Benjamin January heads to the "Slaveholders' Republic" of Texas to
locate a kidnapped girl and help a woman who saved him from the
noose.
April, 1840. Benjamin January knows no black person in their right
mind would willingly go to the Republic of Texas but when his former
pupil Selina Bellinger is kidnapped and enslaved, he has no choice. Once
there he is saved from being hanged by Valentina Taggart, wife of the
wealthy landowner of Rancho Perdition.
After Valentina is accused of the murder of her husband, she in turn
calls on Benjamin for help. To do so, he must abandon the safe haven of
New Orleans, where people know he's a free man, to return to the
self-proclaimed "Slaveholders' Republic".
In a land still disputed between vengeful Comanche, disgruntled Mexican
Tejanos, Americans who want to join the United States and those who want
to keep Texas free, January must uncover what happened to Valentina's
husband. Behind lies, betrayals and rising political tensions lies the
answer . . . but finding it could cost Ben his life.