From the rear cover of this 571 page book about the Underground Railroad before the Civil War: "Jane is a teenage slave who falls in love, but it is a forbidden love, doomed to have a tragic end. Before that can happen, she finds herself in an unexpected and violent escape. She experiences an adventurous and harrowing flight as she tries to find freedom and a settled life. She meets interesting people and challenging situations along the way, and grows into a confident and successful young woman. This is a story of adventure, a coming of age, and the meaning of love and affection. It includes tales of the Underground Railroad, ambushes, narrow escapes, rescue missions, robberies, chases, life among the Dunkards of Pennsylvania, scenes from life among the slaves and gentry in Virginia, high-pitched political emotions, an election, secession, and battling armies. It explores the attitudes and values of various people in different parts of America during a critical time in our history, as the country slides, step-by-step into a terrible Civil War. The action is set on a Virginia plantation, and in Williamsburg, Hampton, Yorktown, West Point, Deltaville, Richmond, and Manassas Junction, Virginia; Galesville, Baltimore, Rock Hall, Jarretsville, and Bush River, Maryland; Elizabethtown, Lancaster, and Philadelphia, Pennsylavania; and Cincinnati, Ohio.