“The Darkness at Dawn” takes you to a world of characters you never imagined and of events that have shaped our world, as two men struggle to control wealth and power in early New England. The book is based on true characters; including the lead character my ancestor, John Lee who is also an ancestor of the British Royals Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry, and historical events including the settling of Boston, Massachusetts and Farmington, Connecticut, witchcraft trials and the Pequot War. The historical events and characters are woven together into a forty year story of the conflict between John Lee and the lead fictitious character, the evil Richard Hawkes.
Synopsis
Its 1634 and a ship full of Puritans struggles through a storm on its way to Boston. Among them are John Lee and Grace Newell, both 13-year-old wards of William Westwood. During the storm, John sees 19-year-old Richard Hawkes, a petty thief and murderer, steal their church’s gold inlaid silver chalice. The next day, when the chalice is missing, Richard threatens to kill Grace unless John swears an oath to God to conceal the theft. John agrees if Richard returns the chalice. With few options, Richard agrees. Over the next 40 years, challenges and opportunities present themselves amidst Indian wars and witchcraft trials, as John and Richard each find a place in New England. Richard lies, steals, and murders his way to fortune and influence, while John becomes a soldier, scout, civic leader, and Indian teacher. Each attracts followers, while both compete for the affection of the same woman. John’s guilt over his oath grows as he blames himself for unleashing Richard’s evil upon his community. At the same time, he believes breaking his oath would be a great sin. Nesehegan, one of John’s Indian students, tells John how he resolved his conflict between loyalty to his tribe and his belief in God. Months later, Richard calls John, the case’s prosecutor, as a witness at Richard’s trial for murder. Confronted with a question he can’t answer without breaking either his oath to God or his oath to the court, John remembers Nesehegan’s story.
Inspiration
The initial inspiration for “The Darkness at Dawn” came from my grandfather, who told me stories about our ancestors going all the way back to John Lee. My grandfather also introduced me to the book “John Lee, of Farmington, Hartford County, Conn. and His Descendants” published by Sarah Marsh Lee in 1878. The stories of John Lee stayed with me throughout my career. When I retired in 2010 I decided to write an historical fiction about him.
The story line was inspired by lifelong faith as a member of the Anglican Church and the honor I had to our country and our institutions in my forty year career as an Air Force Judge Advocate Colonel, and as a trial attorney for US Department of Justice. John Lee throughout “The Darkness at Dawn” struggles with questions faith and honor as faces difficult decisions in his struggles with Richard Hawkes in chaotic Colonial New England.
Research and writing
The first thing I did when I started my 9 year journey writing “The Darkness at Dawn” was buy a copy of “John Lee, of Farmington, Hartford County, Conn. and His Descendants”. Following that I bought many books about various aspects of Colonial New England – sailing, Puritans, farming, Indians, government, etc. Throughout the process I kept going back to these books. The next thing was a trip to New England with my husband, Matthew Grinberg, to do research. We visited historical sites, museums and places that simulated the communities of that time. We also visited the cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut where we took the photo of John Lee’s monument that is used on the book cover.
As a lawyer I am skilled in writing stories based on documented facts. As a lawyer the story is one that will convince a jury or judge to rule in my favor. As an historical fiction writer I had to knit together facts and my imagination into a compelling story that would draw in the reader. As reviewers have confirmed, it was a great job!
Audience
The immediate audience for the book is my own family. But anyone who is interested in the history of Early New England will find it fascinating. Many of us think of America started with the Declaration of Independence. But there is a vast history of our country in the 170 years between the first English settlements and the Declaration of Independence that all Americans should learn.
Pamela Roberts Lee, Matthew M. Grinberg, 2024-07-16
