The Winding Road (Stone Shed Series #2)

by John A. Heldt

Rating: *****

The Winding Road continues the Maclean Brothers' time-traveling saga from the first installment, The Patriots*. Despite the entreaties of his fiancée, Abigail Ward, Noah rides out to enlist in the Continental Army, ready for war in the late eighteenth century, yet armed with a secret cache of modern weaponry.

Jake stays behind with the Wards, helping however he can while growing inseparable from their younger daughter, Rachel, Abby’s sister.

But, ‘best-laid plans…often go awry’ especially when confronted with eighteenth-century battle, rampant disease, and deceit, not to mention the mayhem and suspicion the brothers’ disappearance has caused back in 2024…

Opening in Pennsylvania, 1777, The Winding Road is, to a certain extent, Noah’s book, although Heldt sets up potential issues for other characters, and there are riveting subplots and side missions. The book’s moniker has literal and metaphorical meanings that unfold as events progress.

Although all of Heldt’s time-traveling novels offer meticulous historical research blended with a compelling fictional narrative, The Winding Road is possibly the most involving I have read, both in its factual and fictional aspects.

Relationships are at the core of The Winding Road, primarily Noah and Abigail’s, but Jake and Rachel’s simmer into prominence as the narrative progresses. It’s not just romantic partnerships but also platonic ones and familial ties. All are important to the plot and its players, and each is a beautifully nuanced, emotionally rich portrayal of human connection.

However, the main action centers on Noah’s involvement in the American Revolution, which becomes fairly high-profile, especially after his puzzling heroics at the Battle of Monmouth and his seemingly uncanny ability to foresee outcomes.

Indeed, unusually for Heldt, both Noah and Jake deliberately break the stone shed Prime Directive more than once in this installment, taking risks and making gambles that may or may not pay off.

Additionally, there is the contemporary story, running concurrently, as Douglas and Donna desperately try to stay one step ahead of the absolute mess their nephews left behind in 2024.

It’s completely gripping, from a beginning that offers some convenient moments for Noah to pockets of chaos erupting everywhere. Heldt piles on twist after credible twist across every aspect of the narrative.

There is a darkness and capriciousness among the brothers at times, which is intriguing. In places, neither of them is likable, especially given the serious turmoil they leave behind in 2024, making this book all the more interesting and uncommon for Heldt’s main protagonists. Abby can also be frustrating in her stubborn singularity, and the reader senses a hidden ruthlessness in Rachel despite her sunny disposition. 

Historical figures, primarily George Washington, are well depicted without dominating the story. But it’s the new fictional characters that hold interest, including the ragtag group of militiamen Noah leads and the strong, almost fraternal bond he develops with Captain Jasper Jennings.

Just after halfway, he introduces arch-villain and all-around degenerate, Malachi Maine, ably assisted by the morally flexible laundress, Martha Dale. Both characters receive nicely ambiguous endings.

As interests, good and bad, begin to converge, Heldt’s standard short-chapter structure supports his almost breathless pace. He always writes with a distinctive rhythm, but in this book his words have a nearly lyrical cadence, making them effortlessly readable and absorbing.

As the final denouement approaches, the reader feels privy to every aspect of the characters’ intentions, yet Heldt ensures that more than a few unexpected developments are thrown into the richly layered narrative stew.

The Winding Road is a nail-biting, tension-filled, and wonderfully unpredictable swashbuckling page-turner in this gloriously entertaining series. Highly recommended.  

*Click here for my review of The Patriots.

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Amazon UK | Amazon US