Glory over Everything

Beyond The Kitchen House

By: Kathleen Grissom

Narrated by: Heather Alicia Simms, Madeleine Maby, Santino Fontana, Kyle Beltran

The latest New York Times bestseller from the author of the beloved book club favorite The Kitchen House is a heart racing story about a man’s treacherous journey through the twists and turns of the Underground Railroad on a mission to save the boy he swore to protect. Glory Over Everything is “gripping…breathless until the end” (Kirkus Reviews).

The year is 1830 and Jamie Pyke, a celebrated silversmith and notorious ladies’ man, is keeping a deadly secret. Passing as a wealthy white aristocrat in Philadelphian society, Jamie is now living a life he could never have imagined years before when he was a runaway slave, son of a southern black slave and her master. But Jamie’s carefully constructed world is threatened when he discovers that his married socialite lover, Caroline, is pregnant and his beloved servant Pan, to whose father Jamie owes his own freedom, has been captured and sold into slavery in the South.

Fleeing the consequences of his deceptions, Jamie embarks on a trip to a North Carolina plantation to save Pan from the life he himself barely escaped as a boy. With the help of a fearless slave, Sukey, who has taken the terrified young boy under her wing, Jamie navigates their way, racing against time and their ruthless pursuers through the Virginia backwoods, the Underground Railroad, and the treacherous Great Dismal Swamp.

“Kathleen Grissom is a first-rate storyteller…she observes with an unwavering but kind eye, and she bestows upon the reader, amid terrible secrets and sin, a gift of mercy: the belief that hope can triumph over hell” (Richmond Times Dispatch). Glory Over Everything is an emotionally rewarding and epic novel “filled with romance, villains, violence, courage, compassion…and suspense.” (Florida Courier).

Glory over everything is a must read

Grissom has tackled the brutality, injustice and inhumanity of slavery in a beautifully told tale.

Very Good Sequel to The Kitchen House

Where does Glory over Everything rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the top third.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My interest was already there as I have read a lot of American history as well as historical novels. I appreciate when a novel helps history come alive.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The author created characters that effectively provided differing perspectives and perceptions on the same events and circumstances.

If you could rename Glory over Everything, what would you call it?

I did not find anything wrong. However, Santino Fontana did such a great job with YOU and HIDDEN BODIES, that sometimes I heard Joe Goldberg in Jamie's character. Mr. Fontana is a wonderful performer but I think he is better suited to contemporary characters.

Any additional comments?

Good book, I recommend it.

Perfect Sequel!

Excellent narration, an Awesome sequel to The Kitchen house!!! Maybe a third novel to continue the story is in the works!!!?

Fulfilling sequel

While the performance of Jamie's and Henry's voices were often wooden, the glorious story overcame the weakness of the narration. An entirely enjoyable read, which in itself should be a weakness of a book that shines a light on the cruelty of slavery. It may be forgiveable that the bad guys are a bit too cartoonishly bad and the escapes from death are tied up with pretty bows, because the main character is at least himself flawed and conflicted and multifaceted. If you enjoyed the Kitchen House, you will love seeing some characters again.

Loved it

l love the continued story of Jamie Pike. I wish they would have more story back at Tall Oaks and Levinia.