In The Dreaming Hour

In 1933 Mississippi, a black man named Lewis is murdered because he dared to love Victory Hembree, a white woman. Six months after his death, the woman gives birth to a mixed-race baby, but the child disappears. The proudest family in town is involved in both incidents, which makes it dangerous for anyone even to speak about it, and the mysteries are buried over time. 

Now, about eighty years later, Victory’s granddaughter, Lucy, receives a letter from beyond the grave, charging her with the responsibility of finding the vanished child, now of course already an adult. Lucy’s life is complicated enough as it is, as she works a demanding job at a law firm. Yet, the letter gives new opportunities for Lucy. She starts dreaming about renovating the old family estate… and also about the sheriff, an enigmatic, handsome man who might just capture her heart. 

The writing is phenomenal! The author crafts a story that connects present and past, and does it really well. All of the characters shine—none are caricatures or one-dimensional, they act and behave in realistic ways. The romance, however, is very predictable, in particular the current attraction between Lucy and the sheriff. 

The book also tackles real issues such as racism, especially in history, culture and how it defines people, family traditions, lost love, and the impact this can have on one’s soul. 

Majanka Verstraete