David Hart and John Calu have co-written a new novel called Trenton. (Photo courtesy of John Calu.)

By Peter Dabbene

When hearing about a new book called Trenton, one might wonder which of the two most likely settings its authors had chosen for their novel: Revolutionary War-era Trenton, or modern day Trenton.

Surprisingly, they chose both.

Trenton, by David A. Hart and John P. Calu, is published by Plexus Publishing, a New Jersey company that scored big when HBO decided to make a TV series of the Atlantic City-based Plexus book, Boardwalk Empire. Now Plexus and the authors of Trenton are hoping for similar success.

Hart and Calu have proven to be successful collaborators for some time, publishing five novels since they began writing together in 2003. But the roots of Trenton go much deeper than that, back to the 18th century period of the Hart family tree, as Calu explained.

David Hart, a West Trenton resident and Notre Dame High School graduate, first got interested in the life of his ancestor John Hart, one of the original New Jersey signers of the Declaration of Independence, during his senior year at Rider College, when he needed a topic for his History honors thesis. It was 1976, and America was celebrating the bicentennial.

Hart’s dad passed away, and he was entrusted with the Hart family records by his great uncle, Landrick F. Hart. While he was researching the last will and testament and what other scarce John Hart papers existed, he discovered in Princeton’s Firestone Library a seemingly tell-tale admission from Samuel Tucker, a leading figure in the years preceding the Revolutionary War, to Governor Livingston of New Jersey about a “lost” trunk containing Continental currency.

“Years later, when Dave uncovered evidence of John Hart Junior’s time in Cuba, I was looking for a way to work on a story about a Hispanic ‘everyman,’” said Calu, a Lawrence resident who grew up in Mercerville. “And we decided to write a screenplay, which eventually became the novel Trenton.”

In the course of three years writing and rewriting the story, Hart and Calu relied on local experts as well as their own research. Among their resources were Wendy Nardi, archivist of the Trentoniana Collection Room at the Trenton Free Public Library, and Sally Lane, a member of the Trenton Historical Society.

The time and effort Hart and Calu have put into their novel shows in its pages. From giving the origin of the name “Delaware” (after the royal governor of Jamestown, Lord De La Warr) to a riveting description of George Washington’s famous river crossing, the book is full of fascinating historical details that, while interesting in their own right, also fuel the story.

And the fate of that missing Continental currency? Hart and Calu have seamlessly woven a fictional ending to that particular loose thread of history, but you’ll have to read the book to discover what it is.

People who enjoy the “neighborhood feel” of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels might also enjoy that aspect of Trenton, with many familiar buildings, monuments, and businesses cropping up in the story. But with due respect to Evanovich’s millions of books sold, this exciting tale aims for more than mere entertainment.

What makes the book truly special is the tying together of Trenton’s role during the birth of the United States, and what some pessimists might say are tougher times for that city in 21st century. In the second half of the saga, the role of protagonist filled earlier by John Hart is instead embodied by his descendant, a Cuban-American landscaper named Luis Alma, and a young black man named Darius doing his best to escape his violent surroundings.

Political intrigue, always a staple of Trenton, is major component of the book throughout both parts. But in embracing the Trenton of now, rather than simply lingering in its heroic, mythic past, the authors emphasize the parallels between those who stood for what they believed in then—and those who do so today.

Trenton’s history becomes relevant not just as a reminder of where we, as a community, came from, but also as a reminder of the lessons learned in getting there.

As Hart and Calu’s character Darius says late in the novel: “Through living history, we look to the past to understand the present and work for a better future.” Not a bad motto for a city like Trenton, nor a bad theme for a novel.

Book signings are scheduled for Oct. 3 at the Benjamin Temple House for the Ewing Historic Preservation Society, Oct. 16 at Classics Bookshop in downtown Trenton and Nov. 1 at the Princeton Public Library.

For a complete up-to-date listing of author appearances, go online to www.trentonthenovel.com.