Slocum bound for a pleasure outing off the New York shore in June of 1905, about a thousand lost their lives when the ship caught fire. Most souls have moved on in the afterlife, but fifteen-year-old Mallory Meer can’t help but linger among her family, negligent shipping company officers, and Dustin Brauer, the young man with whom she had a brief assignation below decks, and who now stands accused in the Kleindeutchland (Little Germany) neighborhood of being responsible for the blaze. As a sort of sleuthing spirit, able to inhabit and influence the minds of those she visits, Mallory learns the truth concerning culpability for the tragedy, and by inspiring the right people to ask the right questions, she eventually manipulates Dustin’s exoneration...Her search for the truth amid corporate greed, lies and cover-ups, and rampant anti-Semitism in the Kleindeutchland community is gripping...Villains and good guys are clearly delineated, details of the fire are rendered with grisly poesy, and an aura of creepiness pervades the entire novel, making this an inviting choice for teen melodrama aficionados." - Elizabeth Bush

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THE UNRESOLVED

School Library Journal - Starred review, September, 2006
"On the day of her first kiss, June 15, 1904, Mallory Meer, 15, dies in the General Slocum steamship disaster. That historical blaze killed more than 1000 people from the part of New York City known as Kleindeutschland. Dustin Brauer, her Jewish boyfriend, had snuck aboard to be with her. Now, he is accused of setting the fire by the son of his father’s employer, a leader in the German neighborhood. As the official coroner’s inquest occurs, a secondary one takes place in the community with Dustin on trial. Mallory, now insubstantial, sees everything and helps the truth to emerge.

"While historically no conclusive proof was found of how the fire started, (Sandom) does a creditable job of imagining how it spread, including disturbing images of those trapped on the burning vessel. He uses Mallory’s ghostly presence to bring the coroner’s inquest, and those from the boat company and the safety inspector’s office, to life. THE UNRESOLVED tells a remarkable story in a remarkable way. Give this engrossing novel to fans of Kathryn Reiss or Vivian Vande Velde’s Being Dead (Harcourt, 2001), and to those who like a supernatural flair with their historical fiction. Without explaining anti-Semitism or corruption, (Sandom) shows readers the neighborhood’s vibrancy and prejudices and helps them to understand how justice worked in early-20th-century New York."

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THE UNRESOLVED

The Washington Post - Arts and Living; For Young Readers, August 20, 2006
"Narrated by the ghost of a 15-year-old girl who drowned when the steamship General Slocum burned and sank in the East River on June 15, 1904, this historical novel with a supernatural twist offers a (dark) take on New York. (Sandom) writes with a precision and delicacy unusual for YA fiction. Here's the drowned girl's underwater view after the catastrophe: Through the waving arms and legs . . . if you looked carefully, you could still see tiny hairs on the dead skin, rippling like rabbit fur in a breeze. But an equally unflinching exploration of issues from anti-Semitism and corruption to adolescent sexuality makes this one strictly for older readers."

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THE UNRESOLVED

Romantic Times, August, 2006
"You've heard of the General Slocum, right?  You don't need author (J.G. Sandom) to tell you that 'it was the worst disaster in New York City before the World Trade (Center).  So many perished; for weeks bodies were floating up the river.  An entire neighborhood was destroyed.'

"But if you're a little behind on your New York City history, then (Sandom's) first young-adult novel, THE UNRESOLVED, is a book you shouldn't pass up.  With this love story/ghost story/historical tale, (Sandom) takes readers into the mind of Mallory Meer, a bright, happy 15-year-old girl who perishes with over a thousand other German-Americans, most of them women and children, when the General Slocum catches fire during an East River boating trip on June 15th, 1904.

"But that's just the beginning of the story for Mallory, whose spirit floats through the minds and hearts of her friends, family and enemies, observing their attempts to recover from the tragedy that has torn apart their lives.

"'As a former New Yorker, I thought this was something people could identify with,' says (Sandom), who now lives in New Jersey.  'It's hard for adults to deal with (tragic events).  For younger kids, it's especially hard because they internalize a lot.  Seeing how others overcome their problems can give them a sense of hope...Love, loss and hope are universal themes.  All of us have been outsiders...Mallory's the ultimate outsider.'"

"(Sandom), who has written several thrillers for adults, plans to tackle more tough issues in future teen novels.  'I want to keep going...There are things I can do with YAs that I can't do with my adult work.'"

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