Headless dolls, horse races, and arson-the tools of passion. Caroline Corbett is ready for the twentieth century, excited to find work and meet new people-but she gets more than she expected when a rough-hewn Lowcountry farmer and a small town doctor both engage her affections. The broad-shouldered, broad-humored farmer is clear about his desires, and he's there for her. The doctor is sophisticated, educated, and obviously the right choice-but sees no reason to dwell on certain realities. Caroline must decide between them, but in doing so she fails to consider the girl Jessie. A young sociopath bent on her own way, Jessie Bell sees very good reasons to dredge up unpleasant realities-and to create new ones. Before long, this South Carolina landscape is riddled with the detritus of her intense jealousies, which have set astonishing and horrifying events into motion.

*Finalist in the category of Historical Fiction in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2021.