It is 1758. The French Fortress of Louisbourg is on the brink of war. British Brigadier James Wolfe is a young man determined to prove himself worthy of the rank of major-general and plans to use the capture of the fortress to make good his claim.

The English have blockaded Louisbourg’s harbour for three years, and Governor Drucour knows that without the help of King Louis of France, the battle will be lost. Only his fortress, the imposing French bastion jutting towards the open Atlantic, stands sentinel against England’s capture of the new world.

Having infiltrated the confines of the fortress, “The Red Feather”, a notorious spy for the English, must choose between two loves—his country or Genevieve, the woman he has dreamt of for nearly a decade. But the titian-haired beauty knows more than she has led him to believe. To save Louisbourg, she will do anything—even play the role of devoted wife to the man who destroyed her life a decade before.

Praise for Fortress:

“In Fortress, Marci Lin Melvin has crafted a taut, historical drama, filled with intrigue and suspense, in which she skilfully takes the reader on a trek through the annals of Nova Scotia’s rich history. Masterfully weaving elements of fact, and fiction, Melvin transports the reader back hundreds of years to the classic battles between the French and English as they struggle to control the strategically stationed Fortress of Louisbourg. Readers who are enamoured by Nova Scotia’s rich history, and those who will be discovering it for the first time in this book, will get lost in Fortress. The author’s attention to detail, sharp dialogue, and skilfully drawn characters, give us a story of intrigue and human triumph. It’s a top-notch novel by an as-of-yet undiscovered author on the brink of greatness.” -Vernon Oickle, best-selling author of the One Crow Sorrow series.

“Nice character development laid over one of the most historical events in all of North America. One is reminded of another author from Nova Scotia, Thomas H. Raddall. The author’s attention to detail makes the reader get lost in this romantic tale of the 18th century Louisbourg.” – Peter Landry, Nova Scotia lawyer, historian, and author of “The Lion and the Lily”, a.k.a. “blupete”.

“Crafted with elegance, style, and sensitivity, Melvin’s Fortress is a ‘tour de force’ in the genre of historical fiction. Rich characterization and exquisite attention to historical detail mark this novel as a prizewinner. Melvin captures the life and demise of that fated fortress, Louisbourg, with alacrity and panache. How can her readership possibly wait for the next two novels in this trilogy?” – Heather Strickey, historian, educator, and author of soon to be published “Confessions of a Fat Ass.”