The Deepest Waters by Dan Walsh

This lovely novel is inspired by a true event, the sinking of the SS Central America off the North Carolina coast in 1857. The historical facts are heartbreaking, and author Dan Walsh doesn’t shy away from the sadness, hardship, and loss of life. But he also writes about the hope and miraculous rescues involved in such a way that the reader is captivated and emotionally invested in the story’s outcome. We experience the parallel journeys of John and Laura Foster, the newlyweds who are separated when the women and children are the only ones rescued before the ship sinks. We watch the best and worst in people emerge when valor is tested. And we experience what can only be the loving hand of God in bringing about circumstances that are all the more fascinating for having actually happened in real life. Recommended.