June, 1863. Confederate troops invade Pennsylvania intent on winning their 2nd War of Independence, and young Jake Becker must choose: fight for southern freedom and earn the love of his Virginia belle, or defend his home, fight to end slavery, and win the heart of her sister? His decision puts him front and center at several pivotal events in the Gettysburg Campaign, where he discovers his ultimate call is to an even higher duty.
Like “The Killer Angels,” “The Unfinished Work” features vivid, eyewitness accounts of participants on both sides of the battle lines. As in “Gone with the Wind,” Eliza, a pampered southern belle, must cope with the life-changing consequences of the war, watch her lover go off to join the fight, and deal with the most unexpected rival for his affections – her sister, Kathleen.
The book has received high acclaim from reviewers and historians alike:
"Skillfully interweaving history and fiction in well-constructed, flowing prose, the author engages the reader from the beginning of The Unfinished Work and holds that attention as the story unfolds. The appeal of the work is far reaching: In-depth historical detail, character interaction with authentic Civil War-era individuals, and the eyewitness accounts from several battles will appeal to readers of both history and historical fiction. And the fast-paced action, lively and believable characters, and engrossing storylines will attract readers of general fiction." Greenleaf Book Group, editorial diagnosis
"You have a real gift in making the readers care about your characters which gets them more emotionally involved with the storyline. Plus, I really liked how you tried to distinguish between what we know as historical fact and what is fiction. As a result, your book has a true intellectual honesty that is often lacking in other novels of this type. A great job!
--John T. Krepps, author of the definitive history on the Battle of Hanover: "A Strong and Sudden Onslaught: The Cavalry Action at Hanover, Pennsylvania"
"Frank has a firm grasp of the events, but what struck me most was the development of his fictional characters. Buy this book, you will surely be as enthralled as I was."
Michael Noirot, St. Louis, MO, www.BattlefieldPortraits.com
"Meredith, drawing on extensive historical research, paints a vivid recreation of the Gettysburg campaign as seen by men on both sides of the battle lines...the author’s fictional creations are colorfully three-dimensional. Eliza, in particular, is a glorious confection of self-pity, insecurity and sugarcoated chutzpah, a downscale Scarlett O’Hara... An entertaining, human-scale rendering of the Gettysburg cataclysm."
--Kirkus Discoveries
"I loved the book. It isn't often that I get to say that. I'm glad that you didn't sugarcoat the ending or other parts of the novel. I think it's necessary to describe the toll of war on society. Yet the love story gives the novel a lighter tone."
Jess Krout, The Evening Sun, Hanover, PA
"By making his fictional characters interact with the likes of Stuart and Custer, the author gives a history lesson in an effortless and entertaining way. He also does a great job in the appendix pointing out what is fact and what is fiction. He does such a good job of weaving the two together."
Jessica James, author of "Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia"
