BookView Review

Identity crises, espionage intrigue, archaeological secrets: Kiehr turns a family mystery into a sweeping international thriller. 

Kiehr’s sweeping historical thriller begins with Treyton Chase, a sharp-tongued Vancouver schoolteacher whose world collapses after discovering, at age fifty-one, that he was adopted. A clue hidden among his late father’s belongings sends him to Paris in 1968, where a reunion with a long-lost sister quickly spirals into political unrest, espionage, and a deeper mystery tied to the First World War.

As Treyton follows the trail through France and Turkey, the novel steadily transforms from a family-secret drama into an expansive adventure involving archaeologists, hidden agendas, and buried truths. The novel’s greatest asset is Treyton himself. Cynical, observant, and frequently funny, he narrates with the confidence of a man who believes every lie can be exposed—until he discovers he has been living inside one. His dry commentary and classroom-honed talent for reading people give the investigation both personality and momentum. Kiehr wisely allows the mystery to unfold through a chain of tangible discoveries, making each revelation feel earned rather than contrived. The historical settings are vividly rendered, particularly late-1960s Paris, whose instability mirrors Treyton’s unraveling sense of self. While the plot expands dramatically from personal mystery to international intrigue, the emotional core remains Treyton’s search for belonging. The result is an ambitious blend of historical fiction, espionage, and family drama that asks whether discovering the truth can ever fully repair the stories we tell about ourselves. 

An ambitious historical thriller with brains, heart, and plenty of surprises.

***