Let's Make a Deal

[L Verge]

For those of you who have devoured my laments about losing my family's home to arson this past weekend, you will probably remember mention of the 25 charred pages that my daughter found near the ruins. Those 25 pages are a pretty good read! And, the first five or so deal with the military court and show some decent research on the part of the author.

The book is definitely a historical novel, and I am offering a challenge to someone to find out the title and author. Hints: definitely a paperback, probably written before 1990 (no one lived in the house after the summer of 1993), heroine is Melissa Armstrong married to George Ainsworth with friends named Will Harper and Sam McClelland and Melissa's doctor brother, Jeremiah Armstrong.

There is some kind of plot line dealing with White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and what may be a plantation in that area known as Shady Run. Not much to go on, so I'll make the prize a generous one -- one free seat on a Fall 2014 Booth Tour to the first person who can identify and verify the title and author of this book. In order to do that, please post the front cover and also scan page 63 to compare with my page 63.

I know of at least three people on this forum who write historical novels, so maybe they have some contacts? Just a note: I do not believe in the supernatural, but this time, I feel like my old house coughed up this one last challenge to make sure I never forget it...