Published: Sep. 27, 2011
Words: 96,231 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781452434872

Short description

Rafe Stone comes to Mississippi seeking an antebellum showcase, but the house now belongs to Josephus Collander, who tells Rafe it's not for sale; but he can have it for nothing if he'll accept it as his niece's dowry. Two strangers hiding their pasts and a legendary house with dark secrets of its own. Mystery, suspense, and romance from the time when the memory of the Old South became legend.

Extended description

Rafe Stone came back to Mississippi seeking justice and a house reputed to hold the secret to a fortune in Yankee gold. But the magnificent
structure that began life as a one-room, French-Dominion log cabin and grew into an antebellum showcase south of Natchez has fallen into disrepair and into the hands of a savvy Mississippi City businessman by the name of Josephus Collander. The astute Collander has no use for the tax-draining piece of real estate; moreover, he needs to unburden himself of a recently acquired orphaned niece who, through no fault of her own, is wreaking havoc within his
household. The house is not for sale, Collander tells the disappointed Rafe, but he can have it for nothing, if he will accept it as Delilah
Graff’s dowry. (Read more) Rafe Stone came back to Mississippi seeking justice and a house reputed to hold the secret to a fortune in Yankee gold. But the magnificent
structure that began life as a one-room, French-Dominion log cabin and grew into an antebellum showcase south of Natchez has fallen into disrepair and into the hands of a savvy Mississippi City businessman by the name of Josephus Collander. The astute Collander has no use for the tax-draining piece of real estate; moreover, he needs to unburden himself of a recently acquired orphaned niece who, through no fault of her own, is wreaking havoc within his
household. The house is not for sale, Collander tells the disappointed Rafe, but he can have it for nothing, if he will accept it as Delilah
Graff’s dowry.

Rafe’s desperation, coupled with Delilah’s beauty, makes the decision, albeit a reckless one, easy. But what secret in the siren’s past would cause a seemingly kind and responsible kinsman to barter her to a stranger?

Tragedy, followed by a difficult childhood, has left Delilah jaundiced toward life, bitter toward men, and eager for the independence
she is sure is coming. Instead, the financial support her beneficent Uncle Joe promised is suddenly forfeit, and he has called in his
markers, compelling her to wed a man she does not know. Worse yet, her uncle doesn’t appear to know much about the handsome Rafe Stone either. Adding to her discomfort, this Mr. Stone takes her to Natchez, a city where her name is synonymous with disgrace. There he moves her into a house rumored, over the course of its nearly two hundred years, to have hosted treason, robbery, adultery, and murder. A house still reputed to harbor the specter of a vicious killer.

And who is Rafe Stone, the man to whom she has sworn her troth and under whose roof she sleeps at night? A man, who claims to be a stranger to Mississippi, yet knows more about the ominously majestic River’s Bend, and its past, than he should? What is his link to the dark legends haunting River’s Bend and to the ghost walking its rambling halls? Is he the personification of her nightmare or an unbidden dream come true?

Mystery, suspense, romance, and history, dear reader. Enjoy this look back to the time when the memory of the Old South blossomed into legend.
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Adult-content rating: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages. For more information, see the Support FAQ.

Tags

romance, suspense, mystery, new orleans, civil war, mississippi, confederacy, historical, federal, brazil, mississippi river, natchez, treasury, iron brigade, vicksburg, river travel, war between states, butler lake, st catherine creek, carthage point, st catherine bend, pearl river, big black, loosa chitta, rodney, fort adams, joe shelby, confederadoes, confederate colonies, mississippi city

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Reviews

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Review by: Robert Miller on Aug. 23, 2012 :
This is a great story and the author does a wonderful job of adding a Southern flavor to the mystery. The author also provides an historical narrative about the people who left the South for Mexico and ultimately for Brazil after the Civil War. If you like reading mysteries set in the South, then this book would be an excellent choice.
Reviewed by Bob Miller Global eBook judge 2012
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: P. A. Wilson on Aug. 18, 2012 :
an interesting mystery. I found myself trying to guess not only who did the main mystery, but also who the main characters were. A complex and well written story.
(reviewed long after purchase)

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