Trained at her mother's knee in herbal medicinal arts, freedwoman Marlie Lynch is taken in by her white father's family at Lynchwood. She spends her time crafting new remedies and secretly helping the Union cause, which includes hiding escaped prisoner Ewan McCall in her lab. Her uneasy peace is shattered when a vicious in-law invites the arrogant Commander Cahill and his ruthless Confederate Home Guard to move into the house. Before long, Marlie and Ewan are fleeing for their lives on the Underground Railroad, with peril close behind. A quietly courageous healer and a Union officer battle hatred, intolerance, and cruelty in a compelling story of the Civil War told from an often neglected point of view. VERDICT Exceptional historical detail and abundant literary and philosophical references guarantee this well-written story will appeal to both romance and historical fiction fans. Cole (An Extraordinary Union) lives in New York City. [See "Editors' Fall Picks," LJ 9/1/17, p. 34.]