'Til Death Do Us...

When "'til death do us..." means murder, will justice --- that fluid-like concept --- seek its own level? Nineteen-eighteen was a watershed year for 6-year-old Walter Dunbar and 13-year-old Ruth Wilson. That year's seminal events in their childhoods ultimately bring them together as young adults to share a lifetime --- dedicated to strong moral and family values --- through a half century of shifting societal values and standards. Nineteen-eighteen also marked the birth of Eleanor Riggs whose nature and upbringing combine to create an unprincipled and manipulative self-serving woman --- the embodiment of evil --- who insinuates herself into Walter's life. As it sweeps across the landscapes of eastern New England, New York's Southern Tier, Maryland, and eastern Pennsylvania, the saga of these three individuals' lives is set against a tapestry of historical events and shifting cultural and societal attitudes of 20th Century America. This tale of two families with a slice of history and a slice of mystery will appeal to readers who enjoyed John Steinbeck's East of Eden.