Red Clay - by Charles B Fancher

Book Synopsis

An astounding multigenerational saga, Red Clay chronicles the interwoven lives of an enslaved Black family and their white owners as the Civil War ends and Reconstruction begins.

In 1943, when a frail old white woman shows up in Red Clay, Alabama, at the home of a Black former slave--on the morning following his funeral--his family hardly knows what to expect after she utters the words "... a lifetime ago, my family owned yours." Adelaide Parker has a story to tell--one of ambition, betrayal, violence, and redemption--that shaped both the fate of her family and that of the late Felix H. Parker.

But there are gaps in her knowledge, and she's come to Red Clay seeking answers from a family with whom she shares a name and a history that neither knows in full. In an epic saga that takes us from Red Clay to Paris, to the Côte d'Azur and New Orleans, human frailties are pushed to their limits as secrets are exposed and the line between good and evil becomes ever more difficult to discern. Red Clay is a tale that deftly lays bare the ugliness of slavery, the uncertainty of the final months of the Civil War, the optimism of Reconstruction, and the pain and frustration of Jim Crow.

With a vivid sense of place and a cast of memorable characters, Charles B. Fancher draws upon his own family history to weave a riveting tale of triumph over adversity, set against a backdrop of societal change and racial animus that reverberates in contemporary America. Through seasons of joy and unspeakable pain, Fancher delivers rich moments as allies become enemies, and enemies--to their great surprise--find new respect for each other.

Review Quotes

"Red Clay features a firmly realized sense of place, complicated characters, and an unflinching honesty about both the joys and horrors they all experience. Your book club will definitely read this."

-- "Paste"

"Red Clay is a family history, at once deeply personal and universal in its appeal for justice, truth, and the inviolable dignity that is the birthright of every human being."

-- "Bill Rivers, author of Last Summer Boys"

"Red Clay [is] a powerful and evocative historical family saga that brings the stark reality of transitioning from enslavement to independence in the late nineteenth century to palpable, vibrant life...Full of passion and heart."

-- "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution"

"[Fancher] weaves an epic saga of friendship, betrayal, violence, and redemption that takes readers from Alabama and Paris to New Orleans...Red Clay is among the most anticipated historical fiction works of 2025."

-- "The Philadelphia Inquirer"

"A briskly paced, deftly plotted tale...Fancher's attention to the sensory details of agrarian life is among the pleasures of reading Red Clay."

-- "Peggy Burch for Chapter 16"

"A briskly paced, deftly plotted tale."

-- "Peggy Burch for Chapter 16"

"A moving, entertaining saga of memorable characters and painful truths, Red Clay rises from America's deepest shadows to remind us of how entangled we still are with our past."

-- "Dan Fesperman, author of Winter Work"

"At once a riveting family story and a heartbreaking tour of American history, Red Clay overflows with pain, hope, and grace. It is that rare novel that shows us who we are by reminding us where we have been."

-- "Michael O'Donnell, author of Above the Fire"

"Beginning as research into his great-grandfather's life, Fancher has fictionalized a far-reaching tribute to everyone touched by the travesty of slavery."

-- "Historical Novel Society"

"I was swept away by Charles Fancher's Red Clay, a mesmerizing, ambitious novel about the way family secrets are often braided into America's shameful history of slavery, and the hope and resilience needed to survive its aftermath."

-- "Jess Walter, author of The Cold Millions "

"In Red Clay, Charles Fancher has crafted an immersive and searing portrait of Reconstruction-era Alabama that lays bare the betrayals and broken promises that haunted Black families during this period of social upheaval, and the redemptive power of friendship, love, and determination that allowed them to endure and triumph despite it all. With a deeply rooted sense of place, Red Clay traces the complex relationships of its vividly drawn cast of characters and offers powerful insight into the ways Black and white people, men and women, brothers and friends can fail each other, lift one another up, and surprise even themselves. I was hooked from the first page, and highly recommend it."

-- "Ashton Lattimore, author of All We Were Promised"

"Keenly aware of the intersections among race, class, gender, and cultural heritage, Red Clay is notable for its diverse portrayal of Black Americans before and during Reconstruction...A story of surprising allyship, painful secrets, and momentous transformations."

-- "Booklist"

"Superb...A compelling multigenerational saga that unravels the tale of an enslaved Black family and their white owners...Fancher has delivered a chronicle filled with surprises, confrontation, and events that cause allies to become enemies...One of the year's most gripping family novels."

-- "The Tennessee Tribune"

"The granddaughter of a man born into slavery learns his story from a descendant of his enslavers in this immersive debut novel...Fancher imbues the narrative with a rich humanity...There's plenty for historical fiction fans to admire."

-- "Publishers Weekly"

"This impressive debut novel is a splendid addition to a relatively new genre of historical fiction that focuses on the lives of Black men and women--and their interactions with their white oppressors--during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Vividly written, Red Clay features well-researched historical details, fully drawn characters, and surprising plot twists. Bravo!"

-- "Cynthia Tucker, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and coauthor of The Southernization of America"

"With an unforgettable cast of characters and close attention to detail, Charles B. Fancher has written a gripping novel that offers a nuanced picture of a society struggling to move forward and backward simultaneously, bringing fresh perspective to social, economic, and political forces unleashed by the end of the Civil War and the decades that followed. In addition, it's a darn good read that belongs in every school library."

-- "Linda Winslow, former executive producer, PBS NewsHour"