SOLVED. Mystery - takes place in present day but has flashbacks to Civil War. Spoiler ahead. [s]

[Lexi]

I’m guessing published in the early 2000s, before 2007 for sure. Read a few times in high school and cannot remember the title or author!
Book is set in present day with a woman lawyer or detective that visits a home (I believe from her family’s history) and centers around a death during the Civil War. Each chapter flips from present day to Civil War Times and a grave seeming to not make sense with the story that was thought true.
Major SPOILER BELOW





















The only thing I can remember is that one sibling ends up shooting the other so they don’t have to go to war as they were so young - and that’s what they find at the grave.

[Kris]

The Deserter: Murder at Gettysburg by Jane Langton?

Lexi, what's the genre or tone - murder mystery, fantasy with time travel, romance, dark/moody, funny at times, etc.?

Can you tell us more about the heroine - where she lives, why she visits or stays at the house, married/single, romantic partner, family/friends, skills/interests, etc.?

[Lexi]

Hi Kris! I’d say more murder mystery. No time traveling, but kind of “ghostly presence” feeling for the heroine. Sadly, I don’t remember a lot of details about her... :( its driving me nuts! I believe she visits the house because she inherits it??

I know it’s a long shot, but thought I’d at least try here as I’ve had no luck with Google searching myself. Oddly, I think I remember the cover having a sunflower on it...maybe that’ll spark some idea from someone!! :) Funny the things we remember instead of the important ones!

[Kris]

A guess - Hang My Head and Cry by Elena Santangelo?

[Lexi]

You are amazing!!! If it wasn't that one it was her first in that series, By Blood Possessed

I will be reading both of these in the near future - again! Thanks!!

[Kris]

Great! Glad you found your book, Lexi. I got lucky with this search:

Google search -- site:www.goodreads.com "mystery" murder "civil war" ghost inherit