Set in the earliest days of American settlement in Puget Sound of the Pacific Northwest, French Peter - Journey to Hat Island is the thrilling adventure of Peter Goutre, a French-Canadian fur trader, who is caught in the middle of a murderous mutiny in the furthest outpost of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Forced south, on an epic journey by canoe to the Oregon Territory in 1842 with his young wife, they encounter every danger the frontier can offer.

Journey to Hat Island shines a light on the earliest settlers of Island and Snohomish Counties and Tulalip Bay, it recounts the life of this real-world homesteader amongst the Snohomish Indians and the early colonists. But years later, when Goutre’s past comes back to shatter his tranquil life on his island in the middle of Possession Sound, only the power of the Legends of Whulge can overcome the wickedness that descends upon him.

In his latest novel, JD Howard brings the reader along on a quest that begins at Fort Stikine in 1842, reliving one of the most traumatic scandals in the Hudson’s Bay Company’s history, and then travels across the world as Peter Goutre attempts to escape the wrongdoing he’s been made a part of. Touching on every aspect of the richness of life, Journey to Hat Island travels over the mountains, bays, beaches and forests of the Pacific Northwest, as well as the changing decades and times, French Peter - Journey to Hat Island is an excellent match for anyone interested in Washington history, the Salish peoples, or just a fine, old-fashioned adventure story.

From the amazing introduction, which is a history lesson in itself, to the seemingly endless adventures, J.D Howard’s latest historical novel is a must read for American history buffs. This fascinating era of the 1800s is begging to be explored and the author has done a magnificent job of bringing the audience into this intriguing story.

• Gene R. Fosheim, Former president of the Everett Museum of History, and the award-winning author of Mill Town Boy.

J.D. Howard’s French Peter - Journey to Hat Island fills an important literary niche in the history of the Pacific Northwest. Masterfully told and chock-full of rich imagery, Howard weaves a poetic tale of the people and events that shaped early life along the Salish Sea. An enjoyable read from start to finish!

• Steve K. Bertrand, Snohomish County Historian, author of Paleolithica and Other Poems, and Modern Everett.