ver the past 50 years, I've owned several cats, all of whom have been named after Canadian historical figures: (Sir Charles)Tupper, (Allen Napier) MacNab, Ikie (Brock), Laura (Secord), Nelly (McClung), (Pierre) Elliott (Trudeau), Fenian, and not least (Thomas D'Arcy) McGee.

So when I saw this novel by Canadian author Ann Shortell based on the real-life assasination of McGee, I was in!

In school, we learned about McGee's death, significant because his was the first political assassination in Canada, taking place just eight months after Confederation. Beyond that and the fact Fenians were allegedly somehow involved, I knew nothing. Although I realize tht the author has taken certain liberties with the fcays in bringing this incident to historical fiction, I am certain that I understand a lot more about the political situation in Canada at that time than I ever learned in school!

Our protagonist is McGee's (fictional) Irish Catholic maid Clara Swift who was the closest to a witness to the murder that there was. Fifteen-year-old Clara is intelligent and observant and it is through her eyes that we see the tangled mess that is motivation for the alleged killer, the investigation, arrest and then trial of Jimmy Whelan.

If you have any interest at all in Canadian history, political or not, I highly recommend that you read Celtic Knot.

Thanks to James who blogs at The Mirimichi Reader who brought this book to my attention, and to the author who kindly sent me a beautiful hardcover copy to read in exchange for my unbiased (except for my love of Canadian history!) review. ( )