Like a mystery, learning the characters is sometimes challenging and my readers seem to want a synopsis of the characters. The first book - The Visitor 1862 - introduces you to the characters - some minor but the five characters that continue through the entire story are Mirisa Eppes, Dominic Lanfear, Garnett Alexander, James Alcorn and Alexander Meeks. It is their relationship that is the basis of the story.
The Visitor is a series that takes you through the life of Mirisa Eppes from the age of sixteen until the end of her life. The beginning of the story takes place at the beginning of the Civil War when her father sends her to his birth home of Natchez, Mississippi, as the family is torn apart by the events of the war.
The story is about a curse placed on the Lanfear family after the slaughter of the Natchez Indian Chief in the 1700s and the spirits that haunt the Lanfear Plantation who are seeking a way to lift the curse by returning the ancestors spirits to the sitting Chief completing the circle. The small neck piece woven from the hair of each chief as he passes on is sacred to the people of the tribe. It is stolen by the Lanfear ancestor during the slaughter of their most powerful chief bringing sorrow on the tribe and a curse on the family of the man who killed him. The Lanfear family and the Eppes family cross paths as the neck piece unknowingly falls into the hands of Dr. Richard Eppes but it is not until Mirisa Eppes sets foot in Dominic Lanfear's home that hope rises to return the necklace and lift the curse.
Eppes Family:
Dr. Richard Eppes is a country physician and a Virginia plantation owner. He was born in Natchez and raised by his grandmother, a descendant of the Choctaw nation. After completing medical training, he marries a woman from a rich Philadelphia family who borders on frequent and uncontrollable bouts of mental illness. They settle in Virginia and have seven sons before the birth of their youngest and only daughter, Mirisa.
Thomas Eppes is the eldest son born with the luxuries afforded by a well to do family; he marries and moves to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to raise horses. A graduate of Virginia Military Institute he gives his allegiance to the President.
Charlie Eppes is the second son who has a passion for animals and takes up animal husbandry living by his brother and raising a large family. He as well pledges his allegiance to the President.
The three youngest sons, Jed, Jes and Gus, are triplets born a few years before Mirisa. They are still living at home when the war starts and take up arms with their father for the South.
Mirisa Eppes is a young, naive gentle girl who is raised surrounded by brothers and without the love of a mother. Her greatest hope and dream is to find love and raise a family.
Lanfear Family:
Conrad Lanfear was born in the 1700s and lived on the family plantation until he was sixteen when he takes up with a maiden, Algonquin, from the Natchez tribe living along the Mississippi River. He is a hired gun who rides with Algonquin's brother, Sequasi. After the unfortunate death of his parents and all but one brother, he seeks a way to lift the curse and restore the ancestors of the Natchez. He has been waiting for Mirisa to step across the threshold of the Lanfear Plantation for many years.
Jake Lanfear is Conrad's youngest brother and after the death of their entire family he continues running the plantation. He marries Sara and they raise a family including Conrad's first son but she haunts the house seeking peace that has always been so elusive. Her constant companion, Simone', is a large cat who travels between worlds.
Dominic Lanfear is a descendant of the Lanfear family and has inherited the Natchez plantation and continues to grow and trade indigo, tobacco and cotton. The family has been beset with tragedy after tragedy since the raid by his ancestors on the local natives. His mother died at his birth, leaving him to be raised by a grieving and angry father who ruled with beatings and heavy drinking. When he was old enough, he left home and enrolled at VMI and began a military career that kept him away from home until the war began. His father died while he was gone leaving all his holdings to his youngest son. Like his ancestor Conrad, Dominic's life is one of a mercenary with a cold hearted belief that killing is a necessary part of life.
Suzanna Lanfear is the niece of Dominic and raised with everything money can offer.
Garnett Alexander is a lawyer who attended VMI then served with Dominic in the army. He was raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi and practices up and down the Mississippi River. Despite having a normal upbringing, he is beset with demons that struggle with his constant attempts to find peace in his life.
James Alcorn is a banker and investor who served with Dominic and Garnett in the army. He was born in New York but raised in Natchez and spent most of his childhood as a close friend to Dominic. Intelligent and compassionate, his ability to kill is more instinctual then desirable.
Alexander Meeks is an independently wealthy entrepreneur who graduated in the same class of VMI with Garnett and James and served in the army with Dominic, Garnett and James. He was born in New York City but took up with the other three at VMI forming a lifelong friendship.
HOUSE EMPLOYEES:
Mrs. Chauvin is the housekeeper at the Lanfear Plantation. Her life as a root woman and guide to the other world and her working at the plantation was not by accident.
Jasmine is a personal maid who like Mrs. Chauvin is at the Plantation for the sole purpose of protecting Mirisa as she is taken into the other world by Conrad.
Minnie is the head cook who was raised in the bayou by her grandmother and works with the many concoctions and herbs to heal and to travel into another world.
Simone' the large house cat is the protector of the spirits who haunt the plantation.
