K. P. Bath

Lucy is the maidservant for the younger Pauline. They live in Cant a very small country that although is set in modern day their people live as if it's still the middle ages. Lucy is an orphan and has been taken into service in the castle. Pauline her mistress is rather a brat and frequently getting Lucy into trouble. Lucy gets inadvertently involved in a plot to overthrow the government. The nobles of the realm are all addicted to gum. Gum however in their country is laced with something that makes it addictive and deadly if usage is stopped. Near the end of the book we learn the true secret of Castle Gant and really is a big surprise. The main plot is Lucy's adventures. Really a very good mystery type book.… (meer)

First, my critique of the book, independent of my discussion of the author, which follows.

Escape from Castle Cant is essentially Part II of a single book, the first part of which is The Secret of Castle Cant. The book is plot-heavy, with lots of twists and turns, and many characters. The protagonist of the first book was Lucy Wickwright, the maid to Pauline Cant, the rising Barroness. We learned there that Lucy was actually the true heir to the throne, and it ended with the two girls escaping the castle as the Barony divided into factions of those who supported Lucy and those who supported Pauline, and started a war, while the two girls simply were devoted to each other. In the second book, the protagonist is Pauline, as the girls and the young servant who assisted them in their escape try to make their way without getting caught by either of the factions waging war, since each faction wants one of the two girls in the dungeons. The book is entertaining, fun, and well written. BUT...

The author, K.P. Barth was convicted of possession of and trading in child pornography and is serving (or has served) a lengthy prison sentence for such. Though there is nothing disgusting or perverted about the two books, it's an extremely disturbing thing to know. Kind of like having a work of art that you found somewhere and have had hanging on your walls for years, thoroughly enjoying it, only to discover later that the artist was Adolph Hitler. Is the painting still good? Well, intrinsically, yes. But can you still enjoy looking at it? Maybe, maybe not.

My recommendation: If you haven't read these books, don't. Yes, they're good books, but there are thousands of other good books whose authors don't sicken you. If, like me, you read it before you discovered this fact... then draw your own conclusions as to how you feel about it.… (meer)