The Caddis Man

The 1918 influenza pandemic robbed Constance Warkentine of both her parents. The stringent terms in her father's will robbed her of everything else. Unless she can find a husband and produce a son, the family property founded by her grandparents and lovingly tended for generations will pass to the Mennonite church, and she will be sent to live in a religious order. She has only a few months until her thirtieth birthday, when her life will change forever.

So, when the traveling caddis man shows up with his sales case of samples-extracts and spices that fill her kitchen with their heady scent-and his own powerful presence, it seems evident to Constance that God has, indeed, answered her prayer. And if it's not exactly a match made in heaven, at least she will be allowed to keep the Kansas farm she loves so dearly. Or will she? There may be other forces at work, those in power who don't wish to see her succeed.

Constance marries her caddis man, a decision that will shape the destiny of her family for generations to come. Her middle child is born with the good looks and fierce determination of her father, and at a fairly young age Evy finds herself in a position where the very existence of the family hinges upon her being able to safeguard the caddis man's most devastating secret.

Readers are loving this sweeping family saga that spans fifty years and half a world, from the wide Kansas farmlands to the missionary settlements in the Congo, through the effects of two world wars and the Great Depression. The Caddis Man will appeal to fans of Elizabeth Gilbert's Signature of All Things.

This is historical fiction at its finest, and a great choice for book groups. Includes Book Club Discussion Questions