I couldn't put this one down (and I was on a beautiful beach with the ocean beckoning me, so that's saying something!) and was so engrossed in the characters and how all of their lives (white and black, free and slave) blurred and intertwined. This is a must-read, a powerful and beautifully written work of fiction that feels SO realistic and representative of the mess of our country in years past. Can't recommend this one enough.