The Gift of Phineas Lake

In 1847, Phineas Lake and his parents move to Hopewell Village so that his father can work at the local furnace. Soon after it is discovered that Phineas carries with him an extraordinary secret: he can heal with his hands. And there are plenty of reasons it needs to remain a secret, the most dangerous of which is that Reverend Davis and the other white folks of Hopewell Village view this power as evil and associated with the devil. The black folks, however, have nowhere else to turn for medical attention and soon Phineas is making his father a good bit of money healing them…until the reverend finds out. Phineas and his friend Gordon must flee before Reverend Davis can mete out his own brand of punishment and justice. They find safety on the Underground Railroad but slave hunters are close behind. When disaster befalls Hopewell Village and a deadly epidemic sweeps through the town, only one person can save them—and he’s still being hunted because of the talent most of the town’s residents now desperately need.

James Rizzo crafts suspenseful narratives that explore socially important issues. He currently lives in Vermont where he works as a chiropractor and nutritionist.