Rashad Harrison, author of The Abduction of Smith and Smith, on tour May 2015

About The Abduction of Smith and Smith

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books (January 6, 2015)

In this harrowing and thrilling work of historical fiction, two enemies become the unlikeliest of allies as they fight to save their own lives aboard a hell ship headed into the dangerous unknown.

The Civil War is over, though for Jupiter Smith, a former slave and Union soldier, many battles still lie ahead. He returns to the plantation he worked on before the war in search of his woman, but rather finds his old master gone mad, haunting the ruins like a ghost. Out of pity for the now mentally ill Colonel, Jupiter strangles him and heads west to seek a new life in San Francisco.

When the Colonel’s son, Confederate soldier Archer Smith, arrives at home and finds his father murdered, he vows revenge upon Jupiter for all he has lost—following his former slave to the far reaches of the continent.

But things take a new turn as Archer’s desire for retribution is overwhelmed by his dependency on opium, and he ends up the target of a gang of “crimpers”…the very gang that Jupiter works for in San Francisco. When Jupiter fails in an attempt to save Archer, they both end up shanghaied aboard a ship headed on a dangerous mission and ruled by a merciless captain. Will the two Smiths work together to stay alive and return home, or will they become victims of the sea, the crew, and their mad captain?

Praise

“A splendid tale of high-seas adventure that examines the ironies of freedom in post-Civil War America, steeped in the desperate hope to reunite family. Harrison’s second offering is not short on plot yet maintains both thoughtful and dastardly characters who insist on defining freedom on their own terms . . . . come hell or high water.” Marcus J. Guillory, author Red Now and Laters

“Filled with adventure, this sweeping novel also reflects the complexities of slavery, freedom, and shared history.” Library Journal; A 2015 Writer to Watch

“…touches on themes from The Odyssey, Jack London’s Sea Wolf and Conrad’s Heart of Darkness…(Harrison’s) deftly plotted historical novel quickly becomes an around-the-world adventure…that ends with a stunning revelation.” Kirkus Reviews

“The Abduction of Smith and Smith may be historical, but it reads like a cinematic big-budget popcorn thriller….Harrison’s storytelling is topnotch and makes this novel not only a page-tuner but also an informative resource on post-Civil War America.” UPTOWN Magazine

Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

About Rashad Harrison

Rashad Harrison was the Jacob K. Javits Fellow in fiction at New York University. He is the author of the acclaimed novel Our Man in the Dark (2011) and The Abduction of Smith and Smith (2015). He and his family currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Visit Rashad at his website, RashadHarrison.com, connect with him on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter.