Many historians believe that the author of the Declaration of
Independence had an affair with his female slave, Sally Hemings.
That she gave birth to six, maybe seven, children. Other scholars
disavow any such relationship, pointing to the circumstantial
nature of the evidence and emphasizing the obvious upright
character of the Founding Father. The truth is of some significance
both to Jefferson's legacy and to descendants of Jefferson and the
Hemingses, but finding out what really happened between Jefferson
and his slave would appear to be beyond reach. Or is it? Detective
Michael Chance is on leave from the Washington, D.C., police
department following the tragic death of his wife. Moving in with
his sister's family in Charlottesville, Virginia, he finds himself
struggling with depression and the emotion-numbing psychological
disorder of depersonalization. Reluctantly, Mike joins his partner,
Justin Johnson, in an investigation seeking a letter said to be
written by Sally's brother, James Hemings, revealing the nature of
the relationship between Jefferson and his sister. Who would want
to see such a document? How much would someone pay to own it? Who
would kill in order to get their hands on it? The owner of the
letter is found dead and the document missing. Racial tensions
arise when an African-American minister with knowledge of the
letter is subsequently murdered. The FBI enters the investigation
when a collector of stolen historic artifacts and member of the Ku
Klux Klan is implicated. Two more people are killed, an FBI agent
shot, and a woman Mike draws into the investigation is brutally
attacked before the letter is found and its contents revealed.
Jefferson's Promise is a mystery within a mystery. What exactly
happened between Jefferson and Sally Hemings? Did he or didn't he?
Readers of historical mysteries, especially those curious about the
Jefferson-Hemings relationship, will find numerous historical
details concerning Jefferson and slavery at Monticello. The
consequences of living with the dissociative disorder of
depersonalization are exposed as Detective Chance struggles to put
his life back on track. Thomas Jefferson, slavery, sex, murder,
racial tensions, and a frightening psychological illness, are the
mix in this mystery set in contemporary central Virginia.
General
Imprint: |
Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
May 2014 |
First published: |
May 2014 |
Authors: |
Gene Daniels
|
Dimensions: |
203 x 133 x 21mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
368 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-4992-9281-7 |
Categories: |
Books >
Fiction >
Genre fiction >
Crime & mystery >
Historical mysteries
|
LSN: |
1-4992-9281-3 |
Barcode: |
9781499292817 |
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