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For fans of 'The Forsyte Saga', 'Downton Abbey', and 'The Cazalet Chronicles'. The 'Jalna' series, covering the period from 1854 to 1954, tells the story of the Whiteoak family who lived in a mansion in Southern Ontario. The novels in the series were not written in chronological order. Each of them can be read as a standalone story. 'Jalna' is the name of the fictional estate where the Whiteoak family lives. The name of the series comes from Jalna, a town in Western and Central India where a British garrison was located. In the prequel novel, the house is built by a retired British army officer who served in India. 'Jalna' is partially based on 'Benares', a house in Mississauga, Canada. 'Benares' was built in the late 1850s for a retired British army officer named James B. It once occupied a large estate where Mazo de la Roche lived for a while. 'Benares' is an alternative name for Varanasi, a city in India where there was a British garrison. In 1972, a television drama miniseries based on Mazo de la Roche's novel was released in Canada. The series was popular not only in Canada but also in the UK and France. The author admitted that the characters emerged on their own from the beginning. Their source is her imagination and family memories. The grandmother, Adeline Whiteoak, refused to remain a secondary character and, supported by her sons, took center stage. Mazo de la Roche passed away in 1961. By that time, at least 12 million copies of books about the Whiteoak family had been sold, beloved by readers worldwide. The story of the Whiteoak family begins in 1854 and ends in the late 20th century. In the world of the Whiteoaks, as in real life, people live and die, achieve success and suffer defeats. But there is something that remains unchanged - the family mansion. Its walls hold the memories of generations, their dreams and hopes, love experiences, and bitter disappointments. Before you is the second part of the series that brought Canadian writer Mazo de la Roche worldwide fame and recognition. Mazo de la Roche takes us back to the world of the Whiteoak family, who have found a new home on Canadian soil. It is 1863, and on the other side of the border, the Civil War is in full swing. Curtis and Lucy Sinclair arrive in Canada from the States, and the Whiteoaks quickly realize that the guests harbor a terrible secret. While the Whiteoak children enjoy carefree and blissful times, the family mansion becomes a place where an amazing story unfolds.