A young pregnant girl in 1885 either committed suicide or was murdered. The girl is Lillian Madison, the cousin of Tommie Cluverius, who is arrested for her murder. The story takes place in Richmond, Virginia. Throughout the entire novel, the reader wants to know if he is really guilty or not. Tommie is a very young lawyer when he is arrested and needs to prove his innocence while others believe he is guilty in light of the relationship he had with his cousin.
Click here to see the rest of this review...
Willie, Tommie's older brother is a farmer and tries to sort out what had transpired. Both he and Tommie were raised by their Aunt Jane after their family was torn apart by the drowning of their younger brother. What followed was the remaining brothers having chosen different paths and trying to make sense out of what really happened to Lillian. Was she carrying Tommie's child? Did he want her dead to keep her quiet so that he could marry Nola, the daughter of a wealthy father? These are questions that the author explores, all based on real life events that had occurred.
The character of Willie is charming and heartbreaking. His only surviving brother may be executed for a murder he committed. Without spoiling the end, readers will want to research the facts that inspired this novel and perhaps will come to their own conclusions. For myself, I am still unsure, especially since Lillian was manipulative in her attempt of getting Tommie's attention.
Best part of story, including ending:
The author used facts to create a fascinating work of literature.
Best scene in story:
When Willie visits Tommie in jail and tries to glean some information to help he know the truth.
Opinion about the main character:
Tommie was ambitious and sometimes didn't show the compassion that one wanted to see, but he was fully fleshed out, which was a delight to read.