Suzanne Moyers

‘Til All These Things Be Done

(She Writes Press, September 13, 2022)

At 83, Leola Rideout Belfigli thought she’d long buried the pain of her father’s disappearance in 1919.  But seven decades later, as Papa returns in haunting visions, Leola relives that pivotal time, anew: The gruesome accident that steals Papa’s livelihood, forcing Leola to postpone college for cotton picking; driving lessons with her best friend, Ship; and Leola’s blossoming love for the gifted horticulturist, Joe Belfigli, whose immigrant ties make him a target of the resurgent KKK.

When Papa vanishes while seeking work in Houston, and Mama dies in the “boomerang” flu epidemic, Leola and her young sisters are sent to an orphanage, where her exposure of a dark crime means forfeiting an important new clue to her father’s fate. That choice echoes far into the future, as Papa’s ghostly visitations grow more urgent, leading Leola on a last-ditch quest for the truth of his betrayal…and a stunning discovery about her family that could hold the key to forgiveness.

Set against the rich, often troubled, history of “cotton culture” Texas, during an era of pandemic, social unrest, and sweeping new technologies, the novel offers a unique—yet eerily familiar—backdrop to a universal tale of loss, resilience, and never, ever giving up on love.

.