The Undertaker's Assistant: A Southern Historical Fiction Novel

An enthralling novel of historical fiction for fans of Lisa Wingate and Ellen Marie Wiseman, The Undertaker's Assistant is a powerful story of human resilience set during Reconstruction-era New Orleans that features an extraordinary and unforgettable heroine at its heart. Effie Jones, a former slave who escaped to the Union side as a child, knows the truth of her words: "The dead can't hurt you. Only the living can." Taken in by an army surgeon and his wife during the War, she learned to read and write, to tolerate the sight of blood and broken bodies—and to forget what is too painful to bear. Now a young freedwoman, she has returned south to New Orleans and earns her living as an embalmer, her steady hand and skillful incisions compensating for her white employer's shortcomings.

Tall and serious, Effie keeps her distance from the other girls in her boarding house, holding tight to the satisfaction she finds in her work. But despite her reticence, two encounters—with a charismatic state legislator named Samson Greene, and a beautiful young Creole, Adeline—introduce her to new worlds of protests and activism, of soirees and social ambition. Effie decides to seek out the past she has blocked from her memory and try to trace her kin. As her hopes are tested by betrayal, and New Orleans grapples with violence and growing racial turmoil, Effie faces loss and heartache, but also a chance to finally find her place.

The novel is a powerful story of human resilience set against the backdrop of Reconstruction-era New Orleans. Effie Jones, the protagonist, is an extraordinary and unforgettable heroine who has weathered the horrors of slavery and emerged as a young freedwoman, working as an embalmer and navigating the complex social and political landscape of post-war New Orleans. Through her encounters with Samson Greene and Adeline, Effie is introduced to new worlds of activism and social ambition, which challenge her to confront her own past and search for her family.

As the city grapples with growing racial tensions and violence, Effie's journey becomes intertwined with the larger struggles of the Reconstruction era. The novel explores themes of trauma, resilience, and the quest for belonging, all while immersing the reader in the richly-drawn setting of New Orleans during a pivotal moment in American history.

The Undertaker's Assistant is a captivating blend of historical fiction and character-driven storytelling, offering readers an immersive and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of the Reconstruction era and the resilience of the human spirit. With its engaging protagonist and vivid historical backdrop, this novel is sure to captivate fans of Lisa Wingate and Ellen Marie Wiseman, as well as anyone with a passion for powerful, character-driven historical fiction.

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