Will Spencer’s family has always helped runaway slaves passing through town as they travel the Underground Railroad.  But Will is ready to leave Atwater, Ohio and start a life on his own as a peddler seeking his fortune.  When a runaway slave asks Will to help steal his brother out of the south to keep him from being sold into the hard life of the cotton fields, Will amends his plan and begins an adventure that will take him into the heart of slavery’s evil. 

As he makes his way from Ohio to Kentucky, Will discovers that people are not always what they seem and it’s not always easy to tell right from wrong.

“Katherine Ayres’ muscular Stealing South is as much about a spiritual journey as a physical trip . . . an intriguing, fast-paced story.”  The Denver Post

 “This sequel to Ayres’ North by Night (1998), combines historical research and moral reflection with action, cumulating in an exciting escape from the slave hunters and their hounds.”  Booklist

The Story Behind the Story

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