It took me a while to get into The Babe Ruth Deception. The novel starts slowly, so at one point I put it down to read something else. I was glad, however, that I went back to Stewart's novel because once the action picked up it was riveting. Like Stewart's other novels, The Babe Ruth Deception is well researched and intricately plotted. The corruption of the time, as well as the era's fascination with Babe Ruth shines vividly through. Once again Dr Jamie Fraser and Speed Cook have to join forces. Speed Cook is employed by Babe Ruth to resolve a difficult situation. The Babe is in hock to some unsavory figures and the legitimacy of the Red Sox 1918 World Series win is in question. Meanwhile Speed's son Joshua has taken to the risky business of bootlegging and is seeing Dr Fraser's daughter.

In The Babe Ruth Deception, readers get a taste of life during prohibition, the gambling and corruption that flourished in post WWI America, and the challenges posed by race in all aspects of life. It is an important reminder that racial equality is only a recent development in the United States and that we must not regress in our efforts to eliminate prejudice.

If I was only considering the novel once the story begins to progress, I would give The Babe Ruth Deception a 5. But the slow start makes me think a 4 is more appropriate.

4/5

I received a copy of The Babe Ruth Deception from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom