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Set in the rapidly changing world of 1920s America, this is a story of three people from very different backgrounds: Henry "Schuler" Jefferson, son of German immigrants from Midwestern farm country; Cora Rose Haviland, a young woman of privilege whose family has lost their fortune; and Charles "Gil" Gilchrist, an emotionally damaged WWI veteran pilot. Set adrift by life-altering circumstances, they find themselves bound together by need and torn apart by blind obsessions and conflicting goals. Each one holds a secret that, if exposed, would destroy their friendship. But their journey of adventure and self-discovery has a price—and one of them won't be able to survive it.
As they crisscross the heartland, exploring the rapidly expanding role of aviation from barnstorming to bootlegging, from a flying circus to the dangerous sport of air racing, the three companions form a makeshift family. It's a one-of-a-kind family, with members as adventurous as they are vulnerable, and as fascinating as they are flawed. But whatever adventure—worldly or private—they find themselves on, they're guaranteed to be a family you won't forget.
"An entertaining surprise… this old-fashioned novel plays like a refreshed mash-up of William Faulkner's Pylon and the 1970s Robert Redford vehicle The Great Waldo Pepper." - Publishers Weekly
"Historical fiction with appeal to both romance and adventure fans." - Booklist
"An engaging road saga." - Kirkus Reviews
"Crandall has crafted a wonderfully charming, memorable and thought-provoking read." - RT Book Reviews
"Romance, suspense, aerial thrills and spills—what more is there to ask for?" - Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Aviators Wife
"Heroes and villains and an achingly sweet romance will pull at the reader's heart long after the last page is turned. I loved this book!" - New York Times bestselling author Karen White
"An exhilarating, memorable flight into the world of barnstorming in the 1920's, with all the twists and turns of an aerial acrobat. Compelling characters and a fascinating setting make this journey a sheer joyride. Satisfying and delightful!" - Lynn Cullen, national bestselling author of Mrs. Poe
"Exciting adventures abound when three unlikely misfits take to the skies. Friendships are challenged, lives are risked, and dark secrets threaten to tear the trio apart as they barnstorm across America's heartland. A spirited, big-hearted tale." - Beth Hoffman, New York Times bestselling author of Looking for Me
"Deeply moving. A richly drawn story of love, loss, and redemption with characters as finely tuned as the planes they fly." - Wendy Wax, USA Today bestselling author of A Week at the Lake
This information about The Flying Circus was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Susan Crandall is a critically acclaimed author of women's fiction, romance, and suspense. She has written several award-winning novels including her first book, Back Roads, which won the RITA award for best first book, as well as Whistling Past the Graveyard, which won the SIBA 2014 Book Award for Fiction. Susan lives in Noblesville, Indiana, with her family.
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