Rian Krieger's Journey - Book 2

Philadelphia, 1837. On six occasions, twelve-year-old tomboy Rian Krieger has escorted self-emancipated fugitives to the next station on their flight from enslavement. When Rian’s father, factory owner Otto Krieger, learns that she is a conductor on the Underground Railroad, he renews his plans to send her to a finishing school in Switzerland. This is a fate Rian cannot abide, as it means she would have to wear a dress all the time. 

The Workshop of the World. Philadelphia bustles with commerce. The siren song of increased prosperity prompts Otto to make bold decisions. Then, the Panic of 1837 descends, strangling businesses and straining the social and economic fabric of the city. Otto’s factory and home are at risk of foreclosure. 

Otto’s problems are potentially resolved when two visitors from Tsarist Russia enter his factory. Rian must decide: Can the Russians’ mission help her solve her Switzerland dilemma as well?

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

As authentic as they come with an eye on the past and future of historical fiction. You’re immediately and irrevocably thrust into pre-war Philadelphia. Switching back and forth between perspectives, in the tradition of Faulkner, you’ll find yourself grasping for the next page to find out what might befall our characters. Impressively, Smith continues to teach an old genre new tricks.—Matthew Di Paoli, author of Holliday, winner of the Wilbur and Niso Smith Adventure Writing Prize. 

Roger A. Smith’s The Coachman is historical fiction at its finest. In Book Two of the monumental nine book series, protagonist Rian Krieger continues her thoughtful, thrilling, and consequential journey. With an informative Author’s Notes, this is the perfect series for history buffs, plot aficionados, and character-driven literature fans alike.—Kate Dike Blair - author of the historical novel, The Hawthorne Inheritance

Roger A. Smith writes with authority and exquisite attention to detail, vividly capturing not only the social and political conflict of the era but also the warring desires and goals of his characters in this well-wrought historical novel.—Ginny Fite, award-winning author of The Physics of Things

 Historical fiction requires not only a rich imagination, it must come from a firm foundation of understanding the past. I was impressed by the well-rounded characters, moving plot and vivid descriptions of early Nineteenth Century life in Philadelphia. While I will avoid giving away any details, I would put this book on a par with some of Horatio Alger’s novels of mid-nineteenth century New York. Another series that came to mind as I worked my way through The Coachman is Jack Finney’s time travel novels.—Mark Carlson, CL, ACS - Historical Novels Society - Military Writers Society of America

In Roger A. Smith's captivating novel The Coachman, echoes of the tumultuous landscape of the 1830s reverberate across a panoply of characters. As the Underground Railroad whispers tales of courage and survival, the Krieger family’s industrial empire faces challenges that threaten its foundations. Amid personal struggles and societal upheaval, young Rian Krieger defies convention to navigate a world of gender expectations, embarking on an astonishing journey to Russia.—Maryka Biaggio, award-winning author of Parlor Games, Eden Waits, The Point of Vanishing, and The Model Spy.

With a colorful cast of characters, Roger Smith creates an exciting adventure story in the vibrant and growing Philadelphia of 1837, a center of industry and a crossroads in the fight for emancipation. Jules, a free Black man, struggles to maintain his new business and his freedom, Seamus, a young Irish American man, fights for a place at the table, and Rian, a bright young woman, seeks to move beyond the prescribed role for women to make her own life.—Nancy Kilgore, author of Bitter Magic, Wild Mountain, and Sea Level

by Roger A, Smith
Page Count: 340
Trim Size: 6 X 9
Publish Date: October 31, 2023
Imprint: Milford House Press
Genre: Historical
FICTION / Historical / General
FICTION / LGBTQ+ / Transgender
FICTION / African American & Black / Historical