The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

Jordan Scott, son of a modern day polygamist, struggles to rescue his mother from jail after his father is found murdered. In between these chapters, the reader learns about Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Mrs. Young is known for her crusade to end polygamy in the turn of the century and the author used known records of her experience as a plural wife as well as other historical documents to create a work of fiction. The author's creation is the "what if" you really knew what happened, who said what and thought what. Entertaining reading, if a bit tedious at times.