Loggerhead by T.A. Peters is a later addition to the author's Mary Fisher series. Although I haven't read any of the earlier volumes, I had no difficulty enjoying this story as a stand-alone. It's Mary Fisher who relates the two stories which are distinct but intertwined. Mary has written a letter to her daughter. In it, she relates her early history. The main story begins with Mary and her wife, Abigail, arriving in Loggerhead, Florida, and deciding to stay for their honeymoon. Mary is mistaken for "Mr. Fisher" due to her extreme height and slenderness. They rent a room in Mr. and Mrs. Ponsonby's inn and restaurant. Mary and Abigail are a true love match.

The choice of residence is providential in that the Ponsonbys are truly good people. Later, when it becomes clear that there is a conspiracy going on in town, Mary and Abigail are on the right side of the conflict. Mary is a very special person. She has ESP and can tell when someone is nearby and what their intentions are, good or ill. She also has a left arm that sometimes has its own dictates. Mary tries to control her arm from enjoying a murder until the urge becomes overwhelming and the arm takes over. Mary is highly intuitive about people's feelings. It is Abigail who is the thinker, the philosopher, and the catalyst for sensible actions.

T.A. Peters shows great skill with Loggerhead, but it was exhausting to read because so much action happens in the same 24-hour period. I would have appreciated more of a time spread. On the plus side, the characters, especially Mary and Abigail, are carefully crafted and beautifully drawn. It's easy to visualize all the action, the scenery, and even the vintage clothing. There is some graphic sex and a good bit of violence.

T.A. Peters continues the saga of Mary Fisher in Loggerhead. Confined in a hospital in 1936, Mary pens a letter to her daughter explaining the intricacies of her past. Mary tells her coming of age story. Hers is not a normal story, but one full of violence, heartache, confusion and misunderstanding. Alone in the New World, Mary Fisher is a victim of society's ignorance. Mary is an odd looking seventeen-year-old girl, lacking the usual feminine qualities. In her naive state, she meets the bold, outspoken and, at times, wild Abigail. Abigail is nineteen, beautiful and seductive, extremely hard to resist. Quickly, Mary is taken captive by Abigail’s charm and demeanor, for she is nothing like any other lass Mary has met. Abigail opens Mary up to a world she would have never imagined on her own. Their relationship is strange, an unusual bond. New ideas, new philosophies, new realities begin to form. Although confused, Mary trusts Abigail completely. Mary will do anything to protect Abigail and their love.

Loggerhead by T.A. Peters is a bizarre love story, one that is morally challenging. Loggerhead is told through the point of view of the heroine, Mary Fisher. Peters starts his narrative with an air of mystery. The mystery endures throughout the story, as the thoughts of the narrator are rather disconnected at times. This portion of Mary’s story transpires over a few days, but accounts for a lifetime. The reader takes a journey of remembrance; this quest transverses time from past to present again and again. The story takes place in Florida during the late 1800s. The memory of the South’s defeat in the Civil War is still very fresh. Peters portrays a unique perspective through the eyes of Mary, illuminating the enduring civil unrest of the era. The dialogues move the story; the Scottish dialect and word usage of the time are written eloquently. The heroine is gifted, loving, yet touched with violent, uncontrollable tendencies. She is a one of a kind character. The underlying theme is women are superior to men; this can be considered as the dawn of women’s liberation. Through Abigail’s character (the sidekick), the author conveys not just the desire of equality to men, but the belief that women are greater and wiser than men. As this peculiar story concludes, Peters leaves the door wide open for a sequel.