{"product_id":"9780979153389","title":"The Queen Of The Everglades","description":"This historical fiction novel is based upon a compilation of Hix Stuart's factual account of The Notorious Ashley Gang published in 1928, articles from the Stuart News.. and historical research. The real Queen Of The Everglades, Laura Upthegrove, was truly a \"liberated woman\" who turned against society's standards to leave her husband and two children to live with John Ashley, the leader of a gang who was wanted for train robbery, killing a Seminole Indian, escaping from prison, and holding up the local bank. Centered around a touching love story is the exciting moment in history known as \"The Roaring 20's\" when there was big money to be made in bootlegging booze making moonshine, and running speakeasy casinos. The world was being shocked by the challenge of women's rights, the advent of the flapper girls, and skin tight bathing suits that showed everything! No doubt Laura felt that she had joined the cause for all women in a quest for liberation when she chose to wear a holstered pistol and joined a man's world among a gang of thieves hiding in the heart of Florida's Everglades.. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe heroine of this story, Laura Upthegrove, was abused by her husband and forced to abandon her two children and leave her Palm City home. Boarding a train in Stuart, she met an old school chum, John Ashley - who, with his brothers, is planning to rob the train. Aboard the same train is Sheriff Bob Baker. Fortunately for Johnny, Laura acts as his hostage and Baker is persuaded to allow them to escape. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollowing the lead of John Ashley Laura and the group of men enter deep into the heart of the Everglades where they stay with a friendly family of Seminole Indians. She is shocked to learn that Johnny had been wanted for the murder of an Indian and had lost an eye during a gun accident in a bank robbery. It is here among the alligators, the Florida panther, bear, deer, and other wildlife, that Laura learns to love the gentle John Ashley, a man who is at one with nature. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e After an attempted rape by one of the gang members, Laura straps a holstered gun to her hip , a trademark earning her the title \"Queen Of the Everglades.\" Once the group returned to a secluded campsite near Hobe Sound John and the others in the gang listen intently to Laura's plan for making \"Big Money\". Laura suggests that they should take advantage of the new Prohibition Law by bootlegging whiskey from the Bahamas and increasing Pa Ashley's whiskey brewing output by building a second still. Each gang member chipped in his own personal nest egg toward making the new business work. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA luxury yacht, The Millicent \"on loan\" from a wealthy Jupiter Island resident, was used to make a run toward West End in the Bahamas. Unknown to John and Laura another gang led by Colonel E.R. Bradley is already operating out of West End. The conflict between Bradley, Sheriff Baker, and Ashley gang begins as The Millicent's hold is packed with whiskey. A storm and engine trouble drove the ship off course toward the Palm Beach inlet and Henry Flagler's exclusive Royal Poincianna Hotel. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDisguised as wealthy owners of the yacht Laura and John enter into the posh environment and are welcomed as adventurers. Befriended by another couple their own age, Laura learns about \"Women's Rights\", voting, and gaining freedom from man-made restraints. She gains notoriety as calls of \"I love my wife but oh' you kid!\" are heard from beach cabanas because of her revealing two piece bathing suit. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Invited to the exclusive \"Beach Club\" Laura and John are surprised to find a large casino where customers are freely drinking and gambling. Pinkerton detective with machine guns guard the gambling patrons. Colonel E.R. Bradley invites the couple up to his private office where he confronts them with the knowledge of their identity and threatens to notify Sheriff Baker if they don't leave immediately and stop competing with him in their bootlegging activities. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Upon returning to Hobe Sound, John and the other decide to continue their illegal whiskey operations in spite of Bradley's power. Transporting a truck load of whiskey to Hardee County the group is ambushed by the Sheriff and his posse. Johnny is sent to Raiford Prison. Back in Hobe Sound Laura seems to loose control of the gang as each of the men decide to take matters into their own hands by planning either a robbery or another whiskey operation in West End. Laura decides to solve the problem by helping Johnny to escape from prison.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTruly, The Queen Of The Everglades was a remarkable person. As a fiction author I would like to say that my story ends with \"And they all lived happily ever after, \" but this is not the case. Historically, the story's tragedy occurred when John and some of the gang were trapped on the Sebastian Inlet bridge by the Sheriff and his deputies. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuring the funeral, Laura learned that Sheriff Bob Baker is displaying John's glass eye as a trophy. Irate and irresolute in determination to get Johnny's glass eye returned, Laura holsters her pistol and walked boldly into Baker's office. With a gun pointed between his eyes Sheriff Baker gladly traded the glass eye trophy for his life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e After Johnny's death Laura tried to make a new life for herself by starting a gas station outside of the city of Okeechobee. There was no life without John and armed with a fork to fight off two would-be molesters, Laura Upthegrove took her own life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLaura and John always considered quitting their life of crime and \"going straight\", but the turn of fate and bad choices blocked the way. If ever a couple deserved a second chance, maybe it would be in another life.","brand":"Robert Blaske","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47076258021616,"sku":"9780979153389","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780979153389_p0.jpg?v=1763880115","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780979153389","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}