Good Time Coming

In a distinct departure from her popular Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series, Harris tells a powerful story of war’s destruction of property, people, hopes, and morals during the Civil War in Louisiana. This is top-notch historical fiction, thoroughly researched and vividly presented, revealing the Civil War in all its brutality. Thirteen-year-old Amrie St. Pierre lives with her mother on a farm near the Mississippi port town of St. Francisville. Her father and most local men are in the Confederate army fighting up north near Vicksburg. The Union army comes upriver from New Orleans, burning, plundering, and pillaging—terrorizing citizens, punishing them for secession. Louisiana families suffer greatly from deprivation—little food, no medicine, sickness, and the constant threat of rape and murder. Amrie, her mother, and Mahalia, another citizen, are assaulted by two Yankee soldiers, but the women kill both men and hide their bodies. They know Yankee retribution will be swift and harsh. After the soldiers’ bodies are finally discovered, the whole town will be punished if the killers don’t step forward. Amrie and her mother learn the strength of women united against cruelty and oppression. This is an excellent story, full of suspense and historical detail. (Dec.)