I love Sarah Ackerman’s novels, so I was excited to get this new one (coming out in September 2025) through Net Galley. This tells three different stories that intertwine and are based on a historical event: the death of Mrs. Leland Stanford (of Stanford University).
I found this story so engaging and so fantastic that I had to do some research afterwards to see what had occurred in real life. I had never heard about this event before and found it fascinating. Historical fiction is such a great way to experience past events and other’s take on them. I highly recommend this one to those who enjoy historical fiction and historical mystery.
Here’s the scoop:
Description
From USA Today bestselling author Sara Ackerman comes a spellbinding dual-timeline novel set at Honolulu’s iconic Moana Hotel, where a real-life mysterious death in 1905 collides with a writer’s search for the truth one hundred years later. For fans of Ariel Lawhon and Fiona Davis
1905 As the mother of a university and a woman with an iron will, Jane Stanford has made her share of enemies. After a scare at her mansion in San Francisco and on the advice of her doctor, she flees to Honolulu and the fashionable new Moana hotel. But as fate would have it, the island is not as safe as it seems.
2005 Zoe Finch is a bestselling author who desperately needs a jump start on her next novel, and she makes a split decision to attend a writers’ conference at the Moana under an assumed name. As a storm brews offshore, she begins having nightmares that feel hauntingly real. Terrified, Zoe enlists the help of mystery writer Dylan Winters and, over the course of the week, races to uncover the shocking truth of what happened in the hotel one hundred years ago almost to the day.
1905 ‘Iliahi Baldwin’s life changes the moment she lands a job at the Moana. Newly hired and reeling from a tragic loss, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with the formidable Jane Stanford upon her arrival, which leaves young ‘Ili devastated when the unthinkable happens. ‘Ili knows things, but there are powerful people who need the truth to remain hidden, and to cross them could prove disastrous.
Inspired by the incredible true story of one of America’s most mysterious deaths, this is an unforgettable tale of betrayal and secrets that still echoes through the years.
More captivating stories from Sara Ackerman:
The Maui Effect
The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West
The Codebreaker’s Secret
Radar Girls
Red Sky Over Hawaii
The Lieutenant’s Nurse
Island of Sweet Pies & Soldiers
Thank you for my copy! Fun fact: I have stayed at the Moana! But I was not in Room 120.
I love Juliette Fay’s writing, so I was excited to get this novel from Net Galley. It publishes in August, 2025.
I found this story so interesting because I really didn’t know much about the real Harvey Girls (beyond seeing the Judy Garland movie when I was very young). It is such an interesting piece of history to learn about, a little bit like a 20th century take on the Lowell Mill girls – young woman who left their homes to work hard and make a living, earning independence and pride.
The storyline in this novel is quite engaging: two very different young women, both with much to hide, come together to help each other find success as Harvey Girls and to make new lives for themselves.
This would be a great book club discussion book as you could focus on the Harvey Girls era, women in the work force, marital rights, relationships, friendship, and more!
Thank you for my copy!
Here’s the scoop:
Juliette Fay—known for her “well-drawn characters and vibrant historical backdrops” (Library Journal)—transports us to 1920s America with this big-hearted tale of two very different women who must learn to trust each other as one tries save her family and the other to save herself. Perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah and Kristina McMorris.
1926: Charlotte Crowninshield was born into one of the finest Boston society families. Now she’s on the run from a brutal husband, desperate to disappear into the wilds of the Southwest. Billie MacTavish is the oldest of nine children born to Scottish immigrants in Nebraska. She quit school in the sixth grade to help with her mother’s washing and mending business, but even that isn’t enough to keep the family afloat.
Desperate, both women join the ranks of the Harvey Girls, waitresses who serve in America’s first hospitality chain on the Santa Fe railroad. Hired on the same day, they share three things: a room, a heartfelt dislike of each other…and each has a secret that will certainly get them fired.
Through twelve-hour days of training in Topeka, Kansas, they learn the fine art of service, perfecting their skills despite bouts of homesickness, fear of being discovered, and a run-in with the KKK. When they’re sent to work at the luxurious El Tovar hotel at the Grand Canyon, the challenges only grow, as Billie struggles to hide her young age from would-be suitors, and Charlotte discovers the little-known dark side of the national park’s history.
“Juliette Fay’s gift for creating complex, exquisitely human characters” (Marisa de los Santos, New York Times bestselling author) is on full display in this deeply moving and joyous celebration of female empowerment, loyalty, and friendship.
About Juliette Fay:
Juliette Fay is the bestselling author of eight novels, including City of Flickering Light and the USA TODAY bestseller The Tumbling Turner Sisters. A graduate of Boston College and Harvard University, she lives in Massachusetts. Visit her at JulietteFay.com.
I LOVE the writing of Martha Hall Kelly (Lilac Girls and more), so I was excited to be offered this novel by Random House Publishing. I loved this story of a book club and a small group of friends on Martha’s Vineyard during WWII. Kelly is a pro at creating historical fiction that makes the past come alive!
Here’s the scoop:
Description
Two sisters living on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II find hope in the power of storytelling when they start a wartime book club for women in this spectacular novel inspired by true events, from the New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls.
“A dreamy beach book that also sizzles with tension . . . another winner by one of the best historical fiction writers around.”—Fiona Davis, author of The Stolen Queen
2016: Thirty-four-year-old Mari Starwood is still grieving after her mother’s death as she travels to the storied island of Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts. She’s come all the way from California with nothing but a name on a piece of paper: Elizabeth Devereaux, the famous but reclusive Vineyard painter. When Mari makes it to Mrs. Devereaux’s stunning waterfront farm under the guise of taking a painting class with her, Mrs. Devereaux begins to tell her the story of the Smith sisters, who once lived there. As the tale unfolds, Mari is shocked to learn that her relationship to this island runs deeper than she ever thought possible.
1942: The Smith girls—nineteen-year-old aspiring writer Cadence and sixteen-year-old war-obsessed Briar—are faced with the impossible task of holding their failing family farm together during World War II as the U.S. Army arrives on Martha’s Vineyard. When Briar spots German U-boats lurking off the island’s shores, and Cadence falls into an unlikely romance with a sworn enemy, their quiet lives are officially upended. In an attempt at normalcy, Cadence and her best friend, Bess, start a book club, which grows both in members and influence as they connect with a fabulous New York publisher who could make all of Cadence’s dreams come true. But all that is put at risk by a mysterious man who washes ashore—and whispers of a spy in their midst. Who in their tight-knit island community can they trust? Could this little book club change the course of the war . . . before it’s too late?
Thank you for my copy through Net Galley! This book publishes 5/27/25.
I really enjoy the books of Kristina McMorris, and she has a new one coming out this month (5/2025): The Girls of Good Fortune. This one is centered on a young woman in the Portland area in the late 1800’s and the discrimination that Asian immigrants faced at that time. Having grown up in the Bay Area, I was much more familiar with the experience of Asian, particularly Chinese, immigrants in Northern California. This is definitely a dark period of our history and this story is all the more haunting as it’s based in fact.
Here’s the scoop:
The New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday and The Ways We Hide shines a light on shocking events surrounding Portland’s dark history in this gripping novel of love, lore, and betrayal.
She came from a lineage known for good fortune…by those who don’t know the whole story.
Oregon, 1888. Amid the subterranean labyrinth of Portland’s notorious Shanghai Tunnels, a woman awakens in an underground cell, drugged and disguised. Celia soon realizes she’s a “shanghaied” victim on the verge of being shipped off as forced labor, leaving behind those she loves most. Although well accustomed to adapting for survival―being half-Chinese, passing as white during an era fraught with anti-Chinese sentiment―she fears that far more than her own fate hangs in the balance.
As she pieces together the twisting path that led to her abduction, from serving as a maid for the family of a dubious mayor to becoming entwined in the case of a goldminers’ massacre, revelations emerge of a child left in peril. Desperate, Celia must find a way to escape and return to a place where unearthed secrets can prove deadlier than the dark recesses of Chinatown.
A captivating tale of resilience and hope, The Girls of Good Fortune explores the complexity of family and identity, the importance of stories that echo through generations, and the power of strength found beneath the surface.
This novel is a bit of everything: historical fiction, romance, suspense, mystery. I enjoyed it and thankfully that ending did not let me down!
Here’s a bit of info on Ms. McMorris:
About the Author
Kristina McMorris is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of two novellas and seven historical novels, including the million-copy bestseller Sold on a Monday. The recipient of more than twenty national literary awards, she previously hosted weekly TV shows for Warner Bros. and an ABC affiliate, beginning at age nine with an Emmy Award-winning program, and owned a wedding-and-event-planning company until she had far surpassed her limit of “Y.M.C.A.” and chicken dances. Kristina lives near Portland, Oregon, where she somehow manages to be fully deficient of a green thumb and not own a single umbrella.
I am thankful to Kristina McMorris’ publisher, Sourcebooks, for my review copy through Net Galley!
I LOVE the writing of Susan Meissner, so I was excited to see that she had a new novel coming out this month. This was an interesting and engaging story, set in Southern California during the McCarthy era. I always love Ms. Meissner’s characters and how they change over the course of a novel. I find her stories always end on a note that, while not always happy, is affirming.
Here’s the scoop on this one. I got mine through Net Galley – thank you!
1956, Malibu, California: Something is not right on Paradise Circle.
With her name on the Hollywood blacklist and her life on hold, starlet Melanie Cole has little choice in company. There is her next-door neighbor, Elwood, but the screenwriter’s agoraphobia allows for just short chats through open windows. He’s her sole confidante, though, as she and her housekeeper, Eva, an immigrant from war-torn Europe, rarely make conversation.
Then one early morning Melanie and Eva spot Elwood’s sister-in-law and caretaker, June, digging in his beloved rose garden. After that they don’t see Elwood at all anymore. Where could a man who never leaves the house possibly have gone?
As they try to find out if something has happened to him, unexpected secrets are revealed among all three women, leading to an alliance that seems the only way for any of them to hold on to what they can still call their own. But it’s a fragile pact and one little spark could send it all up in smoke…
I’m throwing the spotlight on this title today, in part because for today and tomorrow (Jan 12 and 13, 2025) it is FREE on Kindle! What?? Yes, you read that right. FREE!
New Zealand: A Novel spans almost 500 years and covers the respective discoveries of New Zealand by Pacific Islanders and Europeans. From the outset the two stories are interposed. It starts in the 1300’s with the departure of Islanders from Hawaiki in search of land far to the south.
The hardy, brown-skinned people who arrive here first call themselves Maori and they call their new home Aotearoa – land of the long, white cloud. The fascinating, eventful and sometimes violent lives of descendants of those first arrivals are traced through the centuries until the arrival of Europeans aboard Captain James Cook’s bark the Endeavour. Cook names the new land New Zealand.
Maoris call the white intruders pakeha. Their arrival heralds a clash of two vastly different ideologies as European civilization collides head on with indigenous culture.
The misunderstandings, tension and bloodshed that follow are relayed as seen through the eyes of one of the Endeavour’s youngest and most engaging crewmembers, Surgeon’s Assistant Nicholas Young, as the vessel embarks on its historic circumnavigation of the country.
Amidst the life-threatening challenges Nicholas faces at sea and on land, the young man finds true love when he meets Anika, a beautiful Maori princess who steals his heart.
About the author:
New Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a prolific author with more than 35 published fiction and non-fiction books to his credit as well as several screenplay adaptations of his work. A former journalist and newspaper editor, he regularly writes in collaboration with his son James Morcan, and their books are published by Sterling Gate Books.
The father-and-son team’s published books include the new release horror Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) and the bestselling historical adventures White Spirit, Fiji: A Novel and Into the Americas. They also have several series including The Orphan Trilogy, an international thriller series, the globetrotting action-romance series The World Duology, and the controversial non-fiction franchise The Underground Knowledge Series, which includes Genius Intelligence and The Catcher in the Rye Enigma.
Several of their books have been regular visitors to Amazon’s bestseller lists over the years.
An additional non-fiction title they’re especially proud of is Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories, which was written in collaboration with Holocaust survivors to document the genocide.
Lance’s first solo-authored novel, a historical adventure-romance titled New Zealand: A Novel, was published late 2024. Spanning almost 500 years, this novel covers the respective discoveries of New Zealand by Pacific Islanders and Europeans. From the outset the two stories are interposed. It starts in the 1300’s with the departure of Islanders from Hawaiki in search of land far to the south. Researching and writing this epic was literally half a century in the making for Lance who described the task as “A labour of love that spanned 50 years.”
The Morcans’ production entity Morcan Motion Pictures has a number of feature films in early development, including adaptations of Silent Fear, Into the Americas and White Spirit.
What a fabulous and interesting read! I knew next to nothing about Marguerite “Peggy” Guggenheim, though I know the Guggenheim Museum. This book was a beautiful tribute to a unique and adventurous woman. The prose in this novel is so beautiful. I felt like I was in Peggy Guggenheim’s head and feeling her emotions. Such a tragedy that Rebecca Godfrey has passed and not seen her work come to fruition.
Highly recommended! One of the best books I read this year.
Thank you for my copy to review through Net Galley.
About Peggy
A dazzling, richly imagined novel about Peggy Guggenheim—a story of art, family, love, and becoming oneself—by the award-winning author of Under the Bridge, now a Hulu limited series starring Riley Keough and Lily Gladstone
“Godfrey brilliantly resurrects the avant-garde adventurer Peggy Guggenheim as a feminist icon for our times.”—Jenny Offill, author of Dept. of Speculation
“Magnificent . . . Readers will be won over by Godfrey’s incandescent portrait of a singular woman.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
Venice, 1958. Peggy Guggenheim, heiress and now legendary art collector, sits in the sun at her white marble palazzo on the Grand Canal. She’s in a reflective mood, thinking back on her thrilling, tragic, nearly impossible journey from her sheltered, old-fashioned family in New York to here: iconoclast and independent woman.
Rebecca Godfrey’s Peggy is a blazingly fresh interpretation of a woman who defies every expectation to become an original. The daughter of two Jewish dynasties, Peggy finds her cloistered life turned upside down at fourteen, when her beloved father perishes on the Titanic. His death prompts Peggy to seek a life of passion and personal freedom and, above all, to believe in the transformative power of art. We follow Peggy as she makes her way through the glamorous but sexist and anti-Semitic art worlds of New York and Europe and meet the numerous men who love her (and her money) while underestimating her intellect, talent, and vision. Along the way, Peggy must balance her loyalty to her family with her need to break free from their narrow, snobbish ways and the unexpected restrictions that come with vast fortune.
Rebecca Godfrey’s final book—completed by her friend, the acclaimed writer Leslie Jamison, following Godfrey’s death in 2022—brings to life the woman who helped make the Guggenheim name synonymous with art and genius.
About the Author
REBECCA GODFREY (1967-2022) was an award-winning novelist and journalist. Her books include The Torn Skirt, finalist for the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, and the award-winning true crime story Under the Bridge, a Disney+ limited series starring Riley Keough as Rebecca Godfrey. Godfrey earned her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and taught writing at Columbia University. Born and raised in Canada, she lived with her husband and daughter in Upstate New York.
My friends at Books Forward sent me some information on this new novel, featuring the author’s ancestor who came to American from Norway and was institutionalized in a mental hospital for most of her life.
The Blue Trunk traces the journey of Marit Sletmo as she comes to America and the quest of her great great niece, Rachel, as she seeks to discover Marit’s story, while writing her own.
Here’s the scoop:
When Ann Lowry inherited an ancestor’s blue travel trunk, she had no idea that this artifact was about to take her on a three-year journey of discovery. She was told that the trunk’s previous owner, a great-great aunt, had been institutionalized for insanity. Despite meticulous genealogy research, she was unable to uncover any facts about her and concluded that she must have spent her entire adult life in an asylum. Lowry was inspired to write The Blue Trunk, (Sept. 10, 2024, Koehler Books) to help reclaim her ancestor’s voice and shed light on these all-too-common institutionalizations. Seamlessly weaving historical fiction with contemporary life, Lowry’s tale explores identity, strength, and connection across decades.
Rachel Jackson’s idyllic life takes a dramatic turn when she discovers a woman’s scarf in her politician husband’s computer bag. But in an election year, seeking answers to questions of infidelity is not an option. When her mother gives her a family heirloom, a travel trunk owned by an ancestor, she finds a distraction. As she immerses herself in its contents, she discovers a woman whose life is vastly different from her own. Or is it?
Determined to dispel the notion that her ancestor Marit was insane, Rachel sets out to unveil her unknown story. In the interwoven narratives of these two women, who are bound by blood and a shared struggle, The Blue Trunk is a poignant exploration of identity, love, and unwavering strength.
Here’s a bit about Anne:
Ann’s journey into the realm of storytelling was foretold by a Sedona psychic in 2001. That prophecy became a reality two decades later when Ann discovered a family heirloom, a travel trunk from Norway, which sparked the genesis of her debut novel, “The Blue Trunk.”
A writer her entire life, Ann holds a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Minnesota. Her career has been dedicated to teaching and helping others navigate communication and resolve conflicts. Ann is fascinated by the dynamics of relationships, discord, and the intricacies of the human condition. Ann successfully completed the Loft Literary Center’s Novel Writing Intensive course in 2022.
Alongside her passion for fiction, she has contributed to academic journals, penned thought-provoking opinion pieces, crafted engaging content for online platforms, and provided insights on the federal management of disasters.
When Ann isn’t immersed in the world of writing, she finds solace in the pool or the lake. She cherishes playful moments with her rescue-turned-therapy dog, Loki, and also enjoys reading, golfing, and indulging in the art of cookie and bread baking. Fly fishing is her newest hobby. Most of all, she savors precious time with her family.
Ann and her spouse, Karen, and fur child, Loki, live in Timnath, Colorado, where they enjoy the beauty of nature daily. Learn more about Ann at: www.annlowry.com
I loved this story because not only was it a story within a story, but it had a focus on strong women, as well as resilience and identity. I loved the ending and was so hopeful that the story was largely based in fact. So I asked if I could do a Q&A with Ms. Lowry, and here it is!
BBNB: Hi there! I really enjoyed your novel so much. I’m curious. Is there really a blue trunk? And how did you first get interested in your ancestor’s story?
Yes, there is a blue trunk. It still sits in the foyer of my home in Colorado and has the name “Marit Sletmo” painted on the front. My mother inherited the trunk and while I was aware of the fact that my great-great aunt used it when she immigrated from Norway, I knew nothing of her life until I suggested naming my daughter “Marit.” My mother reacted to my suggestion with horror telling me that Marit was “insane” and that she and her sisters were never allowed to talk about her. Needless to say, I didn’t name my daughter after her. But I thought of her, of course, every time I saw the trunk. A few years ago my mother gave me the trunk and I started researching her on genealogy websites. But my research came to a dead end rather quickly. I concluded, sadly, that Marit likely spent her entire life in an institution. I knew I wanted to reclaim her life by writing a novel about her.
BBNB: As a person who studied psychology in college, your novel reminded me of the truly inhumane ways that people with mental illness were treated. How did you research that part of your novel?
The National Institute of Health and the Library of Congress have good information. But probably the most compelling information for me came from information gleaned from investigative journalist Nelly Bly. In 1887, Bly had herself committed to the “lunatic asylum” on Blackwell’s Island in New York. She spent ten days there and documented the horrific conditions that existed there at that time and noted that some women were sane but had been committed by family members who wanted them out of the way.
BBNB: Is Marit’s journey very similar to your own great aunt’s? Did you have that level of detail of her life or did you have to use some creative license? Did you have to track down clues to find answers like Rachel did in the novel?
Most of the book is fiction because I reached a dead end early with my genealogy research. I had an autograph book that she had signed in Wisconsin (my only clue) and I knew that she had indeed made it to the United States and that she could speak English fluently (given the poem she wrote in the autograph book). But I learned through my research that asylum patients were not always included in the census and that they sometimes weren’t issued death certificates. Census data and death and marriage certificates are ways that you can track ancestors and I couldn’t find anything for her. She essentially became “unknown.” I had originally named the book “The Life I Wished for You” because a lot of it was from my imagination, but my publisher prefered The Blue Trunk (also a fine title). I wanted Marit to have a good life. Her created life isn’t easy in the book, but she is resilient and strong and in order to portray that, I needed her to have some challenges. Ultimately she overcomes her challenges and thrives.
BBNB: I have to ask: did your great aunt have a happy ending like Marit? I do love happy endings…
Unfortunately, I don’t think she did. I suspect she spent her remaining life in an institution. But she has a happy ending in the novel and that was important to me. I love what she became (in the book) and love the fact that if you now search her name, you will find it. She is no longer unknown.
BBNB: Are you working on something new right now (or “write now”)?
I am! I am writing about four women friends who were WASP’s during WWII. The women of the Women’s Air Corp flew planes across the country for the military plane repositioning. They were amazing and brave women. In spite of their service, they weren’t awarded military benefits until President Jimmy Carter awarded veteran’s status in 1977. The book is loosely based upon the life of my real aunt who was a WASP and flew six different planes during her tour of duty. That said, the book is mostly about family drama, romance, and being a strong and resilient woman.
Thank you so much for my copy and for answering my questions.
I loved this story and I look forward to more novels by Ann Lowry!
I love Kristin Hannah’s books, so I was excited to see that she had another one coming out last winter. But everyone, and I mean everyone, was reading this novel and gushing about it. People were saying it the best book they ever read. They cried. It was unforgettable. Best book of the year. So I did what I often do – I stayed away. It is inevitable that when everyone loves a book, I can’t stand it, and I’m left feeling like I missed something.
So imagine my delight when I started reading this novel in September and truly enjoyed it! What a read! I loved the character of Frankie so much. I thought the depictions of wartime life were incredible. I don’t have much memory of the Vietnam War, except that it was on television news a lot and very scary to me as a young child. Kristin Hannah tells a story of strong women who made a difference, based on their courage and fortitude. It was a unique and important viewpoint to share.
Wonderful read and highly recommended! Thank you for my copy!
Description
A #1 bestseller on The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times!
From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah’s The Women—at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
I’m shouting it out about this novel, which I’m currently reading and which is publishing later in September. Have it on your radar if you like realistic historical fiction from the colonial era.
Here’s the scoop:
“I am no witch, nor adulteress, thief, nor murderer. They say I have lost my reason, but I know only that my heart is shattered, and in crying it aloud, now I must pay the cost….”
After three grievous losses, Puritan woman Silence Marsh dares to question God aloud in the church, and that blasphemy lands her in trouble—she is silenced for a year by the powers that be. Broken in heart and spirit, Silence learns to mime and sign, but it isn’t until a new Boston doctor, the dashing Daniel Greenleaf, comes to her backward Cape Cod village that she begins to hope again. Rather than treating Silence with bleeding or leeches, Dr. Greenleaf prescribes fresh air, St. John’s Wort, long walks—and reading.
Silence has half a hope of getting through her year of punishment when the cry of witchcraft poisons the village. Colonial Massachusetts is still reeling from the Salem Witch Trials just 20 years before. Now, after demanding her silence, she is called to witness at a witchcraft trial—or be accused herself.
A whiff of sulfur and witchcraft shadows this literary Puritan tale of loss and redemption, based on the author’s own ancestor, her seventh great-grandmother.
Me again! If you know me, you know I live in Massachusetts and am greatly interested in the Puritan years and the witch trials. This is a well-crafted story with a fascinating main character, based on the author’s ancestor.
About the Author
Author Julia Park Tracey’s ancestors and their stories have given her a trail to follow from New York and New England to the deep south and the Pacific Coast. The Bereaved: A Novel, the story of her great great grandmother’s loss of her children to the Orphan Train was named in the top 100 indie books published in 2023 by Kirkus Reviews. Christian Kiefer, author of the newly released The Heart of it All, said: “In The Bereaved, Julia Park Tracey reopens America’s wounds in prose that is propulsive and resonant. Theodore Dreiser comes to mind, but so, too, the fine contemporary novels of Jo Baker and Maggie O’Farrell.”
Thank you to my friends at Sibylline Press for my copy! I will need to find Julia Park Tracey’s earlier novel to read, too!
Beth's Book-Nook Blog 