An engrossing story of the people who fought the Revolutionary War uniquely told from the losing side.

– Don Newman

Broadcaster and Journalist

I have often wondered why the American War of Independence is rarely referred to as America’s First Civil War, because to a large extent that is what it was.  Patriot against Loyalist.  It was ugly.  It was violent.  It was dangerous to support King and Country.  But such people existed and this book is about them.  As someone who has looked at this period of history for a long time, I am delighted that a book, taking the Loyalist viewpoint, has been written in the form of James Arnett’s The Monmouth Manifesto.  I declare a vested interest in that at the core is “The Asgill Affair”, and I am Asgill’s 3xgreat granddaughter.

Chronicles of the war which gave America her independence often leave out the effect on families – the wives, the children, the aunts, uncles and cousins.  And families were split and destroyed by it.  Benjamin Franklin disinherited his son for taking up the Loyalist cause.  This was repeated throughout the Colonies.  They say history is recorded by the victors.  That is so true.  But far too much has been written from the victor’s standpoint.  So, for anyone who would like to learn about the other side of the coin then I can highly recommend this book.  I learnt so much from it, having been ensconced in this period of history for far too long.  So, please read and enjoy this novel (which is free to play with history to some extent, in the same way films do, for dramatic effect!) but you will certainly learn how it was from the vanquished standpoint. I am glad that I am now better informed.

– Anne Ammundsen

Author of The Charles Asgill Affair: Setting the Record Straight

The story unusually revolves around the experiences of real-life British Loyalists during the Revolutionary War period, particularly Richard Lippincott, a yeoman farmer from Monmouth County in the New Jersey colony, and James Moody, another farmer from New Jersey’s Sussex County. As the colonies move toward rebellion against British rule, Richard andJames find themselves caught in a bind. Despite their Quaker beliefs in nonviolence, the increasingly aggressive actions of the Rebels, who demand loyalty to their own cause, drive the men to take a side.

Overall, Arnett succeeds in capturing the complexity of the Revolution, while also showcasing the often-overlooked perspective of those who didn’t rebel and the many difficulties they encountered when their side met defeat. At times, readers may find the pacing of the story to be a bit on the slow side. However, the author handles characterization of the large cast, which includes many historical figures, with deftness and efficiency. This goes for secondary characters, as well, such as Henry Stevenson, a real-life surgeon with a Loyalist legion, who’s effectively described as “a slim man with gray hair, clipped shorter than was usual, probably in his sixties but fit-looking and radiating the self-confidence of someone accustomed to playing God with others’ lives.”

– Kirkus Reviews

American book review magazine

Richard and his family struggle to fit in with their Quaker community as his faith weakens. The American Revolution is underway, and most of the British loyalists have taken up arms against the Continental Army. But some, like Richard, find that war clashes with their faith; they do their best to keep their heads down and focus on farming.

Both rooted in history and taking liberties with its details, the sprawling novel The Monmouth Manifesto is about crises of faith in the time of the Revolutionary War.

– Foreword Clarion Review