The Great Forgotten

by K.L. Murphy

“[A] riveting tale . . .” — Library Journal , on Her Sister’s Death

One War. Two Loves. A Lifetime to Remember.

July 4, 1918, Nashville, Tennessee. Even as the war in Germany drones on, patriotism swells at home. There are celebrations, music, and dancing. But for five men—one train engineer, one porter, one salesman, one farmer, and one thief—the world will soon take a terrible and tragic turn. 

Summer, 1988. Ginny Campbell is a young woman unsure of her marriage and her future. Moving into a new house, she finds an old, abandoned trunk filled with carefully wrapped memorabilia, photos, and a woman’s name. Intrigued, she sets out to uncover the mystery of the steamer trunk, leading her on a sweeping journey of love and loss that stretches back to 1918.

Inspired by a true event. The great train wreck near Nashville on July 9, 1918, when two passenger trains collided due to human error, was a horrific disaster that killed over 100 people and injured hundreds more. The Great Forgotten is a gripping tale of five men whose lives were intertwined that fateful day and the ripple effect of this little-known American tragedy on the woman who knew them all.

Genres: Historical Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication January 6, 2026

About the author

K.L. Murphy is the author of The Great Forgotten (January 2026) as well as the award-nominated Her Sister’s Death, a January 2023 Once Upon a Book Club Pick. Of Her Sister’s Death, Publishers Weekly said, “Murphy keeps the tension high…” and “readers will eagerly turn the pages” and Library Journal called the book “[A] riveting tale…”

In addition, she is the author of the Detective Callie Forde Mysteries: Last Girl Missing and the forthcoming The Murderer’s Girl (August 2025) and the Detective Cancini Mystery Series featuring A Guilty Mind, Stay of Execution, and The Last Sin. Her short stories are featured in Deadly Southern Charm, Murder by the Glass, First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder and Friend of the Devil: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the Grateful Dead. She also co-edited and is featured in Crime in the Old Dominion. K.L. makes her home in Richmond, VA, where she loves spending time with her family, friends, and two amazing dogs.

Reviews

[Linda Zagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

K. L. Murphy, the Author of “The Great Forgotten” has written an intriguing, intense and captivating novel. The Genres for this book are Historical Fiction, and World War One Fiction. There are two timelines in the story, 1918, and 1988, and both periods fit in like puzzle pieces to finish the masterpiece.The author provides vidvid descriptions of the scenery, timelines, plot, and dark and dramatic characters.The characters are complex and complicated. In 1988, Ginny Campbell is trying to figure out her life, when she finds an old trunk in the house with a woman’s name, and letters. She tracks down the woman, who is in a nursing home, where the woman Anna Mae, tells her bits and pieces of the story of important historical consequence in 1918. Slowly, Anna Mae draws the reader as well, into a forgotten piece of history. There was a major train wreck in 1918, when two trains collided and crashed. Anna Mae tells the story of five different men, that she personally knew, and the tragic consequences of this crash. There are twists and turns, surprises, and edgy suspense. I highly recommend this book.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)

I didn’t know about the great train wreck near Nashville, not until my experience with reading The Great Forgotten. I thought the use of history behind this event and creating a story around it was really clever and unique, and it showed in the two timelines that are portrayed for Anna Mae and Ginny. The story begins with an abandoned trunk that is found in Ginny’s home, giving her the opportunity to trace it to Anna Mae. From there, the two women forge a bond through memories and time, with Anna Mae recalling everything she can remember from 1918, and Ginny hanging on for every recollection.

The reader is right there with her. I love how invested Ginny is, and it was easy for me to feel that way, too, given all that happens for and to Anna Mae. 1918 was a tumultuous time given World War I, only amplified by the countdown of what’s to come, the inevitable tragedy. The story is told in various perspectives from characters who are based on people who were part of the great train wreck, feeling like a paid homage to the individuals who really went through it.

While Ginny is learning more about Anna Mae and the significance of the items within the trunk, she’s also dealing with some pretty life altering situations in her personal world. She isn’t sure of who she is, who she’ll be, or who she will be with, gaining a lot more insight while listening to the choices Anna Mae had made, even amidst dark times. Towards the end of the book, some of the questions Ginny had are finally answered, the reveals pretty shocking and some it had come as a complete surprise to me. But it all made sense and fit in well with the slow build up to the end.

Something I’ve always appreciated about a good story is how it doesn’t always have to end up as a happily-ever-after scenario; the best stories aren’t always buttoned up that way. Sometimes, it’s in not getting exactly what a character wanted that they end up discovering what they really needed, and I could see that a lot for Ginny. Anna Mae was proof of that, too. The Great Forgotten is a great re-telling of an event that many of us know little about, but after reading about it through the eyes of the main characters, we’ll all want to know more. It was a great five-star experience!

[Chelsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea about this historical event and really love how the author told this story through various characters. Ginny Campbell has inherited her grandmother's house and while cleaning it out she finds an old abandoned trunk left in the attic. Wanting to return these things to the rightful owner, she does end up finding Anna Mae Kennedy and a friendship is truck. As Anna Mae Kennedy tells a story about a horrific train crash that happened decades ago, Ginny can't help but be sucked into listening to this lonely old woman. She wants to know who she is, how her trunk with memories was left in her grandmother's house and is this story she's tell really true? Something that happened here decades ago? How is this all connected? Her husband isn't so sure she should be spending so much time with this woman, but Ginny feels a connection to her. As Anna Mae divulges the story of five people who were all a part of this tragedy, we find out who they were as people, their family life and what led them to be on this train at this time. I really loved how the author created characters based on true people that were a part of this accident and the possibility of what could have happened for this to have happened in the first place. Thank you to the author for the complementary novel and to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the tour invite. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is based on a true event about a horrific train crash near Nashville Tenn. In 1918. This book is a great story woven by a woman that knew all five men whose lives were mixed together; a train engineer, a porter, a salesman, a farmer, and a thief. Would you like to hear a story? OK, this starts in 1988 when a woman moves into a home her family owns and comes across a trunk. In the trunk she finds with very carefully wrapped memorabilia, and sets out to find out anything she can about the woman and the story of why the trunk was left in her attic. What she finds is much much more, come gather around for the story.
This was an awesome book I loved it so much, my grandfather was a conductor in western Ky for some time, and even though I never got to meet him this story brought me a bit closer to him and how the lives of my mom and grandmother where back then. I loved every minute of the story told even the ugly and bad parts. This book was well written in a very deliberate and thoughtful way. This would be a great addition to any library personal or public.
Review copy was provided by Edelweiss

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

With two timelines: 1918 and 1988, and inspired by true events, the great train wreck that happened near Nashville, Tennessee, this is the story that has long been forgotten to history.

While the war is raging in Germany, it’s July 4, 1918, and everyone is celebrating with pride and patriotism, at the time this horrible tragedy happens.

In the 1980s timeline, Ginny has just moved into a new house where she discovers an old trunk filled with memorabilia. What she discovers ties the trunk back to 1918.

What a captivating and heartrending tragedy handled with care in this story. It’s about the intersection of lives that fateful day. Ginny meets a woman named Anna Mae in a nursing home who shares this story with her, layer by layer. I truly loved my time spent within the pages of this book and with this story and its characters, even with all the heartbreak and suspense; I was fully invested. Well crafted and absorbing!

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the actual Nashville train wreck of 1918, where two passenger trains collided, this is suspenseful and emotional historical fiction. I’ve read several of K.L.Murphy’s books, and I knew she would not disappoint.

The writing vividly captures scenery and locations, creating a strong sense of immersion. Using letters, newspaper posts, and dates, we stay engaged with the timeline of the impending disaster, building suspense with every twist as the train engines roar on. It's nail-biting to imagine what these passengers are about to experience around the bend.

Murphy skillfully interweaves dual timelines, creating a compelling sense of mystery as past and present chase each other, unveiling answers and explanations along the way to a satisfying resolution.

Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @k.l._murphy for the gifted book.

[Courtney Pityer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that The Great Forgotten is indeed a very interesting story. The characters were deeply well written. I enjoyed the fact that the modern timeline took place in the 80's as it allowed us to be in the same century as the first World War. It gave me the opportunity to learn about some more important facts of history that I never knew existed.

I enjoyed Ginny's developing friendship with Anna Mae and trying to piece together fragments of the past with what was in that trunk. I think if given the opportunity I would love to connect with an older person and view their mementos of the past because it would be an excellent history lesson and I have a deep appreciation for all things old.

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the bond formed while Ginny visited with Anna Mae. It was heartwarming how two strangers can connect over a story. The discoveries that Ginny made in the “present” timeline made the mystery of the past even more inciting. This was based on true events and that I had no knowledge of before starting but that made it more shocking to me at times. It was beautifully written and emotionally gripping. While I enjoyed both timelines, I think Ginny’s and Anna Mae’s current timeline was my favorite. The ending was intense in different ways, but I really enjoyed how the whole picture came together.

Thank you @k.l._murphy @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

[Lisa Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that needed to be told and is told so beautifully. K.L. Murphy is just brilliant at generating emotion while relaying important information. Told in two timelines with supporting articles I was captivated by the true story, but also by the clever imaginative way the author chose to create her characters and weave them and the fictional narrative in and around the facts. Emotional and unforgettable this should be a must read for everyone.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Christy Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book, and it was a good reminder of why historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. This story about five men was inspired by an actual event, which made it even more compelling for me. The book reminded me of Fried Green Tomatoes in the sense that Anna Mae Kennedy, who was confined to a nursing home, shared the story day by day with Ginny Campbell, who was trying to sort some things out in her own life. I loved the bond that Anna May and Ginny developed as the story unfolded.

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow, what a story! As you know, I love historical fiction, and this one was beautifully written. The author blends past and present into a compelling story about love, loss, and compassion. It’s based on a real tragedy, a train wreck near Nashville in 1918, where two passenger trains collided. I knew nothing about this event before and even found myself researching it afterward. This isn’t my first book by this author, but I think it might be my favorite so far.

[Marcy McCreary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written tale that weaves a story from present with five narratives from the past, set against the backdrop of World War I and an actual train wreck that took place in Nashville in 1918. This novel is masterfully crafted with dual timelines and multiple perspectives, and paced like a train, gently pulling out of the station, then roaring full-speed ahead to its satisfying destination.

[Danielle B · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE GREAT FORGOTTEN was a great book in the historical fiction genre. I really enjoyed the dual timelines of 1918 and 1988. This kept the story very interesting and kept me flipping the pages. Also, there are some great twists and turns that I was not expecting. If you are into historical fiction, this would be a great one for you!

Many thanks to K.L. Murphy for my gifted copy.

This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the future.