<DIV><B>“Spellbinding . . .Haunting.”*</B><BR /><BR /> “I gobbled up this book in one sitting, wishing I could slow down and savor the prose but too eager to find out what happened. Rivers is an unflinching truth teller. Her characters are deeply human, drawn with compassion and exquisite detail.” —Hillary Jordan, author of <I>Mudbound</I><BR /><BR /> “Told through exquisitely crafted letters and diary entries. The delicious pacing leads to revelations both intriguing and unnerving. I was sorry to reach the end of this stunning debut.” —*Diane Chamberlain, author of <I>The Silent Sister</I><BR /><BR /> “With <I>The Second Mrs. Hockaday, </I>Susan Rivers viscerally evokes a bygone era without sentimentality. Her deeply sympathetic characters cope with the hard truths of slavery and war, maintaining their humanity and capability for redemption throughout. A thoroughly engrossing and affecting read.” —Alice LaPlante, author of <I>A Circle of Wives</I><BR /><BR /> “Fans of Geraldine Brooks’s <I>Year of Wonders</I> and Sarah Blake’s <I>The Postmistress</I> will enjoy this solid historical novel, which is also a good choice for book clubs, as Dia’s motivations for her actions will yield great discussions.” —<I>Library Journal</I><BR /><BR /> </DIV> - (Workman Press.)