Dovetails in Tall Grass

2022 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards Bronze Medal Winner in Fiction (Western)
2021 CIBA Laramie Book Awards Finalist
2021 Best Book Award Winner in Fiction: Western
2021 Best Book Award Finalist in Fiction: Historical
2021 Sarton Book Award Finalist in Historical Fiction
2021 Foreword Indie Bronze Winner in Historical Adult Fiction

“.. . a startling, nuanced amalgam of past events and impressive,delicate literary creation. A dramatically engrossing and thoughtfulnovel.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Samantha Specks weaves an unforgettable tale of two women in frontierAmerica—one white, one Dakota—each changed forever by the violence ofcolonization. A remarkably thoughtful and honest look at the human costof westward expansion; a welcome addition to the world of historicalfiction in this new era of truthful storytelling without romanticizationof the past. Specks makes a strong debut with Dovetails in Tall Grass. She will be an author worth watching.”
—Olivia Hawker, best-selling author of One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow

“Dovetails in Tall Grass is a stark portrait of both theworst and the best of human nature, compelling, unforgettable, andhighly recommended.”
—Midwest Book Reviews

“This extraordinary novel is thought-provoking and heartbreaking, and should be read by all.”
—Historical Novel Society, Editor’s Choice

“Through her honest and uncluttered writing style, Samantha Specksweaves together the threads of heart and history. In doing so, we arereminded that love is the life force that frees us all.”
—Kathleen A. Blatz, Retired Chief Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court

“As a journalist, and as an amateur Minnesota history buff, I appreciateSamantha Specks’s painstaking task of blending the stories of actualhistorical people with the voices of determination from both youngwomen. I love how she authentically took me back in time and left mewanting to read more. Brava!”
—Diana Pierce, retired news anchor for KARE-TV (NBC) and president of Diana Pierce Productions

“This sweeping story is a gripping epic of a time in our history that wedid not know. Emma and Oenikika are painted so vividly that the storystays with you long after you finish. We cannot wait to read the nextbook!”
—Lori Barghini, myTalk 107.1 talk show host

“Dovetails in Tall Grass allows readers to ponder how historymight have been altered if rather than might, we employed our brains andhearts. Perfect choice for book clubs!”
—Martha Hunt Handler, president of the Wolf Conservation Center and author of Winter of the Wolf

“A melancholy piece of historical fiction that is as sincere as it isemotive. The powerful story will draw you in, but it is the intimatestorytelling that will keep you absorbed as you experience Dovetails in Tall Grass.”
—Indies Today

“Pick up this book. Trust me. You will learn, grow, and be better equipped to amplify the voices of the underrepresented.”
—Chasing Mr. Darcy

Samantha Specks is a clinical social worker who has worked on a child/adolescent psychiatric unit, as a Dialectical Behavioral group therapist with adults and adolescents, and as an outpatient psychotherapist. She currently lives in Texas, but her heart and mind resided in Minnesota, her home state, while working on Dovetails in Tall Grass, which is her debut novel. Her happy place is reading a good book or watching a terrible TV show with a cup of tea and her leggings covered in dog hair. Sticking with the theme of strong young women, Samantha and her husband welcomed a baby girl to their family while she was writing this novel. She lives in Houston, TX.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.