I needed a moment - correction: several moments to gather myself after closing Night Wherever We Go - it is one that (in my opinion) truly surpasses the publisher’s synopsis; including deep and heavy themes with such adept handling that after the opening chapters I paused to research the author, Tracey Rose Peyton, and her inspiration for this novel.

Charles and Lizzie Harlow attempt to escape debt incurred at their depleted Georgia farm to start anew in Texas with Junie, a dowry gift, in tow with their young children and few scant belongings. A desperate (but not too bright) Charles heeds advice from a seasoned planter – advice that seems easy to implement and will guarantee fast fortune via high return-on-investment and fairly quick turn-around time. He impulsively purchases only women: an obviously fruitful Patience (and her young son, Silas), Alice, Lulu, a teenaged Serah to “breed” children for profit and an aged Nan, a notable midwife, cook, and skilled healer. Not only are these women expected to perform the hard and demanding field work (usually reserved for men), but they must also endure humiliating examinations to assess their fertility, inspected monthly, and are forced (at times under Charles’ watchful eye) to copulate with strange men for the sole purpose of becoming pregnant. Toiling in the harsh, unforgiving Texas climate with cruel owners, the women's differences dually dissipate and strengthen their bond. They agree to a pact to reclaim some form of agency over their bodies which by law is not their own. It is a calculated and dangerous plan - one that requires secrecy and diligence.

The challenges surrounding the pregnancy-resistance theme are paramount because Peyton brilliantly places and paces this “watched pot” plot. The reader knows “the pot” will eventually and inevitably spill over; however, it is the nail-biting anticipation of the how, who, when of the discovery and the presumed severe consequences thereafter, that keeps the reader turning pages. The added bonuses are the various sub-plots with strong supporting characters that elevate and celebrate love in hopeless places, the acts of defiance (no matter how infinitesimal), the power of faith in the old gods (and new) to sustain and heal, the longing and coping for lost family/loved ones, and the hopes and dreams of the enslaved. The novel has breadth and depth - spanning the Georgian, Texan, and Mexican landscapes and locales that at times seemed like characters themselves; each giving and taking nourishment and shelter at whim. It glimpses into the complicated and layered interrelationships of White settlers, Mexicans, Native Americans, the Freed, Free-born and enslaved Africans.

Overall, a beautiful book about America’s ugly past. I anxiously await Tracey Rose Peyton’s next release - hopefully it will be soon!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to review.

Highly recommend this one! This was my first book to read by this author but definitely won't be my last. The characters will stay with you long after you finish the book and you will find yourself wishing the story would never end.

There is currently widespread despair over labor shortages throughout 21st Century economies. However, the problem is nothing new. Tracey Rose Peyton tackles the issues in a stunning and horrifying way in her amazing debut “Night Wherever We Go”. Here the setting is pre-Civil War rural Texas. The problem: too few slaves and Harlow “Lucy” can’t afford to buy more. What is a repulsively racist, misogynist, violent, alcoholic, patriarch supposed to do? Sorry you asked.

Peyton is a great stylist. Characterizations are authentic and compelling. Actions, scenes and inner-thoughts are thoroughly depicted. There are sections told from a single or limited point of view, where the reader feels placed smack dab in the set-pieces, for better or for worse. My favorites are the passages written in a 1st person plural voice. They vividly describe natural, spiritual, social, mystical ways of coping. There are also frequent gems of historical fiction dropped unobtrusively in just the right places - highly enlightening, educational, and disturbing.

Peyton forces us to wonder how evil humans can be. The gruesome, ruthless, relentless torture and brutality seems solely meant to debase and strip others of their final shards of dignity. It is the rare slaveholder who exhibits even a modicum of doubt. But humans are resilient, born of grace and dignity. Faith and community will prevail in the end, if not for me, then for my children. Hope is eternal.

“Night Wherever We Go” is a deeply moving, thought-provoking debut effort. It is cinematic in effect while being emotionally penetrating and visceral. This will be sure to stand out once it hits the shelves, and I will be looking forward to whatever Peyton next chooses to do.

Be advised that multiple acts of dehumanization and violence are depicted in some detail throughout.

Thanks to ecco and NetGalley for the eARC.