The year is 1862, and the Civil War rages through the South. On a Virginia tobacco plantation, another kind of battle soon begins.

A fascinating and gripping novel about the Civil War. The slave, Cassius Howard, is a great fictional character, and his story is part mystery, part love story, and a harrowing portrait of slavery that reads with the immense power of the slave narratives.

–Pat Conroy, author of Beach Music and South of Broad

David Fuller vividly and movingly describes the life of Cassius, a slave on a Virginia tobacco plantation. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, Sweetsmoke resonates with unforgettable characters, and is a gripping story of loss and survival.

–Robert Hicks, author of The Widow of the South

Fuller works hard to give us a mid-19th century world that feels authentic, from small details … to the larger sprawl of the plantation … captivating.

–The New York Times Book Review

The plot unfolds at a brisk pace, and Fuller does an especially good job with the battle scenes … Cassius, who has never drawn a single breath as a free man, is a compelling character from the start. Sweetsmoke is a well-imagined and researched novel of survival and courage.

–Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Featuring slave traders, smugglers and spies, the novel transports us to a chilling milieu in which human beings are humiliated, and the slaves have a forlorn hope of freedom, decency and dignity … Sweetsmoke haunts us long after the final page is turned.

–Tennessean.com