Russell’s Knob is not paradise. But already in 1863 this New Jersey highlands maroon settlement is home to a diverse population of blacks and whites and reds who have intermarried and lived in relative harmony for generations. It is a haven for Dossie Bird, who has escaped north along the Underground Railroad and now feels the embrace of the Smoot family. Dossie matures and flourishes in the community until a violent confrontation causes her to leave, seek refuge in New York City, then abandon the town during the Draft Riots of July, 1863.
With the same storytelling brio that distinguished the acclaimed novels, River, Cross My Heart and Stand the Storm, Breena Clarke weaves the richly dramatic story of one woman’s triumph in the crucible of history.