In this tale set in a small Midwestern town in 1965, a family confronts bigotry among people they believed shared a similar moral compass.

Becky and her three siblings are the children of Joanne and Warren Raines, a housewife and Methodist pastor living in southeastern Kansas, where life seems fairly simple and safe. One evening, the children are headed home after a game of tag when they hear a noise, then spot a dark figure scurrying into the bushes. “’Do you think […’]” Becky whispers. “’The Shadow Woman?’’

The Shadow Woman is a local legend who has haunted the neighborhood since the 1940s. Like “Annie Day,” an event celebrating the life of a child who drowned, The Shadow Woman is part of the shared fabric of the community.

But as it turns out, what the community doesn’t share is the Raines’ belief in equality. An ugly stripe of bigotry appears after the Raines children invite their black friends to church. While that conflict grows, the children make a discovery suggesting The Shadow Woman is more than a spooky urban legend. It soon follows that the loss of the child inspiring “Annie Day” is not at all as reported.

Written in a straightforward manner, this is a multi-faceted story with some surprises that provide intrigue to a familiar story of racism. Adding to the story’s authenticity are details of the ’60s era when the country was at war with Vietnam, the civil rights movement was gaining ground, and man was going to the moon.

The Raines’ are a likeable family in a loving household, suddenly faced with their own naiveté and the truth about people they thought they knew. Finally, the ending isn’t pat or easy, striking an appropriate note for the time.

This is an enjoyable read, likely to appeal to readers of all ages, but particularly a younger readership that might find the Raines children easily relatable.

Also available in hardcover and ebook.