The Lost, The Found and the Hidden: The Puzzle Box Chronicles Book 2

by Shawn McCarthy

Amanda Malcom (or is she really Amanda Grant?) escapes to Boston after running away from a failed marriage. She brings with her a strange and delightful wooden box that she found washed up on the shore of Cape Cod. But opening that box has proven to be as challenging as untangling the multiple layers of her own life. Amanda finds sanctuary with a kindly older couple as she tries to reestablish herself in the city, remaining blissfully unaware that the man she left behind is trying to find her.At a raucous July 4th celebration, Amanda meets Jeb Thomas, a powerful but secretive labor organizer who travels where he wants and remains beholden to no city. For all his charm, Jeb does not seem to be her type. But as the ghosts of her past close in, he may be her only escape.America in the 1890s isn't a welcoming place for a separated woman, especially one who grew up in the poorest part of town. Some see her as a victim. Some as a predator. What she wants them to see is a woman who longs for a quiet normal life, even as past failures conspire to bring her down.

212 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 12, 2023

About the author

I'm the author of ten books, with a heavy focus on historical fiction.

My historical novels include:
- "Local Honey" - Set in 1951, it's the story of a small town's "haves vs have-nots" in post-war America. It’s part love triangle, part class struggle, and part dreamy window into the lost New England of the 1950s. The backdrop includes seashore towns, rural farms, the gritty slums of Boston, and brief flashbacks to World War II battlefields.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

- "The Puzzle Box Chronicles" a six-book series set in Boston, Cape Cod and the American West in 1891. it focuses on an important time of transition in America, when electric lighting is spreading across the country like a wave.
Its locations range from private luxury train cars to seedy back alleys. Even the sparks created by that time period's "War of the Currents" can't fully illuminate the darkest parts of that history. It starts with Book 1, "The Wreck of the Gossamer."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

- "The Sea Glass Empire" a collection of five short stories that raise questions about how external influences can sometimes have a huge impact on the trajectory of people’s lives.

I've also written two non-fiction books, (one for John Wiley & Sons and one for the National Society of Professional Engineers) and authored articles for The Washington Post, Tribune Publishing, United Press International, the Associate Press and various Smithsonian Institution publications.

Reviews

[Rebecca Rosenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very original theme for an historical fiction! One does not expect a separated woman in 1890. The added intrigue of her new love interest who may not be as he seems adds to the mystery. And the puzzle box is a wonderful symbol for her life. Not easy for a woman alone in the nineteenth century. I just wish it was longer! Seemed to end to soon!

[Jessica Sheppard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised I could follow the story without reading the first book. The Lost, The Found and the Hidden: The Puzzle Box Chronicles is a unique tale about a woman navigating the 1890s alone after escaping a failed marriage. The book is rich in historical detail and filled with exciting twists that kept me engaged until the end. If you're looking for a mystery with a touch of romance, this novel is what you need. The writing style is descriptive, and the plot is creative. My only criticism would be that the book could benefit from one final round of editing.

[Elmore P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love about this series is the twists and turns it provides. I don't see them coming, yet they feel believable and cunning.

Amanda is inspired by a man who may or ma not be dead, even as she starts to fall for a union organizer who is both admirable and a bit of a charlatan. When things crash down, she has to flee Boston and head West. It left me uncertain about her future. I guess I want to know that she is okay.

[Larry Bellows · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this series a lot. If you are a fan of the late 1890s era in America, this is an entertaining book. This book (2) follows Amanda as she reaches Boston after escaping her lonely farm life, and while carrying a strange box she found washed ashore. Great slice of life. I like the scene which follows her through the city on July 4th, seeing sights in the park, and ending up at a barn dance.

[Cindy Shirkus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lives of desperate people can often be quite interesting. :)
I found the mental images and of the scenes fascinating. This is, I think, the only book of the series when all of the characters are in Boston. Some looking for each other. Others avoiding. It's tense, sexy and occasionally violent.

[TheOther Mortimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the descriptions of Boston in the 1890s. Made me feel like I was walking the streets. The views of the different classes were interesting too. Far different lives for rich and poor. And in the process, I learned quite a bit about the early days and dangerous of electricity

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could be snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef for there is so much to see!
Happily, I am immersed in one of the most interesting periods of change in our country.
This historical fiction is just the way I like it!

[Gerald Dude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I had not read Book 1 of this trilogy, it took awhile to catch on to the plot however, I liked the main character and her struggle for independence.