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Enid Gilchrist Mysteries #2
Mama's Secret
Genealogist Enid Gilchrist thought she was going to help patron Maude Everly keep a promise and uncover a family secret. Now as she and Maude search through the contents of a generations-old dower chest, they discover clues to more family secrets, troubling secrets from the Civil War years that someone is desperate to keep buried.
As a child, Maude had promised her great-grandmother she would search for the secret and a lost baby doll. Family pressure and the struggle to survive during the Great Depression drove the promise from her young mind. Her recent discovery of a photograph of escaped slaves in an 1862 newspaper advertisement pulled the memory back.
Enid expected their search to plunge them into the turmoil of the great rebellion, but she never dreamed it would pull that turmoil into their present-day rural West Tennessee community and threaten their lives.
Can they discover all of the family secrets in time to save their lives? In time for ninety-year-old Maude to keep her promise?
As a child, Maude had promised her great-grandmother she would search for the secret and a lost baby doll. Family pressure and the struggle to survive during the Great Depression drove the promise from her young mind. Her recent discovery of a photograph of escaped slaves in an 1862 newspaper advertisement pulled the memory back.
Enid expected their search to plunge them into the turmoil of the great rebellion, but she never dreamed it would pull that turmoil into their present-day rural West Tennessee community and threaten their lives.
Can they discover all of the family secrets in time to save their lives? In time for ninety-year-old Maude to keep her promise?
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2017
About the author
Sylvia A. Nash
20 books21 followersSylvia A. Nash lives in West Tennessee. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a major in English and a minor in philosophy. In another life, she taught high school English. Now she spends part of her time wrestling the stories in her head onto paper and part of her time chasing down the stories of her ancestors. To learn more about the author, visit her website at http://sylviaanash.com.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 9, 2017
Nash has written a compelling mystery. Ninety-year-old Maude wants to fulfill a childhood promise to discover a mystery passed down through her maternal line since the end of the civil war. What starts as a search through genealogical records expands into the search of a dower chest and a series of needlepoints containing hints that only a woman might see. This section of the book is reminiscent of Glaspell’s play A Jury of Her Peers. Maude is rapidly weakening, but is it from old age as her doctor claims or is the person leaving threatening messages following through with some mysterious poison? Enlisting the help of genealogist Enid Gilchrist and her granddaughter, Maude pushes on, finding a hidden diary, lost graves, and an inheritance for the lost family members—children of the slave owner and a woman who is the half-sister of the man’s wife. They were sent North to safety, but did they make it? Have they left descendants? Nash’s story starts a bit slowly, but quickly picks up speed and keeps the reader on edge. A good read.
September 12, 2020
A Beautiful Story
This story is beautifully told. Some of the horrors of slavery in the US, as well as a hypothesis of why slavery here was differs from Biblical slavery have been told with honesty and thoughtfulness. The beautiful bonds of friendship and love shared by all of the female characters is what true friendship is about. The genealogy information is also quite interesting. It is with a sad heart that we must acknowledge that slavery does does indeed still exist in this and other countries in the form of human trafficking. What people will do out of avarice can only be offset by what we do out of love for our fellow human beings.
This story is beautifully told. Some of the horrors of slavery in the US, as well as a hypothesis of why slavery here was differs from Biblical slavery have been told with honesty and thoughtfulness. The beautiful bonds of friendship and love shared by all of the female characters is what true friendship is about. The genealogy information is also quite interesting. It is with a sad heart that we must acknowledge that slavery does does indeed still exist in this and other countries in the form of human trafficking. What people will do out of avarice can only be offset by what we do out of love for our fellow human beings.
June 28, 2018
An inspiring story
I am inspired to continue my own family search. I only wish I had an Enid to help me, she makes it look so easy. I liked Mama's Secret even more than Benjamin's Ghost...and that is saying a lot. The mystery, research, and intrigue was masterfully done. It holds your interest so as you get very little else done besides read. Be Forewarned! It took me two stabs to figure out how the poisoning was administered, and a bit loner to decide the "who". That is what is fun about reading mysteries.
I am inspired to continue my own family search. I only wish I had an Enid to help me, she makes it look so easy. I liked Mama's Secret even more than Benjamin's Ghost...and that is saying a lot. The mystery, research, and intrigue was masterfully done. It holds your interest so as you get very little else done besides read. Be Forewarned! It took me two stabs to figure out how the poisoning was administered, and a bit loner to decide the "who". That is what is fun about reading mysteries.
September 11, 2021
I loved this book. Mystery, crime and geneology all in the same book.
This is the second book I have read by this author. I'll be reading more!!!!
I had the whereabouts of the poison correct. As if I was watching the story on TV, I was shouting at the character's where the arsenic was. I didn't get the suspect until nearer the end of the book though.
This series should be on TV.
This is the second book I have read by this author. I'll be reading more!!!!
I had the whereabouts of the poison correct. As if I was watching the story on TV, I was shouting at the character's where the arsenic was. I didn't get the suspect until nearer the end of the book though.
This series should be on TV.
November 1, 2017
This was a good book as it keeps you wanting to turn the pages from the very first page. This was a new author for me and I was pleased to get her book. It has everything even a little romance which I was surprised but happy. Sylvia hit a ball to the outfield with this book!
February 25, 2019
The 2nd book in the series
This 2nd of the Enid Gilchrist series is even better than the previous book. I've enjoyed the history, the mystery and the genealogy in the story. Good Clean Read. Could be considered Christian fiction.
This 2nd of the Enid Gilchrist series is even better than the previous book. I've enjoyed the history, the mystery and the genealogy in the story. Good Clean Read. Could be considered Christian fiction.
February 13, 2024
Addictive Read
I read this novel at night, before going to sleep. It almost became addictive; the story flowed well and met my interest in genealogy mysteries. Can’t wait to start the next in the series.
I read this novel at night, before going to sleep. It almost became addictive; the story flowed well and met my interest in genealogy mysteries. Can’t wait to start the next in the series.
February 8, 2019
Very enjoyable read. Starting the third book tonight!
August 28, 2019
Spellbinding.
A great whodunit with many factors explored. Fans of genealogy as well as mysteries should enjoy this well we written tale.
A great whodunit with many factors explored. Fans of genealogy as well as mysteries should enjoy this well we written tale.
July 19, 2020
Great book
This was definitely one of the. Better Genealogical mystery books
Highly recommend you won't be disappointed
Hope there will be more in the series
This was definitely one of the. Better Genealogical mystery books
Highly recommend you won't be disappointed
Hope there will be more in the series
August 22, 2021
A good yarn
Enjoyed this it was a real page turner and I read it in a day. I will look forward to the rest in the series
Enjoyed this it was a real page turner and I read it in a day. I will look forward to the rest in the series
June 23, 2022
Excellent book. I loved the way family history wove around this story. It ended so well. I enjoyed reading
August 18, 2025
Heartwarming
I really enjoyed this book. So detailed and interesting in equal measures. A book of strong women, determination, genaeology and mystery.
I really enjoyed this book. So detailed and interesting in equal measures. A book of strong women, determination, genaeology and mystery.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews