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Anne Southern's life was almost entirely perfect, despite the growing turmoil of her surroundings: the American South in the run-up to the election of Abraham Lincoln. Living on a plantation owned by her frequently absent husband, she was free to raise her children and indulge herself, worrying only about the unwanted advances of the slave supervisor, Red Garrett. One night, however, a stranger appears in her home and reveals himself to be her father-in-law, who Anne was told was dead. Worse still, his identity is that of Lighthouse Jack Burns, a legendary and fearsome pirate, warning them to prepare for war. At the same time in Evanston, Illinois, a young butcher named Ruse Blackburn is rejected by the woman he desires and subsequently is plunged into a plot to have him trapped into marrying another. Growing increasingly agitated and violent, Ruse lashes out in a series of murders and robberies that, by a strange turn of fate, puts him in position to help General Sherman lead the Union troops in the American Civil War. These two paths are destined to cross, but are also greatly destined for misfortune, and only one can hope to survive their encounter.
Filled with rich, deep characters and an alluring balance of intrigue, danger, and sexual themes, this story is nearly impossible to put down. The entanglement of all of the characters and their stories is too complex and varied to summarize with any kind of brevity, but that same complexity makes for a truly interesting and entertaining read. Mixing historical fact with fiction and setting the stage for further stories to come, the authors breathe life into every setting, every character, and every interaction in a way that is a true delight. Spanning the entirety of the Civil War and more, there is a lot of action to digest but the pacing keeps everything interesting without being overwhelming. Even for readers who are not necessarily interested in historical fiction or the era in which this story takes place, the story itself is compelling enough to merit reading.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review