Customer Reviews

Dead March (Civil War Mysteries)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dead March is a Civil War mystery that is right on target. Ann McMillan combines deadly accurate historical and medical research with excellent plotting and characters with real depth. Main character Narcissa Powers is both a woman of her century and a person today's readers can identify with. Virginians may particularly like the references to Richmond, Chesterfield, Hampden-Sydney College and the Medical College of Virginia in the 1860s, but this is far more than a local book, drawing on national, medical and social issues of the times - not to mention a page-turning mystery plot. If you're looking for a Christmas gift, for a friend or yourself, this is it. I can't wait for the sequel.

When Narcissa Powers, a young widow, is called to the deathbed of her brother (a young medical student in Richmond at the outbreak of the Civil War) she expects to find tragedy, but not information that points to illegal activities and possibly murder. The charred remains of a letter from her brother persuade Narcissa that there is more to his death than meets the eye. Through the story we are introduced to the "resurrection men" of Richmond who procure corpses for the medical school, a black conjure woman named Judah, and the character of ante-bellum Richmond society on the eve of war.

As with most historical mysteries, the plot is not completely surprising (one major exception here is the Margaret Lawrence mysteries set in Revolutionary Maine which leave you gasping) but does have interesting twists and turns. For most historical mystery buffs, the characterizations are the thing and this novel introduces us to some fascinating and complex figures. As for the historical detail all mysteries leave a lot to be desired in this department--but most US readers know more about the American Civil War than they do about 19th-century London or Medieval England, so perhaps the author's flights of fancy are more glaring. Still, McMillan is accurate about 97% of the time, which is more than most!

DEAD MARCH gives historical mystery readers everything they need to beg for more: Ann McMillan has created likable characters whom we want to know better. Civil War sentiments are explored just enough, and historical scientific facts are combined with interesting protagonists in a highly readable way.

Especially when young white widow Narcissa Powers interacts with Judah Daniel, an intriguing freed slave and "conjure" woman, future prospects for sequels come to mind.

Although there is the beginning of love interest (choices, yet) for Narcissa, I hope Judah too gets her just share. A conjure woman will manage that, surely.

If Anne Perry's ancestors had moved to the states, she would have written like McMillan. If Agatha Christie had any historical interest, she could have also.

I was enjoying the historical accuracy and detail so much, the slam-bang, exciting conclusion took me by surprise. The author did an impeccable job. It's an excellent story, but no dainty hoopskirted romp, either. The scene in Richmond City at foggy, midnight where Cyrus holds the lantern and searches in the cavern under the slab for his father's body was not for the faint hearted. Patricia Cromwell grosses you out, Ms. McMillan gives you goose bumps.

Perfect for me as it combines my two favorite things, i.e., civil war times and mysteries. I agree with previous reviewer who noted such even handed discussion of slavery was highly improbable. Looking forward to more books in this series.

Having written my senior thesis on Confederate Nursing, I was surprised to find a fictional story about womens role in Civil War Nursing. History has given us much on the role of Yankee women nurses, but Southern womens efforts are still to a large part neglected. In jumps Narcissa Powers. A believable Southern belle; too effeminate and simple at times, you wonder why she is the heroine and not Jubah? A most respectable woman. I don't agree with the war being entirely focused on slavery--the one inconsistency in the book I found. But her in depth information on hospital conditions and womens issues is great---I really enjoyed this book. Forget about the murder and mystery! I had fun enough exploring the characters and the medical and cultural body surrounding it. I recommend this story for women enthusiasts of the Civil War. Can't wait for the sequel to come out in paperback!

In 1861, both sides expect to quickly and easily win the Civil War. However, the impact of battle has not been felt and deaths have not yet increased. White Virginian Narcissa Powers rushes to the side of her dying brother Charley Wilson, a medical student. She is shocked when he dies from a minor infection. However, before succumbing, he manages to whisper the dreaded word "resurrection". Later, she finds a burnt letter form Charley in which he explains his role as a grave digger, seeking corpses for medical research. He insists one such corpse was the victim of murder and not a disease.

At about the same time, Cyrus Roper hires free blackwoman Judah Daniel to investigate the deaths of Charley and the cadaver that appeared to be a murder victim. Soon, Narcissa and Judah defy society's basic tenet of their segregated society and join forces to uncover the truth.

DEAD MARCH is a lively retelling of the period between Fort Sumter and the first battle of Manassas, which begins the bloody and deadly stage of the Civil War. The story line is intriguing, fast-paced, and extremely authentic; while The mystery is first rate. The prime characters are all understandable and their motives fully developed. In this debut novel, relationships remain tenuous as they should be at this point. Fans of historical mysteries and the Civil War era must read Ann McMillan's fabulous story that hopefully will be followed with more period who-done-its.

Harriet Klausner

I felt compelled to write a review about this book; most of these reviews rave about the period details. There are, certainly, many of those. But the reviews also made it sound as though a freed slave and white widow automatically become sleuth-buddies; this is not the case in the book, nor would it have been in antebellum Virginia. The plot does begin to thicken by page 200, and if you can stick it out, it is worth it. One review compares this to Cold Mountain. To anyone who loved that book, as I did, this is no Cold Mountain. It is an interesting mystery, but with some drawbacks. A definite buy, however, if you are from the Richmond, VA area.

Being a pediatric resident and having been a medical student here at the Medical College of Virginia, it's good to see a book about the place. Ann McMillan has obviously done her research, with great historical accuracy to make the story even more real. She's also spent a great amount of time painting the scenery of the era, with imagery that is very vivid.

Not only is Dead March a top-notch mystery but it also rich in detail about life in the South at the start of the civil war. The character development and vivid descriptions of people, places and events put the reader squarely in the middle of the action. A very good read that held my interest from start to finish. I'm waiting for the next one.

Some historical novels duck the difficult issues of the time, or distort those issues with modern interpretation. "Dead March," on the other hand, is unflinching and clear-eyed as it deals with the wrenching issues that faced Richmond, and all America, in 1861. Narcissa, the young white widow, and Judah Daniel, the free black healer, have a prickly relationship that rings true. One reveiwer complains that previous reviews characterize them as buddies, which they aren't. That's a problem with mini-review shorthand, but it's one of the virtues of the book. The mystery is well told and deftly plotted. The characters are full of life. This book has appeal far beyond Richmond. If this is really the author's first novel, it's a stunner.