Book Synopsis
In the summer heat of 1960s Mississippi, fifteen-year-old Eli Morgan sees his town turn on Isaiah Dunn—a quiet Black bookstore owner who’s done nothing but mind his own business. When Ruthie Allen, a local white girl, vanishes on the Fourth of July, the whispers start. By morning, Dunn’s guilt is a foregone conclusion.
Eli knows the truth isn’t that simple. He was with Ruthie that night. He knows what she said, and where she walked. But in a place where silence is safety, speaking up could destroy him.
As the trial unfolds and the town hungers for a conviction, Eli must choose between protecting himself and saving an innocent man from the electric chair.
The Ashes of Grayson County is a searing coming-of-age story about race, truth, and the cost of courage in a world that doesn’t want to hear it.
About The Author
Nadav L. Minkowitz was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and is 14 years old. A storyteller at heart, he has spent years crafting novels that explore resilience, injustice, and the quiet moments that shape who we are. His works include The Blue House on Hollow Street and his latest, The Ashes of Grayson County, a powerful and deeply human story set in the segregated South. Beyond the page, Nadav writes and performs original music and creates innovative projects—like apps—that embody his belief in using art to make people feel, think, and remember.