The Bastonnais

Quebec waits for an American advance in the winter of 1775, while young militia officer Roderick Hardinge keeps a secret watch from the citadel. Blue signals across the river announce the movement he has been expecting. John Lespérance builds his historical novel around the invasion of Canada in 1775 and 1776, giving the city's narrow streets, surrounding forests and river approaches a prominent place in the action.

Military movements also shape private loyalties. In the later excerpt, Batoche arrives on snowshoes to bring Pauline back to her anxious father before the blockade closes. Cary Singleton offers passage through the American lines, while Zulma and her family face a difficult parting. These scenes connect the campaign to friendship, affection and practical decisions made under pressure. Readers interested in Canadian historical fiction will find both a threatened city's public crisis and the personal ties that cross its opposing lines.