Every slave story is a ghost story. The haunting words of an historian and former cane worker on the Caribbean island of Nevis launch Meghan Owen on her quest to unlock the secrets of an abandoned sugar plantation and its ghosts. After Meg's parents die in a car accident on the night of her engagement party, she calls off her wedding, takes leave of her job in Annapolis, and travels to land she's inherited on Nevis. A series of discoveries in an old plantation house on the property, Eden, set her on a search for the truth surrounding the shameful past of her ancestors, their slaves, and the tragedy that resulted in the fall of the plantation and its inhabitants. Through a crushing phone call with her lawyer, Meg learns that her father's estate was built on stolen money, and is being sued by multiple sources. She is faced with having to sell the land and plantation home, and deal with the betrayal she feels from her deceased father. In alternating chapters, the historical drama of the Dall family unfolds. Upon the arrival of British abolitionists to the hedonistic 19th century plantation society, Catherine Dall is forced to choose between her lifestyle and the scandal of deserting her family. An angry confrontation with Catherine's slave, Leah, results in the girl's death, but was it murder or suicide? Hidden texts, scandalous diaries, antique paintings, and confessional letters help Meghan Owen uncover the secrets of Eden and put the ghosts to rest.
Receive Me Falling
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More About the Author
Erika's novel, HEMINGWAY'S GIRL, will be released by NAL/Penguin on September 4th, 2012. She's currently working on another novel, REMEMBERING ZELDA, slated for publication in 2013.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical Fiction with a modern day mystery,
By
This review is from: Receive Me Falling (Paperback)
Meg's life had always been happy, well-adjusted and predictable. She was close to her parents and engaged to a man she loved. Her family was well off and Meg worked for a political figure. On the night of her engagement party all that changed - Meg's parents were killed in a tragic car accident. Unable to handle the sadness and pressures of day to day life Meg calls off her wedding and heads to Nevis where her family owns an old plantation named Eden. Shortly after her arrival in Nevis an already overwhelmed Meg learns that her father, whom she had always admired and respected, had stolen millions from his clients. She realizes she must sell many of their assets to correct the crime and pay back the families. Before selling, Meg wants to learn more about Eden and the ghost stories surrounding it. Who is playing the piano she hears coming from the plantation at night? Do former slaves really haunt Nevis?
Catherine Dall lived at Eden Plantation with her alcoholic father during the 1800's. She secretly took care of most plantation business, but was limited by being a woman. She knew that if something were to happen to her father the overseer would quickly take control of the plantation. She has seen his treatment of the slaves and his contempt of her and could not let that happen. Catherine was confused by her feelings about owning slaves. Her own mother died during childbirth and she was raised by "Mami" Esther. Esther had her daughter Leah within weeks of Catherine's birth and they were raised together and loved one another like sisters and best friends. Catherine could not believe the opinion of other slave owners who thought that the slaves were made for labor and enjoyed it or that they did not have feelings like the white property owners. When James and Albert Silwel, secret abolitionists determined to end the islands slavery, visited Nevis she grew even more confused and she found herself falling in love with James. Her father had other plans for her future that would benefit the plantation. Catherine also noticed that Leah had been distancing herself and wanted to fix whatever might have been wrong. Did she put a wedge between herself and her father by acting on her feelings toward slavery and James? Was she be able to repair her relationship with Leah or did a greater tragedy ensue? Secrets unfold in this novel that change both Meghan and Catherine forever. This novel seemed so interesting when I read the back cover and it did not disappoint. I finished this quickly just because I could not put the book down. The stories of Meg and Catherine are captivating. The chapters jumped from current day to the past, but were easy to follow. Each chapter revealed a little more about the past -either through living it with Catherine or through Meg's research. Eventually all of this came together to build a story of the past for Meg that helped lay to rest the pain that surrounded Eden for over a century. It also allowed Meg to have peace in her decision to sell the plantation and move forward in her life without her parents. The characters are strong, young women put in positions of making decisions that effect their families greatly. Each woman had to take what she had always known and put it aside for a new truth. Both, were confronted with the lies of their fathers. Meg and Catherine are women of great character, but sometimes that is not enough for life to fall into place. Catherine's story is one of sadness and misfortune while Meg's is one of hope and recovery. The historical aspects of the novel were very interesting. It touched on the realities of slavery and the struggles of those who wanted it to end. While reading I felt so moved by Catherine's torn loyalties. She had a great love for her father and her land, but she also felt a closeness to the slaves with whom she had developed relationships. She was unsure how to honor both of those emotions. This novel comes together in the end in some quite surprising ways. I enjoyed where Ms. Robuck took me on the final pages and did not see it coming at all. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, mystery, and books centered on character growth. This book had a little bit of everything, but never felt overdone.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An intriguing blend of historical fiction and the secrets of one's family coming out,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Receive Me Falling (Paperback)
Truth always seems to show up at the worst possible time. "Receive Me Falling" is the story of Meghan, a woman who faces inheritance of her father's land, only to find it was acquired by not so honest means and herself in serious legal trouble, as well as paranormal trouble as the history of her father's estate appears to hassle her. Telling both the story of Meghan and the tragedy of her ghosts, "Receive me Falling" is an intriguing blend of historical fiction and the secrets of one's family coming out.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An enthralling and captivating read,
By Holly (United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Receive Me Falling (Paperback)
An enthralling and captivating read.
After her parents die in a car accident, Meghan Owen postpones her wedding, takes a leave of absence from her job and heads to the Caribbean. Among the inheritances from her parents is a property in Nevis: a former sugar plantation called Eden. Needing to get away, Meg decides to take a vacation and check out her new acquisition. As Meg begins learning about Eden and the sugar industry of Nevis, she makes some interesting discoveries, including unearthing a previously unknown painting by a famous artist. But, disturbed at the thought that her family were slave owners, Meghan dives into research to find out all she can. During her adventure, she also learns that her father embezzled from his clients, and that she will probably be sued for the money. Before she can sell the property, however, she must find the answers she searches for: what happened to the original owners of Eden and their slaves. The story is told in alternating chapters between Meg's experiences in the present day, and the drama of the Dall family in the 19th century. Catherine Dall and her father Cecil were the original owners of Eden. After slavery was outlawed in England, British abolitionists journeyed to the sugar plantations of the Caribbean to do what they could to overturn slavery there. The historical aspect of the novel was astounding: well researched, with fascinating accounts about the lives of the plantation owners and their slaves. The harsh realities aren't glossed over. The brutalities that these people were forced to endure is tragic, and Erika does a great job of portraying it in a realistic yet, sympathetic way. A terrific debut novel filled with intrigue and romance, friendship and love, scandal and confessions and the occasional ghost.
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