The core narrative here centers on one family at the beginning of the civil war and how their lives are changed when Delfin, a woman from New Orleans, and her companion join their Southern Illinois household. The gradually unraveling mystery surrounding Delfin provides an unusual perspective on race dynamics and cultural differences in this era. However, the central story is framed by a skimpy account of a boy returning with his father (Delfin's son) to visit the old homestead. This device adds nothing to the "real" story, and neither the boy nor his father emerge as real characters due to the sparseness of the framing narrative. It feels like something tacked on to work the book up to a publishable length, which one wishes a renowned author like Peck would be above.