Time Stitchers
Time travel adventure thriller
Wisconsin Writers Association Press, 276 pp
$22.99 paper
$38.99 hardcover
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About the Book
In the summer of 1989 in Hiawatha, Wisconsin, college
student Jimmy Foley can't move forward with his life until he finds who is
behind his sister Bridget's hit-and-run death. Sketchy evidence points to the
local cranberry kingpin, but no one in town has the power to take him down.
When Jimmy brushes against a gravestone, he finds himself in Washington DC in
1862, where he comes across other time-traveling "stitchers" working
to solve the murder of the British ambassador. The stitchers try to recruit
Jimmy to help solve the murder, in an effort to prevent the reversal of the
outcome of the Civil War. Jimmy agrees, and between helping the stitchers and
investigating his sister's death he uncovers an even more diabolical human
trafficking plot. In a wild time-jumping chase, Jimmy and the stitchers risk
everything to stop the cranberry king from realizing his dystopian vision.
My Review
Wow, quite an adventure. I learned to drive in a car like
Gilbert, so I was back in the late 1980s. Such fun culture pops. I am a
historian, so this type of story was right up my alley. Jimmy and his friends
were fun to know, and the big twist involving an attempt to change the outcome
of the Civil War in America was a thoughtful issue to explore. The author's
research in the bits and pieces of Civil War effects we see in Washington DC
felt very authentic, good job. My favorite character was Eugene, a soldier in
the 1860s, who figures prominently in helping Jimmy and his friends right a
wrong in two different eras. I also loved Mrs. Biggs, the history teacher.
There are many twists to keep readers turning pages, such as
the way time travel works and occasionally misses, and who you can trust, who
you think you know, and family secrets. My only quibble is that the author did
murder a prominent real life figure and didn't put him back, which would have
irrevocably changed time. But I can live with it. I hope this will become a
series! Recommended for those who love a fun light read with some chewy topics.
There are some episodes of death and gun violence in war situations and in
ambush.
About the Author
Pat Scheckel's debut novel, Time Stitchers, was
published by WWA Press in the fall of 2026. His short story collection, Frozen
Chuck, is forthcoming from Cornerstone Press in 2027. His work has appeared
in The MacGuffin, The Hemlock Journal, and Macabre Magazine. You can find him
on Instagram @pat_scheckel and at scheckel.com.
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