Review: A Little Horror, A Little Suspense, A LIttle Creepy, A Lot of Fun!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 27, 2013
The Fortress of Ephemera takes place in 1919 in one of the last remaining great houses of Harlem. Miles Trenowyth is an attorney who is recovering from wounds he suffered during the Great War, including the loss of one arm, as well as the shock of the death of his beloved wife, Annabel. Noah Langley, a wealthy eccentric, owns the home but discovers that the IRS - just formed in 1913 - is about to seize it due to his unwillingness to pay income taxes  Noah feels that he should be exempted from paying income taxes as he earns no income. As the story develops, it becomes clear that Noah, a very wealthy man, is more than a little miserly and a collector of everything - from clocks and musical instruments to cabbages that dated from "the Taft administration." The house is a health hazard, with piles and heaps of Noah's treasures collected over the years.With the help of Miss Cora Buxton, Trenowyth attempts to save the house from repossession while keeping all interested parties at bay - until the unexpected occurs and his life is threatened. It becomes apparent that some of those treasures may be so valuable that Langley attracts attention from more than just the IRS.This book is beautifully written - even more than the story itself, the book was a delight to read. It was easy to step back in time to the post-Great War era. Langley is a memorable character who is both lovable and despicable in his own way. Miss Buxton is something of an enigma until almost the very end - another character to be admired and despised. The plot was well thought-out and the ending had a twist that was totally unexpected.  The author has done a remarkable job bringing the era to the reader's eyes and for this alone, I give this a full five stars. It's a fun book to read and one that will stay with you after it's finished.