White Doves At Morning

Set mainly in Louisiana during the years 1861-1868, this passionate novel of men, women and war tells the story of the author's ancestor, Confederate soldier Willie Burke, during the American Civil War. A classic Burke hero, Willie is soon in conflict with his superiors. The characters who people these pages, many of them based on real historical figures, are as memorable as any Burke has created. Mulatto, Flower Jamison, victim of terrible abuse who is determined to better herself; Abigail Dowling, whose Unionist sympathies put her in constant danger; Colonel Ira Jamison, rotten to his core yet who would rise from a cesspit smelling of roses... White Doves at Morning is an epic novel of the American Civil War.

“He writes like an angel . . . Brilliant. Its sense of place, of a world recreated, is unerring. The story, as we would expect of Burke, is enthralling”

-- Bernard Cornwell DAILY MAIL
Classic Burke . . . a fine read . . . the perfect introduction to that war, and to slavery, and to Burke OBSERVER
Written with a wit and wisdom reminiscent of Mark Twain, it is nothing short of a masterpiece WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY
James Lee Burke spreads his wings to fine effect in this stirring tale of the American Civil War . . . White Doves at Morning makes a worthy addition to the canon. It captures the roller-coaster excitements of fast-changing times SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
The hallucinatory clarity and the delights and terrors of Burke's settings have remained undimmed. In White Doves at Morning, he brings this gift to bear on the experience of battle in the Civil War. These passages are among the best things Burke has ever written . . . Fear, horror, exhaustion, thirst, confusion and comradeship are all superbly rendered TLS
An epic tale of love, hate and survival set against the backdrop of the Civil War THE HERALD
This epic tale is not about huge battles, rather it concentrates on the edges of grand events and the by-products that wars leave behind - the human cost and the terrible aftermath. A wonderfully colourful novel that yet again creates a vivid atmosphere that is almost tangible CRIME TIME
Classic Burke . . . it's a fine read, encompassing half of the confused history and morals of the South . . . It's also the perfect introduction to that war, and to slavery, and to Burke OBSERVER MAGAZINE
White Doves at Morning is an uncompromising examination of the "moral insanity" of war and slavery. It's a rare venture into historical fiction for Burke, a celebrated crime writer, but his established readership won't be disappointed . . . Burke places an uncomfortable spotlight on white American history, but the profundity of the issues never interferes with the drama and excitement of the story TELEGRAPH
Majestic . . . [this] novel can be seen as a compelling riposte to Margaret Mitchell's nostalgic myth-making SUNDAY TIMES CULTURE
Twenty-first tome from masterful US novelist . . . As well as a fascinating examination of the ethical chasm at the heart of battle, White Doves At Morning is also a beautifully written book. Clearly a novel the author wanted to write, it's not just a return to form - it's terrific UNCUT
Burke has established a formidable reputation as one of America's leading crime writers, and his books are as synonymous with the Deep South as Conan Doyle's are with Baker Street. His ambitious new novel uses the same setting, but in a historical context . . . Burke paints a picture of the proud, old, bigoted slave-owning South that's far removed from the romantic nostalgia of Gone With The Wind. The characters are powerfully drawn, the battle scenes are shockingly vivid and the story unfolds at a cracking pace MAIL ON SUNDAY

James Lee Burke is the author of nineteen previous novels, including eleven featuring Detective Dave Robicheaux. He lives with his wife, Pearl, in Missoula, Montana and New Iberia, Louisiana.

Set mainly in Louisiana during the years 1861-1868, this passionate novel of men, women and war tells the story of the author's ancestor, Confederate soldier Willie Burke, during the American Civil War. A classic Burke hero, Willie is soon in conflict with his superiors. The characters who people these pages, many of them based on real historical figures, are as memorable as any Burke has created. Mulatto, Flower Jamison, victim of terrible abuse who is determined to better herself; Abigail Dowling, whose Unionist sympathies put her in constant danger; Colonel Ira Jamison, rotten to his core yet who would rise from a cesspit smelling of roses... White Doves at Morning is an epic novel of the American Civil War.

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