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John Reisinger is a former Coast Guard officer and engineer, who writes on historic incidents and themes. He is the author of Master Detective, the true story of detective Ellis Parker and his controversial involvement in the Lindbergh kidnapping investigation. Max Allan Collins called Master Detective "Fascinating reading for true crime buffs and mystery fans alike." John also writes the Max Hurlock Roaring 20s Mysteries, a series of books based on real crimes of that era. Tidewater Times reviewer Anne Stinson said of the series "Mark me down as a super-fan of John Reisinger. I predict that every lover of an exciting tale told well will agree." He has recently completed The Secrets Behind the Structures: The little known stories behind some of the world's most well-known landmarks. John lives on Maryland's Eastern Shore and has appeared in a segment on the TV series Mysteries at the Museum. His website is http://www.johnreisinger.com
Reviewed by Nandita Keshavan for Readers' Favorite
The Confessions of Gonzalo Guerrero is a brilliant book. Being taken into the mind of Gonzalo Guerrero and being able to understand what dilemmas he faced and what motivated him made for a very interesting narrative. The story begins with the young Gonzalo in Spain, hungry for excitement and adventure. However, the circumstances that lead him to become part of the Valdivia expedition are not purely a greed for the gold of the New World but also a need to escape the vindictive father of his first lover. He is later shipwrecked in a Mayan country and taken as a captive. In the town he is taken to, he is made a slave, but becomes anxious to escape to avoid the risk of being sacrificed. How he becomes an important member of the local army, marries the daughter of the local king, and gains the trust of the Mayan people in the fight against the Spaniards despite being a Spaniard himself is a fascinating story. Readers would enjoy the twists and turns of the plot, the excitement of the martial manoeuvres and strategies, the endearing moments of love from initial fascination to deeper understanding and connection.
Admittedly, I read the book under the wrong notion that it was a work of non-fiction - at the end I realised that it was in fact a clever work of fiction told in such a convincing way that I felt it natural to grasp the thoughts and character of the narrator, Gonzalo. The credit goes to author John Reisinger who has carefully crafted the events of the book to fit in with what is known of the Spaniards and Mayans, and of the historical conquests of the Spaniards. He has illustrated several situations in which the reader can savour the complexity of how the cultures clash and also what they have in common. A major theme is how religious fervor and tradition occasionally motivate people to perpetuate habits that are counter-productive. Also, there are several interesting moral dilemmas and dramatic moments, such as Gonzalo choosing whether to identify as a Mayan and whether to fight against the Spanish or return home, even when he recognises his own brother Hectore who joined the Spaniard invaders in order to look for him in the New World. Overall, it is an exciting and moving book which I highly recommend. I believe it could be adapted to be a great film.
