The Shadow Appears: Book 1 in The Devil's Shadow Series

What does a man do when he watches all that he cherishes destroyed in front of him? For Robert Hester, a captain in Mosby’s Rangers, he continues his mission, following his orders, doing his duty, honoring his commitment and keeping true to his oath.

Reassigned to accompany President Davis as he evacuates Richmond, Captain Hester makes a last visit to his home. There, he watches as General George Stoneman’s bummers murder his father, his sister, his fiance and the Black woman who helped raise him. He watches his home burn and makes a new oath—one of blood and vengeance.

In a vain attempt to reunite with Davis, they ride through the South, witnessing the destruction and devastation. When Davis is captured, they set their sights on Texas to join with General Kirby Smith's Trans-Mississippi army. Together, Hester and Turley navigate a war-torn South and confront loss, moral ambiguity, and the cost of an unrelenting thirst for revenge.

After Kirby Smith's surrender, Hester turns his horse toward Mexico to join Jo Shelby to rebuild a Southern army and continue the fight for the lost cause. The war had taken everything—his home, his family, his cause—and now, his only reason for living was vengeance. All he had left were his horses, his guns, and his sense of honor. So, he pointed his horse toward war-torn Mexico to find his old life—or a new one—or to die with neither. He didn't think he cared which of the three he found.