Echoes of Our Ancestors

A Civil War–era secret brings modern-day consequences in a novel that asks: How long can the shadows of the past hang over one family?

Philip Richards puts little value on his life. He avoids close relationships and blames himself for the sexual abuse his sister suffered at the hands of their grandfather. To drown his sorrows and evade his guilt, Philip drinks too much and engages in dangerous activities.

When his father dies, two more life-changing events take place. Philip meets Edith, a free-spirited poet, with whom he feels an instant connection. He also comes across a manuscript, a stolen narrative that chronicles the Civil War relationship between his ancestor, Russell, and Fever, the slave who became his wife.

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