The Colonel and the Bee

The Colonel and the Bee by Patrick Canning
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SYNOPSIS
The Amazing Beatrix works as an acrobat in a 19th Century circus, no home or family to speak of. When a daring escape from her abusive ringleader crosses Beatrix's path with that of the daring adventurer Colonel James Bacchus, the unlikely pair team up, fly to safety aboard the Colonel’s miraculous four-story hot air balloon, and begin a grand quest to find the most precious gem in the world, The Blue Star Sphinx.

If the heroes can outmaneuver the deadly treasure hunters, escaped convicts, and double-crosses that await them, they may win the treasure they seek, or better yet, a sense of true belonging.

Witty banter, colorful characters, and exotic locations pack the fantastical, globe-trotting adventure that reads like Sherlock Holmes meets Around the World in Eighty Day.

                                                         BOOK REVIEW
Adventure, mystery, treasure, and colorful characters abound in this delightful read by Patrick Canning. The Colonel and the Bee is about the friendship between Colonel James Bacchus, the Dandelion Man, and Beatrix, Bee, an orphaned trapeze artist. The reader is introduced to Beatrix in a circus led by an abusive, horrible ringleader named Ziro. She escapes the circus leaving a dinner party where the Dandelion Man dined and she was the entertainment. She, in turn, helps the Dandelion Man escape from the dinner party. She soon learns he is Colonel James Bacchus and he traverses the world in a red hot air balloon, which is also his home. They soon become fast friends and become a duo attempting to solve the murder of Noel Ebbing, a riddle he left behind and search for the Blue Star Sphinx. This story is full of color, literally and figuratively. Every scene dedicated to descriptions of the hot air balloon as a home was intriguing and magical. I connected to every single adventure and every single character. My favorites were the Newlyweds, Thelma, and George, who in reality were an old married couple still so much in love to deserve the nickname The Newlyweds. Thelma's love and attention were genuine and full of heart. The Colonel taught Bee the meaning of friendship and love and dedication while traveling the world she had never known existed. "One must leave the comfort of the familiar and reach, sometimes into darkness." I give this feel-good story 4 stars for its top-notch writing and the story itself.
                                                                    
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