Forgotten History

by Pam Hanson, Barbara Andrews

When Miriam Maxwell returns to her Chesapeake-area hometown to take over her late sister Ruthie's antiques store, she reconnects with Bess Watkins, an old friend who, along with her granddaughter Phoebe, begins helping Miriam with the shop. As Miriam struggles to organize her sister's jumbled store, her very first customer turns out to be Samuel Bentley, whom she dated in high school. He buys an heirloom desk and later discovers, hidden in the drawer, a cryptic map with an uncomfortable implication: Miriam's ancestor was a deserter from the Confederate Army! Guided by tantalizing clues -- antique photographs, an old Bible, and visits to a military cemetery -- Miriam and Samuel piece together the slim evidence. Will the information they uncover exonerate Miriam's ancestor? In the course of their research, they begin to realize that their feelings for each other run deeper than their shared love of history.

Genres: Mystery

295 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Pam grew up within earshot of her mother's manual typewriter. Her mother wanted a career she could combine with motherhood and four children, and she made her first sale to Highlights for Children, when her children were in kindergarten. Her mother is the author of 20 romance novels under her own name, Barbara Andrews. Pam majored in journalism in college and later worked as a reporter. Pam married with with Mr. Hanson, a college-professor, and they created a family. Pam teamed up with her mother after the birth of her first child, Erik. They published their books under the pseudonyms Jennifer Drew and Pam Rock. For several years their partnership was long-distance, fueled by high phone bills! They make writing a lot easier these days. So does the fact that mom and daughter share digs in West Virginia, along with Pam Hanson's husband and their two sons, Erik and Andrew. Pam is also the director of advising for West Virginia University’s School of Journalism.

Reviews

[Rick Bavera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining read.

While there were many Confederate sympathizers in Maryland during the Civil War, and there were those who fought on the side of the CSA, Maryland remained as part of the Union.

Some of the remarks in the book made it seem that Maryland was part of the CSA, which was not the case.

Otherwise, the story was entertaining. A nice, sweet, quick read of people reconnecting with old friends and learning about family history.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I read it in one day. There is a mystery about a confederate solider and a family member won’t stop until she can clear his name, his family always believed he was a deserter. There is a love story between two older people and that is refreshing to read about. Lastly there are so many antiques that I wanted to jump into the book and snoop around to find treasures.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is of the genre of light summer reading. Underneath the love story theme is an older widow and widower finding each other decades after high school as they solve the mystery of Miriam’s great grandfather’s disappearance after the Civil War.

[Heather Walter]

I don't particularly want to rate this one, though I did finish it. Lots of "War Between the States" business I could have done without. I bought it at a used bookstore, so at least I supported a local business.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet enchanting book. If you like antiques you will enjoy this book

[Elizabeth Broome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, predictable read.

[Suzanne Sayers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I wanted a cozy mystery to read. This is horrible. The writing is juvenile, the characters are not interesting, and the plot is ridiculous.

[Kristen Bouma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really boring for me.

[Jo Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, so Miriam, a widow, returns to her hometown to run her sister's antique shop after her sister dies.
I liked the story and the characters, but the mystery left a couple of questions unanswered. Let me try and explain without any spoilers.
Miriam's great grandfather is the shame of the family. During the Civil War, he disappears and is branded a traitor/deserter. His wife and kids never find out what happened to him.
The 60 year old Miriam is now running her deceased sister's antique shop when Samuel, her high school sweetheart (and a widower) turns up at the shop and buys an old desk. It's a family heirloom, but it's in the shop and for sale and Miriam sells it.
Samuel gets the desk homes and finds one of the desk drawers is jammed. When he gets it open, he finds a secret panel in the drawer that contains a stack of Confederate money and half a map.
Miriam and Samuel decide they should find out the truth about great-gramps--was he really a deserter or did something else happen?
Now, you KNOW the mystery gets solved. But the question remains--why did he do what he did? I can't say any more because I promised no spoilers, but while I enjoyed reading about the running of the antique store, and the budding romance between Samuel and Miriam, I didn't like answer.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miriam Maxwell moves to her hometown in Maple Landing, Maryland to run the antique store she inherited from her sister. She reconnects with an old girlfriend and an old love. One of her goals is to clear the name of her great great grandfather who was charged as a deserter during the Civil War. When a map is found in an old desk, Miriam and Sam search for the meaning and hope that the map will uncover the answer to her ancestor's fate. This was an excellent story and I enjoyed it very much. I look forward to book 2 in this series.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miriam has retired from teaching school & moved to Chesapeake Bay, MD to take over her deceased sister's antique shop. She finds that a daunting task to her inexperience with antiques. However, since she grew up there, she reconnects with Samuel Bentley & Bess, 2 old school chums. When Samuel buys an old desk from her, he finds some items in it from an ancestor of hers & they set out to learn what they can about the man.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forgotten History is about a retired teacher who moves back to her home town after her sister passes away and leaves her her antique business and family home. She then re- befriends her old boyfriend from high school and her best friend.

A search to clear a great grandfathers desertion from the civil war ends in a postive tone.

A light Christian read.

[April Suter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Retired business education teacher, Miriam, returns to her hometown to run her sister's antique shop. She finds old friends that become new friends and a few treasures.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hit

[Debbie Beeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read.

[Bernadette Harned · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very surprised how much I ended up enjoying this book. I am starting the 2nd one now! The story was well thought out and since I love history this book fulfilled that interest!