The Civil War recently ended. Naval Lieutenant Townsend discovers a shipwreck containing a locked cargo hold of dead Black men. Suspecting that they were freedmen kidnapped for re-enslavement, Townsend reports the incident and soon finds himself investigating on his own after his commander tells him to drop the subject. What will Townsend do when he uncovers a conspiracy and family ties to slavery? HIDDEN CARGO was an excellent historical fiction book. It’s clear that the writing was well-researched. There is content that is disturbing to read, even more so knowing that this is inspired by true events. Vivid imagery drops the reader into the middle of the action. Characters are compelling. I liked that the setting was only five months after the Civil War ended. This is not a time period that I typically see. I would recommend HIDDEN CARGO to fans of historical fiction. This is the first book I’ve read by Robin Lloyd. I’d be interested in checking out his other works. Thank you to Lyons Press for the gifted copy.

Hidden Cargo is a meticulously researched historical novel set in 1865 in Florida and Key West and delves into the little-known history of the slave trade after the end of the Civil War. The story follows Everett Townsend, a Union naval officer, who finds a sinking ship near Key West with drowned slaves locked in the hold who had been bound for Cuba. In his work investigating the illegal trade for the American government, he must confront the horrors of slavery and his own family's role in perpetuating it, as his grandmother is a wealthy Cuban plantation owner. I was previously unaware that freed slaves, who were American citizens, were kidnapped and sold into the slave trade in Cuba to work the plantations. I appreciated learning about this time in history even though it was difficult to read about. Hidden Cargo was well written and moved quickly, with plenty of tension and danger, especially in the latter two-thirds of the book. Thank you to BookishFirst for a copy to review.