""Bunkley's inspired latest, The Twisted Crown, is a convincing portrait of the racist violence, injustice, and classist divisions that persisted  in

reconstruction-era Charleston, SC after the Civil War..her meticulous attetion to historical and regional details lay bare the steep uphill battle of her

characters' incremental progress."

Publishers Weekly

 

"a layered exploration of family, loss, and love that deftly interweaves the socioeconomic, political, and racial tensions in Northern and Southern states

during and after the Civil War."

The BookLife Prize

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“"...The Twisted Crown brings to life that brief time of hope that Reconstruction could fulfill Abraham Lincoln’s dream of an America

 'with malice toward none, with charity for all'.” 

Historical Novel Society

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"...a well-turned page of historical fiction that seamlessly weaves together real events that happened during the Civil War

  and the reconstruction years. Her (Anita's) real achievement is putting on her pages flesh-and-blood characters, and heart-wrenching

accounts of the trials during that dark period in America's past."                                                                

AuthorsReading.com

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"...a gipping historical novel" BookBub

 

"...a fascinating look into post-Civil War South...Four Stars"."

Literary Titan

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  "...a story that proves multifaceted and hard to put down."

Diana Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

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THE TWISTED CROWN takes readers from the bustling streets of Boston at the height of the  Abolitionist movement to the war-ravaged landscape of Reconstruction-era South Carolina.

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Eva Phillips was born a slave, yet lived in freedom. The spirited young widow, whose husband died while fighting with the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, leaves her home in Boston to search for the African mother  who gave her away twenty-one years ago.

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It is 1867.  The War Between the States has ended.  The slaves have been freed.  South Carolina remains in near ruin, and the federal government is attempting to reconstruct the political and cultural landscape of the former rebel state. Eva Phillips leaves the comfort and security of her home in Boston to venture into chaotic, post-war South Carolina to begin her journey.

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During her travels across the unruly landscape of South Carolina, Eva is befriended by black political activists promoting the rights of the newly freed slaves, a wealthy northern Carpetbagger, and a gutsy lady gambler who teaches Eva how to survive in the tumultuous post-war environment.

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When her search exposes a dangerous web of lies, theft, and murder, Eva finds herself the target of a long-awaited confrontation that forces her into a fight for her life.

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THE TWISTED CROWN, inspired by the life of the author's great-grandfather, is rich in authentic historical details, alive with unforgettable characters, and brilliantly brings a vanished period of African American history to life again.

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CLICK HERE to order The Twisted Crown from Amazon and Kindle eBook!

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Publisher: Rinard Publisher

Genre: Historical Fiction

Trade Paperback Edition

ISBN: 978-0-9624012-4-4

Library of Congress CN: 201900339

Binding: 6x9 perfect paperback

RRP: $14.95

eBook: $9.99

Page count: 328

Word count: 98,000

Photos: 3

Suggested Book Club Discussion Questions: 8

Digital Author Review Copies (ARC) available​

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