"In this lively historical novel . . . charged with subtle period detail and boasting fully developed characters, Allen's work is sharp, smart, and well focused." --Publishers Weekly

When Jasper Wainwright returns to Beaufort after a long absence, he meets his cousin’s beautiful niece, Cara. Jasper is an abolitionist and Cara will inherit hundreds of slaves one day, so it’s fortunate Cara wants nothing to do with him. Jasper’s cousin, Henry, wants Jasper to settle in Beaufort. Jasper’s former slave, now friend, Spit Jim, wants Jasper to leave Beaufort as soon as possible. Even though Beaufort is full of beauty, culture and charm, Jasper knows he needs to leave. He can no longer drink, and drinking and dueling are the predominant pastimes of men in Beaufort. And yet the writings of a certain Eustace Woods gives Jasper hope that Beaufort and the rest of the South could gradually evolve away from slavery with the right encouragement. Maybe that’s the reason why he stays and stays . . .

"Allen envelops us in the antebellum South, weaving together a story full of evocative detail and compelling characters. With an ear of a poet, she reminds us that history is an intriguing stew in which evidence, memory and the imagined are all stirred endlessly together. If you must put it down, you will long to return as quickly as possible, a measure of a novel beautifully spun." --Susan Gevirtz, author of AERODROME ORION & Starry Messenger