Veil of Doubt

A Novel

By: Sharon Virts

Narrated by: Gary Hoffman

When a mother is charged with murder in a town already convinced of her guilt, can defense attorney Powell Harrison find truth and justice in a legal system where innocence is not presumed?

Emily Lloyd, a young widow in Reconstruction-era Virginia, is accused of poisoning her three-year-old daughter, Maud. It isn’t the first death in her home—her husband and three other children all died of mysterious illnesses—so when Maud succumbs to an unexplained malady, the town suspects foul play. Soon Mrs. Lloyd is charged not only with poisoning the child but also with murdering her children, her husband, and her aunt.

Enter Powell Harrison, a soft-spoken, brilliant attorney who recently returned to his Virginia hometown to help his brother manage their late father’s practice. Approached to assist in Mrs. Lloyd’s defense, Harrison initially declines, worried that an infanticide case might tarnish their family’s reputation. But as details about the widow’s erratic behavior and her reclusive neighbors emerge, Harrison begins to suspect that an even more sinister truth might lurk beneath the family’s horrible fate and finds himself irresistibly drawn to the case.

Based on a shocking true story, Veil of Doubt is part true-crime thriller, part medical and legal procedural. Perfect for fans of Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace and filled with rich period detail gleaned from exhaustive research, Veil of Doubt delves into the darkness of the South during Reconstruction, exposing intrigue, deception, and death.

©2023 Sharon Virts (P)2023 Girl Friday Books

Critic reviews

“Sharon Virts’s latest novel kept me turning pages, left me thinking about the characters long after the last chapter. Absolutely amazing.”—Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, bestselling author of Her Heart for a Compass and A Most Intriguing Lady

“Powerful and compelling. Her characters step off the page and into your life.”—Anthony McCarten, award-winning novelist and screenwriter known for writing biopics, including The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour, and Bohemian Rhapsody.

mystery

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. the narrator was outstanding and the story captivated me.

I just couldn’t stop listening!

This was a really compelling courtroom drama and I was in the edge of my seat!

An incredible story made better with local history

The story and the brilliant presentation by Sharon Virts would appeal to any audience. Being from the community where it takes place and knowing the background of many families mentioned in this true story, it added a remarkable layer of depth. It was well read and thoroughly enjoyable. Sharon Virts has developed a writing style that conjures imagery fit for a screen play. Would love to see a film adaptation of Veil of Doubt one day!
Easy 5 stars.

Brilliant!

So well done, captures you from start to finish! The story, setting in Leesburg, VA, and the continued speculation on who was responsible made for a thrilling read.

Engrossing story

This is excellent historical fiction. It's a murder mystery, a psychological thriller, and has a very real sense of time and place. Set in Reconstruction Virginia in 1870, it looks at how people of that time attempt to understand and describe something, eventhough they have no real tools to do so. Mr. Hoffman does an excellent job of narration, making the book a complete pleasure. I highly recommend this novel, and all three of Ms. Virts novels set in the 1800s. They are all great reads.