Filled with as much humor as heartache, Silencing the Drums by Tom Shipley is a stunning example of what historical fiction does when it is done well. Perfectly pitched and perfectly poised, this debut educates readers on life in Southern Virginia after the Second World War and proves the stomping ground for good old-fashioned storytelling.

Billy Grayson is a boy on the cusp of manhood. He has lost his father in World War II but, though reeling, is willing to make the best of a summer spent with relatives at the ancestral home in Virginia. What follows is not curative but a rousing journey as his fair cousin, Anna Wainwright, enlists his aid on a mission to bring a man down. As the two seek justice, they learn the path of the righteous takes courage and that honor comes with a price.