The cards are stacked against her, but she's never been one to fold.
July, 1852. As the Fugitive Slave Act tightens its grip on the young nation, whispers of abolitionist activity ripple through Cape May.
Widowed and savvy, Jeannine Holt is the hostess and owner of The Chestnut Wig, a decadent gambling salon in town. She presents a graceful and refined façade, but beneath the elegance and charm, Jeannine hides her role as station master along the Underground Railroad, the secret and perilous network of escape and defiance. Her cousin Chloe urges caution, but Jeannine won't look away from injustice.
When a man is stabbed to death at The Chestnut Wig, chaos erupts. A racially motivated arrest occurs within hours. When the sheriff refuses to investigate other suspects, Jeannine must take matters into her own hands. The real killer is out there, and she intends to unmask the person's identity before the condemned man hangs.
But that killer is watching. Will her next gamble be her last?
