Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Season in Picardy" by Sam Lutton.

4 out of 4 stars

Tales about war are never pleasant, but it's an unpleasant experience of real people. Getting to know these people's lives shows the reality of war and the extent of its effect. In A Season in Picardy, Sam Lutton does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of these experiences in the reader's mind.

Starting with an unsolved murder, the events in A Season in Picardy kept rising to a crescendo. Michael, an ambulance driver during the French-German war, turned out to be more than his family thought he was. A search by his two sisters revealed layers and layers of secrets. His sisters, on their part, had run off to Paris unchaperoned in their search for him, much to their parents' chagrins. Their parents couldn't do much about it. The sisters' arrival in Paris changed so much about their lives. Coming face to face with their brother's closest friend, whom he didn't say anything about, and having their love interests, A Season in Picardy took interesting and romantic twists.

Sam Lutton is an excellent storyteller, as he spun a good yarn of historical fiction with his book. Outstanding and extensive research went into this narrative. Part of its novelty is that the story is told mainly from the point of view of the medical corps. It gives the war story a perspective different from the norm. The romantic side may not have the expected outcome, as there are surprises in how it turns out.

My favorite part was the mystery. It wasn't so much of an outlandish mystery. But its simplicity didn't belie the need for resolution. Just when I thought it would end in a particular way, one shocking revelation created more mystery. Also, with the mystery came suspense. I loved every bit of the journey.

It was a delightful read for me. The descriptions in the book were quite vivid. The author described the characters, the horrific war scenes, and the medical procedures explicitly. I loved that there was a touch of romance in the book. However, it contained minimal sexual content. Interestingly, it agreed with the era and setting of the story. The editing was exceptional; I didn't find any error in it. Therefore, I’d rate it 4 out of 4 stars.

I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, romance, mystery, and adventure. Medical personnel will also find it intriguing, as it has a lot to say about their profession, albeit in times of war.