THE RIVER BETWEEN US takes place in Civil War Era Illinois and is a tale of secrets. Tilly and her family, including her twin brother Noah, live in a small town on the Mississippi when a boat brings them Delphine and Calinda from New Orleans. Delphine is glamorous, wealthy, feminine. Whispers abound concerning Calinda, her darker skinned companion. Could Calinda be Delphina’s slave? As the family warms to the visitors, Noah begins to fall for Delphine. When Noah runs off to join the union army, Tilly and Delphine go off to bring him home. There is a sense of the mystical as family histories and deep secrets are revealed.

Peck uses his considerable skill to describe the tense atmosphere of the time and place. As the country’s path becomes clear, the tale being told seems more and more believable. Every detail seems to be covered, from the speech patterns, to the clothing, to the furnishings. Peck’s note at the conclusion of the story explains any liberties he has taken, tying up the loose ends.

The views of the times are in no way sugar-coated. The reality of the scarcity of money is evident in the beginning of the book as just a way of life. The gossiping townspeople give the reader a glimpse of the downside of small town living. When the girls go off to bring Noah home, they attempt to nurse some of the soldiers to health and the squalid conditions of these so-called hospitals are exposed in vivid detail. Even when the secrets are revealed, Peck does not give in to a storybook ending, instead choosing to remain realistic as to what would be done during that time.

Booklist states that “Peck’s spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history.” Truly a masterpiece, this seamless tale will draw in even the reluctant reader of historical fiction. An interesting yet realistic tale told by a talented writer, THE RIVER BETWEEN US is a true page-turner.