Shipwrecked Lives

Reader reviews:

“From the very first lines, Kinsey skillfully crafts his novel. We are drawn into the lives of the individuals on the Empress, passengers confused and frightened when loud blasts of the ship’s whistle sound and the ship begins to list, then rapidly sink. He weaves the story between the disaster itself and what follows with the survivors in a courtroom as lawyers and witnesses try to unravel the cause of the collision. Kinsey has written a historical novel that is impossible to put down. I found that the transitions from survivor story to courtroom events held my interest from start to finish.” Rosalie Grosch, The Norwegian American Journal.

“As a Maritimer, I’ve always been familiar with the stories of the Titanic and the Atlantic. The sinking of the Empress of Ireland is certainly a tragedy I’d heard of but it wasn’t a story I knew much about. I found Nicholas Kinsey’s book absolutely fascinating and could certainly draw parallels between the Empress of Ireland’s tragic sinking and the Lusitania’s. They both happened so quickly that there was absolute chaos on the decks. They also both resulted in intense inquiries afterwards. The historical research was first-rate and based on primary sources. Though the book is historical fiction, the facts shone through and it was presented in a very readable way. An important (though terribly sad) part of Canadian history that more people should learn about.” BookSirens.

“This book offered a fascinating look into a shipwreck that occurred in Canada in 1914. I liked that the author focused on characters from all the different sides of the disaster and its aftermath. I also appreciated all the historical details woven into the story.” Goodreads.

Nicholas Kinsey is a Canadian / British writer and director of feature films and television dramas. He has been a successful director, scriptwriter, director of photography, film editor, and producer over a long career. He has written five historical novels and twenty feature and television drama screenplays.