Synopses & Reviews
In such novels as Jolie Blon's Bounce and Bitterroot, James Lee Burke -- a rare winner of two Edgar Awards -- has married complex characters with a literary voice that crackles and caresses all at once. Set during the Civil War and Reconstruction, White Doves at Morning showcases Burke's ability to move from crime fiction to historical fiction with aplomb.
Drawing on Burke's own family history, White Doves at Morning tells the story of Willie Burke and two friends, who -- despite misgivings about "the Cause" -- set off from their Louisiana home to fight for the Confederacy. Into the maelstrom of war is swept a fascinating cast of characters whose plights reflect the complexities of Southern society: Flower Jamison, a young slave who, against law and custom, learns from Willie Burke to read and write; plantation owner Ira Jamison, Flower's owner and, though he refuses to acknowledge it, father; Abigail Dowling, a Massachusetts abolitionist who came south to help fight yellow fever and never left; and others, all of whom contribute in Burke's characteristically subtle way to an irresistible saga of violence, intrigue, and romance. Boasting battle scenes reminiscent of The Red Badge of Courage, White Doves at Morning is an epic worthy of America's most tragic conflict. Taking the author's writing to bold new heights, this historical masterpiece is a triumph.