A spectre of power

Set in a Cherokee river town, the narrative follows Eve, whose inquisitiveness becomes entangled with a visiting Choctaw embassy and a French officer accompanying it. Their arrival, marked by a dubious account of a killed interpreter, sparks suspicion among Cherokee leaders as ambition, political scheming, and cultural rivalry surface. The plot examines how external diplomacy and internal rivalries unsettle communal life, tracing the cascading effects of deceit and desire for influence on relationships, leadership, and traditional customs through episodic chapters blending local color, ceremonial detail, and interpersonal conflict.