"The Wives of Henry Oades"

This first novel by Johanna Moran is based on a true story and she has done an excellent job of fleshing out details to tell a fascinating tale. It is the story of Henry Oades and his wife Margaret who set sail from England for New Zealand with their children as part of his employment. All goes well until Margaret and the children are kidnapped by native Maori. Although Henry looks for them, he is unable to locate them and they never return home. Eventually, his despair leads him to leave New Zealand to make a new life for himself in the San Francisco area. He becomes a respected rancher and eventually marries a young widow with a baby to raise. However, the story doesn't end there because Margaret and her children are allowed to leave the Maori when they develop smallpox and they eventually make their way to America to find Henry. As Paul Harvey would say, then comes the "rest of the story." It's a tale of legal battles and who is the rightful wife and how it is all resolved. It's a fascinating, well-written book and I'm sure Book Clubs will also find it ripe for discussion. You can visit the author's blog at www.johannamoran.com.