A story of faith, deception and the terrible cost of secrets.
In “The Cowbird’s Song,” award winning author Joe Markko draws you into 1795 England where a small society of Methodists known as the Shiloh Covenant board the good ship Aurora with hymnbook courage and a covenant stitched tight as sailcloth.
From that bold beginning rises Shiloh Mills, a town carved into the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. Across generations, its people mark life by the rhythm of devotion—river baptisms, candlelit weddings, weathered funerals and the hard, holy labor of those who believe God is present in the ordinary work of human hands.
But every sanctuary has a shadow.
A single heart, quietly unmoored, nurtures a monstrous religious delusion, hiding it behind Scripture. When the righteous begin to call evil good, devotion becomes camouflage, trust becomes a weapon and innocence becomes prey. In this sweeping blend of historical fiction and suspense, one secret threatens to destroy the very covenant that built an entire town.
Primary Characters in The Cowbird’s Song
REVIEWS, AWARDS & CREDITS:
“An eloquently composed, intricately constructed historical narrative. Our verdict: Get it.” [Kirkus Reviews]
“Must read. Respectful Christian intentions take deceitful turns, and those who know the truth hesitate to expose evil’s darkness to broad daylight.” [Patti Kidd, 5 Star Review, Reedsy Reviews]
“In resisting a single narrative center, Markko captures history as it is lived: fractured, contested, and unresolved.” [Booklife Reviews, Graded: A]
“The Cowbird’s Song is a rugged, prayer-haunted novel about the nests we steal, the names we choose, and the mercy of still being carried downstream.” [4 Star Review, Literary Titan Book Reviews]
“This book gives you something deep and lasting, an experience that stays with you long after you’ve read it.” [S.B. Borcy, 5 Star Review, The Book Review.]
Awards:
- Gold Medal: Novel, Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards.
- First Place: New Adult Fiction, the Firebird Book Awards.
- Silver Medal: Historical Fiction, Literary Titan Book Awards.
Credits:
Title, The Cowbird’s Song. Author, Joe Markko. Copyright, 2026. Published by Home Before Midnight, LLC. Distributed by The Ingram Book Group.
ISBN: Paperback, 9798234040442; Hard Cover, 9798234041753; EPUB, 9798234058201.
Editing: Developmental, Copy and Proof editing by HBM. Line Editing by ChatGPT to assist in stylizing the author’s completed work.
Artwork: All original images for covers and the Illustrated Edition were created by the author using ChatGPT and are therefore considered Public Domain.
All characters, events, timeline, story and plot lines, locations, descriptions, relationships, interactions and dialogue by Joe Markko. All fictional characters were named after the author’s ancestors and descendants.
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