Eva Pasco

5-Stars: Goodreads

July 22, 2026

Put Simply, a Heartrending Story!

Author Sharon Mierke’s Frontier Fiction novel, ‘A Simple Man,’ tugs at one’s heartstrings. Taking place in the 1870s, primarily in the Blue Ridge Mountains, with occasional treks for supplies in Virginia City, the author’s storytelling prowess transports the reader to a turbulent time in history. Her vivid details of the landscape and survival skills are an integral part of Abraham Whitechild’s life which abruptly transitions from simple to complicated when he’s falsely accused of murder, and forced to go on the run.

A harrowing venture from beginning to end, jaw-dropping secrets from Abe’s past are revealed in due time. I found myself fretting over the fate of the main characters due to life-threatening situations inherent in the natural surroundings, serious illness and injuries, and encounters with greedy men with itchy trigger fingers.

I highly recommend this heartrending story which accurately portrays many aspects of frontier life.