In the South before the Civil War, the
citizens of Greenbriar, Louisiana, are trying to cling to the life
they understand. Unlike the other planters, Tom Edmunton, who spent
time in the North, is reaching for the future. He is convinced that
his invention, a tractor, will lead to a new age in agriculture where
slaves no longer work the fields and technology will
bring increased prosperity; but not everyone in Greenbriar, Louisiana
sees it that way.
Senator Wiley Barnwell hopes to have
Tom for his son-in-law. He hauled the tractor to Crossroads, his deceased
sister-in-law's plantation, so Tom could escort his wife and
daughter to the funeral. That night the tractor disappears
and someone stabs Wiley in the chest killing him. Ted Cooper, who was
trying to buy Crossroads, was found bending over the body with bloody
hands. Tom is convinced that stealing his tractor was the motive for
the murder. Cooper feared the machine and wanted to destroy it, but
is Tom right, or was there another motive for murder?
The old South comes to life in this
historical novel. The plot is full of twists, and the message, trying
to cling to a way of life that's passing, is excellent. However, the
writing is pedestrian. Conversations often read like information
dumps, and the pace is slow. The characters are stock Southerners:
the honest sheriff, the dishonest politician, the spoiled beauty, and
the beautiful slave.
I can recommend this book if you
looking for a historical novel about the South before the Civil War.
The murder mystery is an added benefit, and the underlying theme,
struggling to hold on to a way of life that's passing, is well done. It is also a cautionary tale for today.
I reviewed this book for Net Galley.
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