Perry Fox, a resident of Eden, has released his debut novel, Lincoln's Double: Friend or Foe, a work of historical fiction that draws on his own family history. The book is inspired by Fox's grandfather, a 6'5" Confederate soldier who bore a striking resemblance to Abraham Lincoln. That family connection serves as the foundation for a narrative that reimagines the soldier's life and his relationship with the president.
The novel presents an alternate-history scenario in which Fox's ancestor becomes entangled in a botched kidnapping plot, develops an unlikely friendship with Lincoln, and ultimately races to stop an assassination. The story moves from the farms of Florida to the political arena of Washington, D.C., offering readers a fresh perspective on the Civil War era. By centering the plot on a figure who could plausibly have moved between Confederate and Union circles, Fox explores the contingencies of history and the ways in which individual lives can intersect with national events.
In a statement, Fox explained that the project was motivated by stories his father told him about his grandfather, a man Fox never met. "I've always been fascinated by the stories my father told me about his own father," Fox said. "Writing this book was a way for me to connect with a grandfather I never got to meet and to explore the incredible 'what ifs' of history. It's been a labor of love, and I'm thrilled to finally share it with my community." The comment underscores the personal dimension of the work, which functions both as a novel and as a form of family remembrance.
The announcement matters for readers interested in historical fiction and for the local literary scene in Eden. Debut novels from regional authors often face limited visibility, and Fox's book arrives with a distinctive hook: a family story that directly engages with one of the most studied figures in American history. The premise of a Lincoln lookalike within the author's own lineage gives the novel a marketing angle that could attract attention beyond the usual historical-fiction audience. It also raises questions about how family lore and documented history interact, and how fiction can be used to fill gaps in the historical record.
Lincoln's Double: Friend or Foe is now available. The publication marks Fox's entry into the historical fiction genre, and the novel's blend of personal ancestry and national history positions it as a notable local release with potential broader appeal.
