Professor Simon Shaw is a history professor at Kenan College, located in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is the school's youngest full-time professor, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and well liked by practically everyone who knows him. He's also suffering from clinical depression. His wife, Tess, suddenly packed her bags and left him several months earlier. Since then, he's been hiding from the world, trying to find a reason to get out of bed in the morning. His friend, David Morgan, an archeologist, gives him one.

A historic mansion, Bloodworth House, located on the college campus, has been the site of a dig. Simon is stunned when David calls him to say that a decaying body has been discovered. An expert on the mansion, David takes one look at the corpse and knows who it is: Anne Bloodworth, heiress to the Bloodworth fortune. She was believed to have run away to avoid an unwanted marriage. But the bullet found in the back of her head shows it was murder.

Intrigued by the 70-year-old murder, Simon wants to know more about Anne and why she was murdered. But the police, except for Sgt. Gates, don't care about a killing where most of the suspects are dead and those still living have faint memories. With the help and encouragement of Sgt. Gates and Julia McGoughlan, a local attorney, Simon sets out to uncover the truth behind Anne's death. But Simon quickly discovers that while the murder may have taken place a lifetime ago, someone of his own generation doesn't want the truth to come out. And they are willing to kill Simon to keep the past a secret.

Simon Shaw is an engaging, appealing character. He instantly endears himself to the reader with his all too real problems, both personally and professionally. An intrepid and dogged sleuth, he is more interested in learning about history than the adventure that comes with finding a killer. Simon is certainly no tough guy... he'd sooner talk his way out of a situation than fight. His sense of humor will have you laughing out loud and his warmth and compassion will win your heart.

The supporting characters, particularly Julia, who becomes Simon's love interest, David Morgan, Simon's friend and Sgt. Gates, the African-American homicide detective, are intriguing and fascinating. Additionally, Julia and Simon's growing relationship adds dimension to the novel. Seeing these two dance around each other was nearly as interesting as the murder they were trying to solve.

The plot, while not particularly complex, was fascinating. The author uses the murder of this wealthy woman to explore issues of class and race in the South, revealing some difficult truths about the history of this country, but not ignoring the story she was trying to tell. Additionally, the author did a masterful job of setting a very realistic scene of the life of an academic and the pleasures and problems that come with the job. One of the major pluses of the book was the humor that permeated the pages. From the wit and wisdom displayed by the characters, to the at times laugh out loud narrative, the author was able to mix comedy, drama and a murder mystery to maximum effect.

Everything about this book is near perfection. The author showed such talent, I can't believe it is her first novel. I am certain we'll hear more from her in years to come.

--Anthony D. Langford