First published 2019
Josephine runs a successful farm in 1925, drawing on supernatural abilities that helped her escape bondage as a girl. Charlotte, her white neighbor, befriends her despite joining the Ku Klux Klan, creating deadly risks for Josephine's family. A century passes. Ava loses her job and moves in with Martha, her wealthy white grandmother who hires her as a companion. Martha's conduct grows unstable and menacing. Ava realizes she must flee before her fate mirrors her ancestor's peril. Two women separated by generations face similar threats from white women who seem to offer friendship but harbor darkness. The novel examines how mothers protect their children across time and how the promise of freedom persists through family lines.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 21st-century, family-drama, african-american-historical-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-friends, generational-trauma, racial-injustice
Setting: United States, Ku Klux Klan
Period: 1925, 21st Century
280 pages · Hardcover · Counterpoint
Content warnings: racism, violence