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The Sedalia Code
Not yet published
Expected 3 Nov 26A courageous young woman struggles to rise above her dirt-poor beginnings and outsmart a Nazi threat on U.S. soil during WWII in this thrilling Southern tale of bravery, love, and forgiveness.
Sedalia, North Carolina, 1943. While war rages overseas, Laurette Lowe faces a more personal battle when she lands a job teaching math at La Porte Academy, a prestigious Black finishing school. Determined to rise above her sharecropping roots, deep family hurt, and the suffocating limits of Jim Crow, Laurette quickly learns that survival and success demand constant vigilance, carefully measuring every step and word to earn her place among the social elite.
A chance encounter with Nev Pierce, a handsome Army lieutenant from nearby Camp Butner, threatens to derail her plans. Though she first dismisses him as an unwelcome distraction, she's drawn in by his request to decipher a cryptic message passed to him by an Italian POW. What begins as an intellectual puzzle becomes a chilling details of a Nazi plot to assassinate the U.S. president.
Cracking the cipher, however, only brings a more troubling puzzle. Army officials at the segregated base are unlikely to heed a Black schoolteacher's warning and Nev could land in serious trouble for involving an unauthorized civilian. With time running out, Laurette and Nev enlist a small circle of allies from the school in a cunning and courageous ploy, boldly risking their futures and lives to stop a deadly threat no one else sees coming.
Sedalia, North Carolina, 1943. While war rages overseas, Laurette Lowe faces a more personal battle when she lands a job teaching math at La Porte Academy, a prestigious Black finishing school. Determined to rise above her sharecropping roots, deep family hurt, and the suffocating limits of Jim Crow, Laurette quickly learns that survival and success demand constant vigilance, carefully measuring every step and word to earn her place among the social elite.
A chance encounter with Nev Pierce, a handsome Army lieutenant from nearby Camp Butner, threatens to derail her plans. Though she first dismisses him as an unwelcome distraction, she's drawn in by his request to decipher a cryptic message passed to him by an Italian POW. What begins as an intellectual puzzle becomes a chilling details of a Nazi plot to assassinate the U.S. president.
Cracking the cipher, however, only brings a more troubling puzzle. Army officials at the segregated base are unlikely to heed a Black schoolteacher's warning and Nev could land in serious trouble for involving an unauthorized civilian. With time running out, Laurette and Nev enlist a small circle of allies from the school in a cunning and courageous ploy, boldly risking their futures and lives to stop a deadly threat no one else sees coming.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 6, 2026
About the author
Patricia Raybon
33 books363 followersA newspaper journalist right out of the gate, Patricia turned to writing historical mystery novels during the pandemic and hasn't looked back. Her first fiction is the award-winning Annalee Spain Mystery series whose debut, “All That Is Secret,” won a Christy Award for First Novel. The series' second installment, “Double the Lies,” won the Christianity Today Book Award for Fiction. The third in the series, “Truth Be Told,” was a New York Times' pick among "4 Great Fictional Detectives."
“...[M]ystery novels that incorporate religion in a significant way aren’t all that common. Thankfully, the inspiring Patricia Raybon, a veteran nonfiction writer and novelist, has been threading the needle in just the right way with her Annalee Spain series, set in 1920s Denver.” (Sarah Weinman, New York Times).
"It's something special," says NBA star Steph Curry about the Annalee story. Others agree. "Brava, Patricia. It is captivating." (Jerry B. Jenkins) "Rich with romance and spiritual searching." (Sujata Massey) "A fast-moving mystery.” (Publishers Weekly) “Not only a good mystery, but a realistic insight into the African American experience in the 1920s in the West.” (Rhys Bowen)
Patricia cut her writing teeth in high-pressure newsrooms and won multiple awards for feature writing during her years at The Denver Post and later at the Scripps Howard Rocky Mountain News in Denver. Mid-career she taught print journalism for 15 years to bright graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Now writing full-time, she is a regular contributor at Our Daily Bread and, in addition to writing historical mysteries, is author of two notable memoirs, “My First White Friend,” a winner of the Christopher Award and a Books for a Better Life Award, and “I Told the Mountain to Move: Learning to Pray So Things Change,” a Book of the Year finalist in Christianity Today’s Book Awards. Patricia was also inducted into the Colorado Authors' Hall of Fame.
A lifelong Colorado resident, Patricia is mom to two grown daughters, a “Grammy” to five grandchildren, mother-in-law to one “son,” and the wife of 48 years to her husband Dan Raybon, a retired educator. Patricia and Dan share a passion for movies, popcorn, college hoops, and historical dramas and mysteries on Masterpiece on PBS.
Join her on the journey at her Reader’s Circle at patriciaraybon.com and get her free prayer download, “The Busy Person’s Guide to Hearing God.”
“...[M]ystery novels that incorporate religion in a significant way aren’t all that common. Thankfully, the inspiring Patricia Raybon, a veteran nonfiction writer and novelist, has been threading the needle in just the right way with her Annalee Spain series, set in 1920s Denver.” (Sarah Weinman, New York Times).
"It's something special," says NBA star Steph Curry about the Annalee story. Others agree. "Brava, Patricia. It is captivating." (Jerry B. Jenkins) "Rich with romance and spiritual searching." (Sujata Massey) "A fast-moving mystery.” (Publishers Weekly) “Not only a good mystery, but a realistic insight into the African American experience in the 1920s in the West.” (Rhys Bowen)
Patricia cut her writing teeth in high-pressure newsrooms and won multiple awards for feature writing during her years at The Denver Post and later at the Scripps Howard Rocky Mountain News in Denver. Mid-career she taught print journalism for 15 years to bright graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Now writing full-time, she is a regular contributor at Our Daily Bread and, in addition to writing historical mysteries, is author of two notable memoirs, “My First White Friend,” a winner of the Christopher Award and a Books for a Better Life Award, and “I Told the Mountain to Move: Learning to Pray So Things Change,” a Book of the Year finalist in Christianity Today’s Book Awards. Patricia was also inducted into the Colorado Authors' Hall of Fame.
A lifelong Colorado resident, Patricia is mom to two grown daughters, a “Grammy” to five grandchildren, mother-in-law to one “son,” and the wife of 48 years to her husband Dan Raybon, a retired educator. Patricia and Dan share a passion for movies, popcorn, college hoops, and historical dramas and mysteries on Masterpiece on PBS.
Join her on the journey at her Reader’s Circle at patriciaraybon.com and get her free prayer download, “The Busy Person’s Guide to Hearing God.”
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 27, 2026
I LOVED THIS STORY SO MUCH. 🎉
This was an all gas, no brakes kind of book.
It completely floored me. From the first page to the last, I had no idea what was coming next. It was a wild + satisfying ride.
This book made me laugh, then had me feeling anxious, worried, and curious. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the story surprised me.
This was exactly my kind of WWII historical fiction. The realities of the Jim Crow era added depth to the story, while the mystery kept me turning the pages.
I also loved the setting at La Porte Academy. Knowing it was inspired by the real Palmer Memorial Institute made the story feel even more authentic.
I loved Lorette. I loved Nev. But most of all, I loved the author’s way of writing. So intriguing and unique. I couldn’t put this book down 😭
Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for the early review copy. I highly recommend this one.
This was an all gas, no brakes kind of book.
It completely floored me. From the first page to the last, I had no idea what was coming next. It was a wild + satisfying ride.
This book made me laugh, then had me feeling anxious, worried, and curious. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the story surprised me.
This was exactly my kind of WWII historical fiction. The realities of the Jim Crow era added depth to the story, while the mystery kept me turning the pages.
I also loved the setting at La Porte Academy. Knowing it was inspired by the real Palmer Memorial Institute made the story feel even more authentic.
I loved Lorette. I loved Nev. But most of all, I loved the author’s way of writing. So intriguing and unique. I couldn’t put this book down 😭
Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for the early review copy. I highly recommend this one.
March 30, 2026
Special thanks to Edelweiss for the advanced reader copy of this book. I absolutely couldn't put this book down; I finished it in one day. It reminded me a bit of Hidden Figures, but with more of a storyline and a lot more suspense. The unfortunate circumstances of the character's struggle with what to do because of their race added so much tension and made the story even more powerful. Definitely worth the read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I quite enjoyed the first half of this WW2 Homefront story about African American involvement with the war efforts and holding Italian POWs on American soil.
The main female lead is a mathematician working to step out of the shadow of her poor upbringing. The main male lead is an army lieutenant who is treated less than the Italian POWs under his care. They uncover and decode secret messages that will change to course of the war.
There are quite a few supporting cast that make for an interesting story - creating both friction and warm moments.
The pacing is well done - it never feels slow or sluggish. It held my attention until about the fifty percent mark. At this point, it was difficult to believe what the hero and heroine were about to do and how they foiled the plans of the enemy.
It would have been helpful to have an author’s note at the back of the book explaining which parts of the book were based on fact and which were from the author’s imagination (I love reading those notes and wished this had been provided).
I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
The main female lead is a mathematician working to step out of the shadow of her poor upbringing. The main male lead is an army lieutenant who is treated less than the Italian POWs under his care. They uncover and decode secret messages that will change to course of the war.
There are quite a few supporting cast that make for an interesting story - creating both friction and warm moments.
The pacing is well done - it never feels slow or sluggish. It held my attention until about the fifty percent mark. At this point, it was difficult to believe what the hero and heroine were about to do and how they foiled the plans of the enemy.
It would have been helpful to have an author’s note at the back of the book explaining which parts of the book were based on fact and which were from the author’s imagination (I love reading those notes and wished this had been provided).
I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 4, 2026
The Sedalia Code is a historical mystery set in North Carolina in 1943, following Laurette Lowe, a Black mathematics teacher who returns to the South to begin a new position at a finishing school. As she settles into her new environment, she finds herself drawn into a mystery involving coded messages and the war. The story also explores racism, segregation, and the challenges Laurette faces as she learns how to navigate the school environment.
I thought this was a good book, and I enjoyed the historical setting and the inclusion of the World War II elements. I also liked the developing relationship between Laurette and Lieutenant Pierce. The cliffhangers and unanswered questions kept me interested and made me want to keep reading.
My biggest issue was the pacing. I thought the story was somewhat too drawn out, and the timing of events often seemed to stretch longer than necessary. There were also a few inconsistencies that caught my attention and occasionally pulled me out of the story. Even so, I found the characters and mystery engaging enough to keep me invested.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for providing an advance copy.
I thought this was a good book, and I enjoyed the historical setting and the inclusion of the World War II elements. I also liked the developing relationship between Laurette and Lieutenant Pierce. The cliffhangers and unanswered questions kept me interested and made me want to keep reading.
My biggest issue was the pacing. I thought the story was somewhat too drawn out, and the timing of events often seemed to stretch longer than necessary. There were also a few inconsistencies that caught my attention and occasionally pulled me out of the story. Even so, I found the characters and mystery engaging enough to keep me invested.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for providing an advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Wow! This is a wonderful book! It was set in North Carolina in 1943 at La Porte Academy.
The cast of characters are written brilliantly! Laurette is AMAZING!! She rises from poverty to become a teacher at La Porte Academy. Life has dealt her some hard blows but she's ready for this next chapter to begin. Nev is my favorite! He's someone who sees the glass as half full. He's intelligent, compassionate and brave. Jenny is the best friend that everyone needs in their life. Dr. Clarice Dodd Widener is a passionate and wise woman.
The Sedalia Code parts of the book are my favorite! Laurette uses her math skills and intelligence to crack a code that contains a threat to America.
Laurette is also on a spiritual journey. One day during a chapel service, a preacher talks about Jeremiah. "Ah, Lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is NOTHING too hard for thee."
I was provided a complimentary ARC copy of the book from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley through Interviews and Reviews. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The cast of characters are written brilliantly! Laurette is AMAZING!! She rises from poverty to become a teacher at La Porte Academy. Life has dealt her some hard blows but she's ready for this next chapter to begin. Nev is my favorite! He's someone who sees the glass as half full. He's intelligent, compassionate and brave. Jenny is the best friend that everyone needs in their life. Dr. Clarice Dodd Widener is a passionate and wise woman.
The Sedalia Code parts of the book are my favorite! Laurette uses her math skills and intelligence to crack a code that contains a threat to America.
Laurette is also on a spiritual journey. One day during a chapel service, a preacher talks about Jeremiah. "Ah, Lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is NOTHING too hard for thee."
I was provided a complimentary ARC copy of the book from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley through Interviews and Reviews. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Sedalia Code was a true page-turner! Inspired by a real Black finishing school in North Carolina, this story blends Southern historical fiction, World War II, suspense, and a sweet wartime romance into an unforgettable read. I was completely drawn into Laurette’s journey and found myself cheering her on every step of the way. I especially enjoyed the codebreaking mystery, the rich historical setting, and the way the author thoughtfully explored faith, courage, and perseverance. Patricia Raybon created characters that were easy to care about and a story that kept me turning the pages. If you enjoy historical fiction with strong heroines, meaningful faith, and plenty of suspense, I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list. I received an advanced reader copy of #TheSedaliaCode from #Netgalley. Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and Patricia Raybon.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Sedalia Code is an absolutely unforgettable and stunning page-turner by Patricia Raybon. Many stories may make this claim, but The Sedalia Code lives up to it. I know exactly where Sedalia, North Carolina is located, having driven through this blink-and-you miss-it area, seeing the amazing Palmer Memorial Institute site. With characters that I could relate to and admire even more. Laurette Lowe is a strong heroine who continues to do the right thing along with Army lieutenant Nev Pierce, though there is segregation in place, biases along with laws that hold them back. Their quiet, determined well plan plot to stop a Nazi plot is a nail-biting story that is impossible to stop reading. Faith, forgiveness, God’s guidance and steadfastness is woven into every page of this book. I highly recommend The Sedalia Code to all.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though I felt that it didn't quite reach the quality of Raybon's Annalee Spain mysteries. Although this is labeled as a historical mystery, I felt like the mystery was secondary to the focus on the historical setting and the life story of the main character, Laurette. In fact, my biggest complaint about the book is that we don't learn enough about Laurette's early life, her relationship with her mother, and what happened to her brother, all of which greatly impact her life. The mystery itself was unique and interesting. It reached its climax well before the end of the book. Again, I wish there had been a lot more details about the post-mystery part of Laurette's life. There is quite a bit but this part of the story still felt rushed to me. Highly recommended as historical fiction.
August 10, 2026
Set in Sedalia, NC 1943, Laurette Lowe wants more from her life in the Jim Crow era. She leaves home to teach mathematics at a small private Black finishing school. Little did she know that meeting a young Army lieutenant on the bus getting to her new job would lead to her helping to solve a secret message that revealed a Nazi assassination attempt on the President. Laurette is brilliant and is one of the few who has the skills to crack the code and reveal who is behind the plot by the end. Laurette and Nev have to navigate the segregated Army base as well as the racism they experience on the buses and the nearby town. They have to design a stealthy plan, with help from other trusted faculty members to save the President. Laurette then gets recruited to Arlington Hall to employ her mathematical skills. By the end of the book, everything wraps up in a satisfying way.
I loved the character of Laurette and how she had to learn to live and survive in this new town and school with so many people that would look down on her sharecropping family's past if they learned the truth. She had to adjust to fit in at the finishing school. When Nev, the Army lieutenant, eventually found her at the school to help him crack a cipher, she didn't say no as she was intrigued by the cerebral challenge of it all.
I recommend this for all historical fiction readers, especially for those who enjoy stories about marginalized women succeeding regardless of the obstacles in their way.
#TheSedaliaCode #NetGalley
Thank you Tyndale House Publishers and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
I loved the character of Laurette and how she had to learn to live and survive in this new town and school with so many people that would look down on her sharecropping family's past if they learned the truth. She had to adjust to fit in at the finishing school. When Nev, the Army lieutenant, eventually found her at the school to help him crack a cipher, she didn't say no as she was intrigued by the cerebral challenge of it all.
I recommend this for all historical fiction readers, especially for those who enjoy stories about marginalized women succeeding regardless of the obstacles in their way.
#TheSedaliaCode #NetGalley
Thank you Tyndale House Publishers and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Sedalia Code by Patricia Rayburn is a compelling story set in North Carolina during World War II, and is the setting is based on an actual Black finishing school in that era. The book gives a portrayal of what life was like in that era, and of the struggle to rise out of poverty. As the title indicates, there’s a code to break and that leads to uncovering a Nazi plot. There’s suspense, interesting characters, a love story, and a well written and intriguing story line - all combining to make this a good read. Many thanks to Tyndale Publising via Net Galley for providing a copy of this book
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed this story. Laurette Lowe has landed a job as a Math teacher at La Porte Academy, a prestigious Black finishing school. She is trying very hard to make her way because she comes from a very poor background. After she has an encounter with Nev Pierce, an Army lieutenant at nearby Camp Butner, her live changes. Nev comes into possession of some secret letters written in code. Laurette, who is very good at deciphering codes, helps him solve them. This leads to a lot of danger and adventure as well as a budding romance. I thought the premise of this book was unique-history as well as a mystery. Recommend if you like both genres.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I've read all of the Annalee Spain books and they were wonderful. This book is so very different but it was so very good. Set in the south during World War 2, Laurette Lowe was a teacher at a Black finishing school. She met a soldier named Nev and together they worked to decode messages that revealed a plot by the Nazis to assassinate President Roosevelt. I loved Laurette and Nev and the other characters too. Well done and I look forward to what Patricia Raybon writes next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Page turner! That was my goal with this “smart and gripping” codebreaking story inspired by a real Black finishing school where Southern fiction, World War II suspense, and a wartime love story collide. I loved writing THE SEDALIA CODE, and I pray you enjoy my brave heroine's North Carolina tale, her spiritual questions and answers, and historic thrills as you cheer her on!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley and Tyndale for an ARC of this book.
I have read several historical novels in the past several months that did not bring the historical setting to life. That always disappoints me as I love historical fiction and history. This book did not disappoint. The setting was written very well and I had no trouble picturing the placement of the story.
I really enjoyed reading a book about some of the little known aspects of World War II such as Italian prisoners of war on US soil and the effects of the war on African Americans. The author created a fun plot where Nazi spies worked with some Fascist Italians to try and kill the president.
The only thing in this book that I did not like was how the main character found God. By the end of the book, Laurette Lowe found her faith, but it didn't seem like she found redemption on Christ. Christ was not mentioned at all in the book and that was so disappointing.
I have read several historical novels in the past several months that did not bring the historical setting to life. That always disappoints me as I love historical fiction and history. This book did not disappoint. The setting was written very well and I had no trouble picturing the placement of the story.
I really enjoyed reading a book about some of the little known aspects of World War II such as Italian prisoners of war on US soil and the effects of the war on African Americans. The author created a fun plot where Nazi spies worked with some Fascist Italians to try and kill the president.
The only thing in this book that I did not like was how the main character found God. By the end of the book, Laurette Lowe found her faith, but it didn't seem like she found redemption on Christ. Christ was not mentioned at all in the book and that was so disappointing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I adore the author's books, and her latest offering is set in the U.S. during WWII, weaving in elements of faith, poverty, racism, and breaking enemy codes in a gripping tale I could not put down. Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews