Liberty Bazaar

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A rollicking tale of one black woman's mission to stop an English plan to aid the Confederates in the American Civil War.

Liverpool, 1863: Newly arrived in England, Trinity, an escaped American slave girl, is taken in by wealthy liberals who are campaigning to abolish slavery.

At the same time, Jubal, a battle-weary Confederate officer, arrives in Liverpool to raise funds for the opposing side.

When Trinity discovers a conspiracy to help the slave-owners and the Confederates to win the war — who will believe her — and who can she really trust?

Reviews

“A thrilling account of intrigue, deception, violence and forbidden love.” James M McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom

“Vivid description, elegant sentences, diligent research, the highly readable Liberty Bazaar has it all, proving that David Chadwick is the real deal, a serious writer with a serious talent.” Nicholas Royle, author of First Novel and Regicide

“Liberty Bazaar is a joy to read. It plunges us straight into the nefarious doings of the American Civil War, through the distinctive voices of its two protagonists, Trinity Giddings and Jubal de Brooke. David Chadwick’s sense of place and time is extraordinary, and he throws an entertaining slant on a complex and fascinating period of history. The writing is lyrical, lavishly detailed and witty, too. This is an immersive, powerful historical novel — one impossible to put down.” Sherry Ashworth, author of Good Recipes and Bad Women and Mental

“Shades of Charles Dickens’ work … this offbeat, refreshingly absorbing Civil War novel features impeccable research … Along with the two well-drawn narrators, the novel boasts several wonderful secondary characters.” Kirkus Reviews, Blue Starred review

“Chadwick’s prose paints his shuffling urban milieu with a nose for detail, inhaling the rich tang of docklands crowds, the sweeping egalitarianism of street life forming a tragic backbone for the limitations of the rich. What really stands out, however, is the twin narrative, muddying the heroic waters yet acknowledging their existence in a time of violent opposition. It amounts to a revealing look at vested interests, and the fact that Britain has more blood on its hands than it would care to admit.” Joshua Potts, The Skinny

“Tells of Liverpool’s secret role in a conflict that still divides the US … brings the teeming streets of Empire-era Liverpool to vivid life.” Liverpool Echo

“First-class storytelling. An addictive novel with love and gun smoke and a tremendous feel for its time and its settings, lived out by characters of real passion and true human complexity.” Paul Du Noyer, founder of MOJO magazine and author of Liverpool: Wondrous Place

“The sights and smells of dockside Liverpool come alive in ways reminiscent of Dickens. So, too, do class conflicts tinged, as they frequently were, by issues of race.” Richard Blackett, Professor of History at Vanderbilt University, Nashville

“Those who want to know why the Confederate flag came down in Charleston in 2015 should read David Chadwick’s book.” Andrew Lees, author of Liverpool: The Hurricane Port

“A historical drama with nail-biting moments. I couldn’t put it down.” Larry Neild, Liverpool Radio City Talk

“David Chadwick’s prose is brilliant in Liberty Bazaar. He pens a story about a familiar time in history, but gives the reader a different and fresh perspective. Most Civil War novels are set on the battleground or on the plantation. Adding a bizarre twist to a well-known event, Chadwick highlights the plaguing effects of battle and slavery on the southern plantations by placing the narrative in Liverpool, England. Written in first-person, each chapter portrays a sequence of events. However the personal perspective changes from chapter to chapter. This technique allows the narrative to be read like a journal or a diary… Chadwick writes eloquent descriptions by using illustrious metaphors and profound analogies. I especially liked the comparison of feminine attire with medieval armor. Liberty Bazaar is a wonderfully written story.” Cheryl E. Rodriguez, Readers’ Favorite

About the Author

David Chadwick is an experienced journalist and has run his own journalism and public relations consultancy since 2001. Previously, he was a PR manager at global accountancy firm KPMG, and before that, a UK government press officer. He has held a number of senior editorial positions on daily newspapers across the UK and his freelance work has appeared in national titles from the Guardian to the Daily Mirror. Born and raised in Greater Manchester, David took a bachelor’s degree in history and politics at Queen Mary, University of London, and a master’s in creative writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. David has co-written a non-fiction book about the Battle of the Atlantic, and jointly edited two short story collections. He has a life-long interest in maritime history and is a keen sailor. He lives with his family in Greater Manchester.