Publication Date: June 18, 2024

Deena has lost her mother, her job, divorced her cheating husband, and moved back to her childhood home in Brunswick Georgia with her dad and his new wife all within one year. Still grieving the loss of her mother and her previous life Deena likes to take rides to clear her mind. One particular ride she winds up trespassing on private property where she comes in contact with owner Holcomb Gardner who thinks she is someone trying to force him to sell his land. After threatening Deena, she leaves but finds herself being followed by someone in a black SUV. Arriving back to work safely Deena vows to get it together so she doesn’t lose the job she hates. But there is something about Holcomb and Delilah that Deena can’t shake. After finding out Delilah is dead Deena wants to talk to Holcomb but finds him missing and his house up for sale. Now Deena sets out to find out what happened to the Gardner family, and who is behind the realty company that took the Gardners land. 

What a ride. I see why Wanda M. Morris gets amazing reviews. This was my first read by the author and I am now a fan. This was a phenomenal book that had me in a choke hold from beginning to the very end. I love how the book starts with a history lesson about the Igbo people and Dunbar Creek on St. Simon Island. Wanda had me running to google to see what I could learn, and I hadn’t even gotten to Chapter 1. I was hooked from that moment on.

In the beginning Deena did irritate me because I thought she was being a bit repetitive, but I had to remember she was grieving and push past the repetition. Once Deena found out Holcomb was missing, she dove headfirst and found the distraction she needed from her grief. Deena was not going to let up. The more she found, the harder she dug even when her life was in danger Deena did not back down. I loved her daddy Jimmy Lee and her Uncle Duke, they made sure they knew what was going on with baby girl at all times. Daddy and Unc played no games.

I was suspicious of one or two people but Wanda did a good job not dropping many clues on who all was in on the fraud. I also learned so much while reading this. Wanda said she wanted to write an engaging and entertaining story that made you think too, and she succeeded. I had never heard of the heir’s property legal theory before, this book sent me down a rabbit hole to learn more about this.

I have been interested in the Gullah Geechee Culture since my visit to Kiawah, an Island in South Carolina, last year, so I was happy to see the culture woven into this story so effortlessly. I have now become a fan of Wanda M. Morris and will be reading more from her in the coming months.