Veterans Key is the definitive novel of the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, based on Weather Bureau records, the long-suppressed Veterans Administration investigation, and Congressional testimony.
All of us suffer some trauma in our lives, most soldier on, many don’t, none are unchanged. Fred can’t remember any of his wartime horror – except through hypnosis. Ella, a 17-year-old German Jew, can’t forget a second of hers. He takes suicidal risks. She betrays her comrades. And yet they bond as partners in an audacious bank heist. Their stories unfold in the shadow of the disastrous hurricane.
Veterans Key is based on actual events. It is set in the Florida Keys, with major excursions to period Havana, New York, and Miami. The novel is a deep dive into Depression-era America, its prejudices, politics, poverty, crime, technology, and humor. Central are the “Forgotten Men”, World War veterans who never readjusted to civilian life, a large proportion afflicted with battle trauma and now relegated to Federal relief camps, working dollar-a-day coolie jobs. Many of the characters are real, their actions and in some cases their words taken from historical records. All behave plausibly. The literary style borrows from the edgy films and fiction of the 1930s with such stock characters as sassy dames, tough guy gangsters, dogged lawmen, and sweet ingénues. Veterans Key adapts themes from Ernest Hemingway’s To Have and Have Not (mostly the 1937 book, partly the 1944 movie), and delivers a heavy dose of 1940s noir, à la John Huston’s film, Key Largo.
Features: map, extensive historical notes, detailed lists of sources and acknowledgements.
Editorial Reviews:
“This compellingly readable book is all the more remarkable for its profound erudition.”
—Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones, Emeritus Professor of American History, University of Edinburgh, author of “The Nazi Spy Ring in America” (2020)
“Bareford’s outstanding debut integrates a riveting story of political intrigue into the genuine historical events and social tensions of post-WWI America . . . Takeaway: Exciting, immersive political thriller that blends historical fact and fiction. Comparable Titles: Ken Follett, Frederick Forsyth.”
—BookLife Reviews
“Readers may appreciate the nods to Hemingway’s ‘To Have and Have Not’. There is no ‘predictable’ here, only the sheer joy of an original work that commands your attention on its own terms. Highly recommended!”
—Chanticleer Reviews
“. . . Bareford skillfully weaves in real history about such things as veterans’ camps and the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, and he expounds upon them in engaging notes at the end that give the eventful plot a pleasing sense of real-world consequence.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“What makes this book especially enjoyable and noteworthy is that it is steeped in historical fact and the author is especially sensitive to the plight of WWI veterans in America. I highly recommend this book, but spoiler alert! Veterans Key is not for the prudish, as erotic scenes steam off the pages.”
—R. w. Meek, award winning author of “The Dream Collector” (2023)
“Veteran's Key is a terrific read, a thoroughly engaging novel written with a nod to the literature of the 1930s in which it is set. Based on real events and people, this one has it all: colorful, well-developed characters, disguised identities, espionage, sex, and ultimate-stake risks. ”
—Ruth Cashin Monsell, author of “Frances Perkins, Champion of American Workers” (2024)
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