Weeper is a work of fiction in the historical fiction, family saga, suspense, and intrigue sub-genres, and was penned by author Greg Morgan. As enigmatic as its mysterious title, this novel takes us to the bizarre world of the growing funeral industry during the American Civil War, at which time it was deemed necessary to hire professional ‘weepers’ to mourn the dead. Augustus is apparently born into the True family of ‘warners’ or undertakers, but as he grows up, his connection to the 'weepers' becomes all the more powerful. What follows is an outpouring of old family secrets and dangerous scandals that will threaten to sink generations into the mire.

Author Greg Morgan has crafted something gothic, unique, macabre, and truly beautiful with this original novel of family feuds and industry through tragedy. I was fascinated right from the off by the setting and the concept, which has clearly been well researched to show this lesser-known profession and booming industry during the Civil War. I thought that the character development was exceedingly well done, delivering realistic male and female roles for the time, but also allowing them their freedom to rebel and express within the confines of true history. Augustus makes for a fantastic central foil to the drama and scandal, and I felt that the way the plot was exposed around him and because of his actions was superbly timed and thought-out. Overall, I would highly recommend Weeper to historical fiction fans looking for something truly unique: an instant classic in family saga fiction.

In the Civil War-era novel, Weeper by Greg Morgan, an illicit relationship blossoms between a young weeper and a married warner, setting in motion a trail of complications that reaches three generations. Following the family tradition of arranging funerals, Archer True becomes a warner for their small region of Pennsylvania. As well as his career, Archer's father also arranged his marriage, and Archer seeks sexual companionship outside his conjugal bed. When he meets Charlotte Fenn, the local weeper, at a funeral, he is charmed by her beauty and seduces her. Eventually, she becomes pregnant with his child, and at the baby's birth, Charlotte succumbs to family pressure and allows Archer and his wife to raise her son, Augustus, as their own. Relegated to watching Augustus grow up from the sidelines, when Charlotte has her second child, Little Miss, she keeps the birth father a secret. As Augustus grows into a man and Little Miss into a young woman, the results of Archer and Charlotte's secrets have unexpected and ungodly consequences.

Weeper by Greg Morgan is a riveting historical novel set in the Civil War era. Filled with intrigue and affairs of the heart, it is a provocative book with a captivating storyline, fascinating characters, and thrilling battle scenes. The morbid history behind the funeral practices of that time are bizarre and curious, and I am impressed with the accuracy of the depictions. The captivating imagery of the settings and events enhances the storyline with the color and flavor of the period, giving depth and dimension to the plot. The story moves along at a steady pace, leading to a twisted and surprising conclusion. With engaging characters, weird traditions, and a compelling plot, this enthralling novel is sure to delight readers who enjoy history with a side of impropriety and a sense of the macabre. Due to some violent and sexual content, the book is more appropriate for a mature reader.

Weeper by Greg Morgan is an interesting historical fiction novel that looks deep into a custom long dead but not forgotten. The Fenn and the True families had been an important part of the community for generations. The Fenns were weepers; it was the job of the Fenn women to weep at the funerals of the departed while the True men were the undertakers, more commonly known as the warners. The two families had been part of the same industry for years, but a Fenn weeper, Charlotte, and a True warner, Archer, fell into an illicit affair that resulted in an illegitimate child. But you see, he was already married and his wife was expecting as well. So, the Fenn weeper did what was expected of her. Charlotte gave her son, Augustus, away to the True family so that he could be raised properly and enjoy a respectable life. But secrets were not meant to be kept. Would she be able to keep away from her son? Or would she give in to her heart?

The concept of weepers and warners has been present in almost every culture, so it was fascinating for me to see how these roles played out in America. The prose was phenomenal; it was magical in the way it glided along and made the story realistic yet very entertaining at the same time. The author created a rough and selfish man in Archer True and a slightly naïve female lead in Charlotte Fenn. Both of them were solid characters, they had their dilemmas and their battles to fight. For me, it was Augustus that ruled the story and moved it forward. He was the not-so-hidden treasure that brought realism and emotions to the story. The narrative became a lot more powerful with his presence, the plot flowed faster and the overall feel of the story became even more satisfying. Weeper by Greg Morgan was very entertaining.

Greg Morgan's Weeper is a historical saga set in the perilous era of the Civil War. During this time, Weepers were women employed to mourn at funerals, while Warners were men in the position of undertakers/preachers. Their paths often crossed due to the nature of their work. Archer True is a Warner who becomes curious about a Weeper when he hears her voice and realizes that she is not the Weeper whom he is used to crossing paths with. Weepers wear a veil that hides their features, and Archer is determined to see what lies beneath. Having a penchant for booze and women, he pursues Charlotte Fenn, the current Weeper. Their tryst results in pregnancy, which would be disastrous to both families as Archer is married. The scandal would ruin their reputations and cost them their livelihoods. Archer's wife claims their love child as a twin to her baby and the two boys grow up together, thus sparing both families any disgrace in the community.

Weeper by Greg Morgan spans three generations of the True and Fenn families. Archer and Charlotte's sin casts a shadow over their futures, with consequences that they never could have predicted. Weeper had my undivided attention from the start. I was emotionally invested in Archer and his sons Augustus and Jefferson's lives, as well as heartbroken over Charlotte's grief at being forced by her family to give Augustus up at birth. The ending was a twist that I did not expect, but I feel that it was perfectly executed. I would recommend Weeper to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.