Weeper

by Greg Morgan

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." The small smile rose again, brightening her face. "I remember well the day of your birth, Augustus."
"You do?" Augustus asked.
It was then that his brother, Jefferson, pulled him away from her, and her veil again fell like a curtain.
Although Augustus didn't know it yet, these were the first words he had ever spoken to his birth mother. He would not uncover this secret for another eighteen years.
This beautifully constructed family saga spans three generations set all within the macabre world of the civil war era American funeral industry where weepers, warners, death photographers and the new practice of embalming the dead dwelled. For generations, the women of the Fenn family have been traditional “weepers”; paid mourners who attend wakes and weep for the dead. Their counterparts, the men of the True family, are undertakers, or “warners.” The current warner, Archer True is good at his job, but has a vice for whiskey and women, but the latter has disastrous repercussions as he’s also a married man. The weepers were always veiled and always, like him, wore black. The day that he heard a youthful voice from under her veil and it intrigued him. It wasn’t the older, raspy one he had been used to. When he finds himself irresistibly drawn to the "Weeper," Charlotte Fenn, their passionate affair results in pregnancy. The scandal of their unborn child threatens to destroy the reputations and livelihoods of both families.

To avoid ruin, Charlotte agrees to give her baby, Augustus, up to the Trues to be raised as the "twin" brother of Mrs. True's new baby. But a mother’s love doesn’t die easily. She may have given up her son, but she vows to watch and protect her Augustus grow up from a distance, secretly yearning to be close to him once more.

But every lie has its consequence, and as Augustus grows older, the truth of his origins will soon reveal itself in the most devastating way possible…

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

Paperback

Published November 1, 2024

About the author

Greg Morgan is an award-winning novelist, film director, producer, and screenwriter. His acclaimed literary trilogy "Weeper," "Collodion," and his new book, "Sin Eater," masterfully weaves historical themes with characters in rare professions, earning widespread critical recognition. These works are available through Amazon and major booksellers worldwide.

Greg Morgan's fascination with America's forgotten death rituals led him to unearth the haunting practice of sin eating—a custom where individuals would ceremonially consume food passed over a corpse, symbolically taking on the deceased's sins. This compelling discovery inspired him to craft "Sin Eater," the third installment in his "Death Shall Have No Dominion" series, weaving together the rich tapestry of 19th-century mourning customs with deeply human stories of love and loss. Morgan's meticulous research into historical practices like professional mourners (weepers) and post-mortem photography brings authenticity to this powerful narrative about grief, redemption, and the lengths people will go to maintain connections with those they've lost.

Morgan's storytelling prowess extends beyond the page to the silver screen, where he has carved a distinguished career spanning several decades. His directorial debut, "17 & Under," earned multiple awards and established him as a compelling new voice in filmmaking. He has since produced numerous successful features while continuing to craft memorable screenplays that showcase his narrative versatility. His latest film, "The Boatman," is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm the author, of course I like it

[Jamie Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greg Morgan will have you hooked on this masterpiece. I wasn’t sure how the Weeper concept would work, but I once I passed the first chapter, I couldn’t stop reading. The story is set in 1841, where Weepers, Warners, Death Photographers and the new practice of embalming the dead. The characters are well thought out. I was emotionally connected to Charlotte Fenn and Augustus True. Greg Morgan has added attention to detail to every aspect of American history and I look forward to reading his other work. Give his book a read and you wont put it down.

[Leesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping story of families during the civil war era and the conflicts that arise. It was interesting to learn about past traditions of funerals and I can’t wait for the second book to learn more about the Fenn and True families. So easy to learn about history with a tale that is set in past. I appreciate the time and the attention to detail that the author gives in the telling of his story. Everyone that appreciates fiction will love this book as much as I do.

[Karen ReadsALot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Than you for another Goodreads Give Away. Historically interesting. Relationships are cursed.

[Victoria Barnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leaves you Hanging

I really enjoyed the book but the ending just took away some of that along with a star

Spoiler Alert: I can't believe that the author allowed the same thing to happen to the son as what the mother went through. She had to remember the feelings and heartbreak that she sufferedh and then to do the same to her son just blew me away.

Also, the book ended abruptly with one sentence that was a bombshell which lead me to believe that it would continue in a second book. I looked into the next book and it is seems to be about different characters that were in the first book towards the end. Not happy as I really wanted to know what happened from that one sentence at the end of the story.

I can say that I enjoyed the book though and you probably would as well.

[Katrine Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid book, received a free copy from a Goodreads giveaway.

Things I enjoyed about Weeper: the novelty of the Weeper/Warner existence in history. Loved learning about the culture and how we've changed on how we handle the dead and dying. Learned about a day in the life in a fiction based on fact manner.

Not a five star for me because generally the romantic plots annoyed me. Charlotte was not a character I could relate to, and I really would have thought she'd have more empathy and foresight to avoid condemning her son to similar pain points in life. How Charlotte kept going back to Mr. True irked me, he wasn't a good man, and the reasons why Charlotte seemed to crave him didn't seem plausible to me.

The back end of the book touched on how we as a western society started gravitating towards embalming and funeral home visitation and handling of the dead. Again, of intrigue.

To sum up, I hope the author focuses on historical fiction in further works, but I'd pass if he's trying for romance. Felt like he should stick with the former, he shined in that!

[Don · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won a Kindle Edition of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This is a period piece which takes place during the Civil War, however the war is not really the focus of the story. The focus is on two families, the Trues and the Finns. The Trues are a family of Warners while the Fenns are Weepers. Put them together and they perform vital post-mortem services for grieving families in the backwoods towns of Pennsylvania. Warners are undertakers and Weepers are paid grievers. The two families never mixed until one day, the already married Mr. Archer True is captivated by the current Weeper, Charlotte Fenn. The two have a little fling which results in the birth of Augustus, who is taken from Charlotte at birth and raised as the twin to Jefferson, the son Archer and Mrs. True just birthed. The families are beginning to feel the effects of modernization, where funeral homes are becoming the norm and the services of Warners and Weepers are needed less and less. The story is deeply grounded in the characters, and Morgan does a wonderful job fleshing them out. However the story moves too slowly for my tastes and is only mildly interesting to me. There is no real growth for the characters - they are much the same throughout, with similar situations being handled the same from beginning to end even though the characters should have learned from their own involvement in the earlier event. To me, this makes the entire story nearly pointless. I didn't dislike it, but I won't be along for the other two novels in the series.

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an unusual, fascinating topic for historical fiction! I was vaguely familiar with the concept of weepers (professional mourners), but can't say that I recall ever reading a novel that encompassed the topic before. Now that I have, I can honestly say it's a gap that is well-filled - what a superbly interesting way to address issues of family, society, social pressure, and the role of women in old Southern society!

Morgan has done a lovely job painting a picture of a time in which one's "place" was even more rigidly dictated by socioeconomics than in our current world - and in which one's options were entirely dictated by that "place". The "untouchable woman" isn't a new concept in literary fiction, but Morgan still manages to put his own unique touch on the idea with Charlotte Fenn.

From love stories (man-woman, mother-child), to the wages of sin (both real and imagined), to the way truth will always out, Morgan's tale breathes life into Civil War-era America in a delicate, lovely way that was a joy to read AND to listen to. I had access to both the paperback and the audiobook version of this moving story, and found both equally enjoyable. The narrator has a soothing lyrical vocal style that worked beautifully with the content and made for a wonderful listening experience.

Thank you to Author Marketing Experts and the author for my obligation-free review copies of this lovely story!

[AvidBibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

History Keeps Repeating Itself Like the Curse of a Swinging Death Scythe!

💧And Some Weepers Simply Don’t Like Weepin’
This twisted tale takes readers back to the days of log cabins, mule buggies, skinny-dipping, campfires, primitive medicine, surgical aprons, embalmers, and elite military academies. There are also sin eaters, death portraits, grave diggers, grave robbers, beadle bell rods, edible dead cakes, dark maple coffins, mourning dolls, a horse-pulled hearse, and a tenderly passed-around pair of dead man’s specs.

With houses of ill repute, indentured servitude, housemaids, manservants, runaway slaves, starvation, imprisonment, bankruptcies, rapes, suicides, smallpox, pneumonia, gangrene, and innocent incest... 👈🏼 These was not kind times.

“Those in the death business were an undesired necessity. They would be called upon for a family’s sad times but never called upon for anything else. A weeper was a profession for outcasts.” And those ladies found it damn challenging to find willing suitors in the crestfallen crowds.

Momma Issie always said, “He might be wanting to hitch ya without churchin’ ya” — so if you weren’t looking to be a shamefully single mother in those days, it was probably best to resist all lusty advances. But hey, Charlotte simply couldn’t resist Mr. True’s telltale scent of pine sap. 🌲

[Alex DeCoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book because it offered a historical tale based on something I knew nothing about. I enjoyed the fact that this was set in the states that bordered the Mason-Dixon line during the civil war and while the book wasn't entirely war focused there were still some great battlefield descriptions, especially with Augustus working in the surgical tent, and some glimpses of the feelings in free states versus the slave states.
Some things that disappointed me were the lack of character growth, there were many main characters, not one focal point. The story seemed a bit scattered and although each chapter had the characters name at the beginning it didn't seem to be told in their perspective, rather it was just a bit of their part of the story. I didn't feel an arc, there was no triumph at the end, you really weren't rooting for someone through till the end. It was just a story, an interesting story that kept me reading until the end, but it was more out of curiosity versus actual mental investment in the characters.
I read the kindle edition of this, so I'm not sure if the print version is the same, but I feel that a copy editor would have been beneficial... maybe an ARC team or even just some friends who aren't afraid to tell you when you made a mistake. There were many instances where paragraphs were repeated, just phrased differently. I feel that maybe it was part of the writers process and just wasn't edited out.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book because it was something different. I didn't know anything about weepers and warners. It was actually quite fascinating. This was a somewhat slow moving storyline, but it was exactly as it should be for the time period and topics being covered.

This book spanned several generations and followed them in their lives, loves, tragedies and celebrations. A lot of heartbreak is woven through this story. Sadly, they bring a great deal of it on themselves and each other. There was one character I truly had no respect for. His selfishness and reckless treatment of others led to a great deal of pain for many of the characters in the story....either directly or indirectly. Everyone and everything seemed to be intertwined in some way.

Thank you to NetGalley for this reader's copy. I voluntarily chose to write this review and the opinions contained within are my own.

[Mark Woodruff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel for several reasons. It takes a great series of characters -- set in the late 1800s Appalachian region -- and tells their stories around real historical events that occurred during the period. Plus, you get to follow the characters and their families over multiple generations and also follow what is happening in the region historically. The characters all are involved in the very fascinating "death industry" (grave diggers, embalmers, and of course the weepers, who were mourners paid to weep at the casket). And finally, there are a lot of twists and turns that keeps things moving and interesting. In fact, the ending of the book might actually cause you to audibly gasp, as there are some great reveals!

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I would like to state that I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity and honor in being able to read this book. When I received this book I began reading it at once. I really enjoy the authors writing style, she pulls you into the book from the very beginning and you don't want to put the book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat reading from cover to cover. All the characters are very well portrayed thought out. When you are finished you wish you weren't. A most wonderful read and I highly recommend this book

[Jennifer Shepard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I read from this author and let me tell you that I loved it! Such a good book with great characters that keeps you obsessed with every page since the first one. The ending of this book.. come on! I just didn´t expect it! Can´t wait to read other books from this great writer! Amazing job! a must-read!. A fantastic book that has it all!

I happily endorse this story to any and all who are looking for a fiction enjoyable read and a completely different experience than anyone could imagine on their own. If you’re looking for something to captivate you, this is it. Learned so many new historical traditions. I highly recommend Greg Morgan books

[Janice McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read Weeper and found it very interesting. Things were very different back in the 1800's and by learning more about the past it makes you appreciate what we have now.
As someone who had an Ancestor who fought in the Civil War it gave me a little insight as to what their life must have been like during this dark and turbulent time in American History.

Mr Morgan has done a great job creating interesting characters to write about. The further I got in to the book the harder it was to put it down.
I am anxiously awaiting the 2nd and 3rd book in the series to see how the characters evolve.

[Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure quite what to expect from Weeper, and it was certainly different than anything else I'd read. The story moves a little slower than I usually care for, but somehow, that slower pace seems to work for this one. Greg Morgan does an excellent job of transporting the reader back in time - he certainly pulled me in. It's a bit odd in the way it's done, but again, that's not a bad thing. Rather than risk spoilers, I'll just say that the book is well written, the characters are developed, and if you enjoy historical fiction, I'd recommend giving this one a gander.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this was a well written novel that had some interesting aspects, it turns out I wasn't the audience for the book. I enjoyed the insight into weepers and warners, but was turned off by parts of the story (I keep trying to read books during the Civil War, but they're never my thing). I did like the writing style so I'll keep an eye out for other titles written by the author, as long as they're not set during the Civil War.
I won a Kindle edition of this title from a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Kathy Nikolai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weeper left me wanting to know more about what happens next for my new found acquaintances, the characters. I am hopeful there will be a sequel. I love a good novel where you feel you are part of the story. I could envision things as if I was there myself. Weeper provides a great opportunity for a much appreciated escape from the daily stresses of today's world.

[Lydia Pazienza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book in exchange for an honest review.
First, I’d like to address there were a number of formatting and editing errors in the e-reader version. Words were overlapping, spaces missing, misspellings abound.
Nevertheless, I found the story interesting. Weird, sure, but interesting. I think moral of the story is, don’t deprive your family members of their history or you end up with incest?

[amanda_coffee_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this audiobook in giveaway held by the author. In return for my honest thoughts and review. I love anything historical fiction. I didn’t know about how they did funerals back then. And the families that author came up with amazing characters. But that ending wow. I highly recommend this book. Can’t wait for book two to come out. The narrator does amazing job. I do plan on buying the ebook copy.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received the e-book in a goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest opinion. The story was a little on the quirky side. The characters were odd but likable. Very interesting to read about the early funerals. A few parts were for me a bit unsettling but overall I enjoyed reading the book and would recommend it to others.

[Jennifer C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchanged for my unbiased review.

I’m not a huge fan of this book. I gave it three stars as it kept moving and the characters were developed but I couldn’t connect with them or the storyline.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual book. I thought at times that I didn't really like it. But then something would grab me and I would keep reading. I would probably read other books from this author. And for all you grammar police out there...yes, I know that my grammar is horrendous. No need to tell me. :)

[Stacia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book never gets boring. I love the historical value of the book. The characters are well developed and it keeps you entertained through the entire book. The audio version is superb. The reader does an excellent job on all of the characters. I highly recommend it as an audio book.

[Summer Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS A MUST READ!! If you’re looking for something to captivate you, this is it. Learned so many new historical traditions I never knew about. Cannot wait to read the sequel

[Theresa]

It was not what I expected. I did enjoy it.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Song of the South

Interesting story woven around war and post-war funeral practices of the South. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

[Judy Uckotter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every once in awhile I like to read an historical fiction book because it usually teaches you something you didn't know. I found this book interesting and there was a good story involved.

[Summer Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly such an interesting story. You know it’s a good book when you get emotionally attached to characters- i cannot wait to read the next book

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although not what I would rank an excellent book based on the actual writing, this was a fascinating book based on a family tradition that I knew nothing about. This mountain family provided "Weeper" services, using one of the older women from the family as a hired mourner at neighbor's funerals. The supporting story about the family, how they connected with others within their community and the characters individual story lines was interesting, kept me turning pages and was a decent tale. I would like to read more about the tradition of Weepers.