In this coming-of-age tale set in early 19th century America, two sons of the Virginia aristocracy risk it all to defend their dreams and determine their own destinies. 

General Armistead Mason and John “Jack” Mason McCarty are brothers-in-law, second cousins and descendants of founding father George Mason IV. Ambitious and headstrong, together they set out to find love, acceptance and honor on their own merit. Armistead—by nature a politician—demands respect and strives for perfection. Jack—by inclination a rover—looks to forge his own path. When Armistead is challenged by corruption in the political machine and is denied a seat in the US Congress, the two become embroiled in a bitter dispute that sets in motion an irrevocable chain of events, leading them to the dueling grounds and an outcome that changes everything. 

Based on historical events of the 1819 Mason-McCarty duel, Masque of Honor is a story of courage, conviction, and the cost of sacrificing one life to forge another.

For fans of Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier and The March by E.L. Doctorow comes a brilliant novel of the Old South.

Based on a true story set in antebellum Virginia, Masque of Honor is a riveting tale of romance, political intrigue and loyalty about two sons of the aristocracy and the women they loved.

Just after the end of the War of 1812, General Armistead Mason and his brother-in-law John "Jack" Mason McCarty become embroiled in a bitter dispute that puts in motion an irrevocable chain of events-leading them to the fight of their lives and an outcome that changes everything.

From a cold February morning in 1819 on the snow-covered dueling grounds in Bladensburg, Maryland, to the parlors of Virginia, the District of Columbia, and New York City, Masque of Honor will transport you to the past as only brilliantly detailed historical fiction can. From the men who shaped the law of the land to the women who loved them, this compelling novel is an accomplished, stunning debut.

“Sharon Virts’ debut novel carries us back to life as it was two hundred years ago in the new State of Virginia. Masque of Honor provides a spicy stew of ambition, envy, honor, courage—and love—as two brothers-in-law drive step by step toward an explosive choice. This is fascinating fiction based on facts, and Virts’ writing will captivate readers. Pick it up and you won't want to put it down!” —Pamela Binnings Ewen, author of The Queen of Paris, The Moon in the Mango Tree, An Accidental Life, and Faith on Trial