This was a beautifully written book that immediately consumed me. I was transfixed by the story that unfolded as the characters became more and more real to me. Sometimes, you find a book that is so wonderful, it's a huge letdown to finish and find reality surrounding you. This is one of those books. The characters are well-developed, the story is compelling, and the setting is described so that it becomes completely visible. I lived and breathed the lives of these people. The plot was gripping, involving characters past, and surely required a lot of thorough investigation to write so perfectly. This is a tale for readers of mysteries, history, and thrillers alike. It stays with the reader far past the reading of the last page.