A River Divides: Book Two, Beyond the Wood Series - Paperback

by Michael J. Roueche (Author)

The sequel to the 2012 Cooke Fiction Award-winning novel, where the action and romance of the Beyond the Wood continue: It's winter 1864. While Eastern Theater soldiers languish in camp boredom; conspiracy, treachery and mystery envelop Confederate widow Betsy Henderson. Is there something sinister in a visit from the town sheriff? Did she tell him too much? Can she be true to all she's sworn? In the meantime, William, a runaway slave, still craving his chance to fight for the Union, flees Virginia. Stumbling into the murky waters of Kentucky servitude and near death, he has nothing to offer but a worn body, exhausted spirit and troubled mind. Dare he imagine freedom, soldiering and even love? Or is he broken and fully spent? In 1864, white and black, soldier and civilian, guilty and innocent are trapped in the tumultuous conflict, and nothing is as it seems. Welcome to the river that divides them. Praise for A River Divides: "A complex narrative about conflicted individuals struggling to be true to themselves and their beliefs, despite the harsh realities surrounding their lives, A River Divides is a sober, thoughtful, and expertly researched Civil War novel. Highly recommended." Midwest Book Review "Roueche's beautifully written imagery and ability to immerse readers in place and time will delight and hook readers from the very beginning to the very end." Chanticleer Book Reviews Praise for Beyond the Wood: "War, romance and mystery collide in this deeply researched Civil War novel." Denver Post "An interesting and different Civil War novel." Civil War News "A tale of personal intrigue and a unique brand of romance, recommended . . . a fine addition to historical fiction collections." Midwest Book Review

Author Biography

Michael J. Roueche grew up in Virginia and spent most of his adult life in the Old Dominion. Always a romantic, only in more recent years did he discover the Civil War that always had surrounded him, thanks to Bruce Catton books from his father's library and a good friend who gave him a copy of Michael Schaara's "Killer Angels." He and his wife of 36 years now live in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking and exploring the High Plains and Rocky Mountains, with their alpine vistas, aspen groves and evergreen forests, and amazing wildlife. They have five children and several grandchildren.