"A genre-bending thrill ride through Old Texas. Once in a while, a book catches you off guard with its depth, innovation, and storytelling. This is that book."- CJ Howell, author of The Salt CutterA sweeping Southern Gothic saga unfolds in the Texas Hill Country, where history's silenced voices rise amidst an astonishing tale that defies expectations.A sinister specter is hell-bent on revenge, and an ethereal woman in white is desperate to repel the menacing force. A battle rages for the hearts, minds, and souls of the Anderwalds and their extended family of immigrant outcasts, Arab camel wranglers, wounded warriors, and a songstress on the verge of madness.
A sweeping Southern Gothic saga unfolds in the Texas Hill Country, where history's silenced voices rise amidst an astonishing tale that defies expectations.On the eve of the Civil War, Polish immigrants Marcin and Agnieszka Anderwald arrive in Bandera, Texas, seeking a new beginning. But when Marcin crosses paths with a vengeful ghost known as the Shadow, their dream quickly turns into a nightmare. The Anderwalds' baby drowns, and Agnieszka is convinced she is to blame.
She starves herself to death, returning from the grave as a ghostly Woman in White, determined to protect her family. Marcin and Agnieszka's son, Zacharias, burdened by grief, becomes entangled in a quest for vengeance that threatens his very soul. As he and his wife Liza clash with the relentless Shadow, they cling to hope when blessed with a child, John Marcin Anderwald.But the curse of the Anderwalds is unyielding.
John Marcin grows up amidst murder trials, haunting executions, and the ever-present Shadow that seeks to destroy his family. His love for the troubled singer Anna Schulte leads to further heartache, and his sons, Luke and Junior, inherit a legacy of sorrow and secrets that could tear them apart.As the Anderwald legacy unfolds, each generation faces its own harrowing ordeal, where love and sacrifice are pitted against an unrelenting evil. Will they break free from the Shadow's curse, or will they remain forever wretched and undone?
