Hidden Cargo is a meticulously researched historical novel set in 1865 in Florida and Key West and delves into the little-known history of the slave trade after the end of the Civil War. The story follows Everett Townsend, a Union naval officer, who finds a sinking ship near Key West with drowned slaves locked in the hold who had been bound for Cuba. In his work investigating the illegal trade for the American government, he must confront the horrors of slavery and his own family's role in perpetuating it, as his grandmother is a wealthy Cuban plantation owner.
I was previously unaware that freed slaves, who were American citizens, were kidnapped and sold into the slave trade in Cuba to work the plantations. I appreciated learning about this time in history even though it was difficult to read about. Hidden Cargo was well written and moved quickly, with plenty of tension and danger, especially in the latter two-thirds of the book. Thank you to BookishFirst for a copy to review.
I was previously unaware that freed slaves, who were American citizens, were kidnapped and sold into the slave trade in Cuba to work the plantations. I appreciated learning about this time in history even though it was difficult to read about. Hidden Cargo was well written and moved quickly, with plenty of tension and danger, especially in the latter two-thirds of the book. Thank you to BookishFirst for a copy to review.