A courageous young woman comes of age in the midst of an historical tragedy, from the author of Dark Water Rising. Mercy Kaplan doesn't want to be like her mother, saddled with crying kids and failing crops for the rest of her life. Mercy longs to be on her own--until her wish comes true in the worst possible way. It is 1918 and a deadly flu epidemic ravages the country, leaving her utterly alone and penniless. Mercy soon finds a job with Mrs. Wilder...