What Remains

by Rosemary Poole-Carter

"...This story centers around Isabelle, a woman recently bereft of her Civil War beau, and a journalist named Paul Delahoussaye who has come to the family home of Belle Ombre to return a packet of loveletters Isabelle had written to her fiance. He has fallen in love with her through his surreptitious reading of the letters.

Also residing at Belle Ombre are the deceptive and graciously Machiavellian Aunt Delora, her great-uncle Babcock Vasseur and his wife Lydie Vee, a young and rather mischievous cousin Euphrasie and a vital assortment of former slaves who still live at Belle Ombre.

Almost immediately a murder (?) and then another takes place and Delora asks Paul to stay on and use his skills as a journalist to find out who is behind this second death. Family secrets are revealed as more sinister things seem to be going on behind the scenes at this plantation home. ..." Jodi Cox Guerra

306 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2002

About the author

I'm a novelist and playwright, whose work focuses on the history and eccentricity of the American South. My novel ONLY CHARLOTTE is set in 1880's New Orleans; WOMEN OF MAGDALENE is set in a post-Civil War ladies' lunatic asylum; WHAT REMAINS is an historical mystery set on a rundown plantation, and JULIETTE ASCENDING is a young adult historical set during Mardi Gras. My plays have been produced in the United States and Europe, and include MOSSY CAPE, based on Southern folklore; THE LITTLE DEATH, set in 19th century New Orleans; and THE FAMILIAR, a ghost story.

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set on a plantation, Belle Ombre, in America's deep south just after the civil war, 'What Remains' is a murder mystery and historical fiction novel, with a healthy dose of romance mixed in. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; the characters were well developed and realistic and the book was very obviously well researched, giving the reader the feeling of being transported back in time to the middle of the nineteenth century. I was reminded of'Gone With The Wind' on a few occasions.
Shortly after the civil war, Paul Delahoussaye, a journalist, is assigned to do interviews with both Union and Confederate officers, it is during one of these interviews that he is given a bundle of letters which had been found lying on the ground after battle. Paul's natural curiosity leads him to read the letters; letters written by Isabelle to her fiance who was at war. Paul feels drawn to the writer of the letters and compelled to meet her. He travels to Belle Ombre plantation to deliver the letters to Isabelle, but there is a feeling that he is hopeful for a relationship to develop between them. Isabelle, is mourning the death of her fiance when Paul arrives at Belle Ombre. He also discovers that there has been a mysterious death at the house. He is invited to stay at the house and the next day there is a murder at the plantation and Paul is asked to help investigate who is responsible for the two deaths, which now appear to be linked.
The novel is beautifully written and has many unexpected twists and turns which keeps the reader interested, and always wondering what will happen next.
I would highly recommend this novel.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took awhile to get into it but once I hit 50% the book became really interesting. Large family living on a plantation after the Civil War and how they managed day to day life, turned into a who dunnit. Became very exciting and couldn't put it down. Burying and exhuming going on, and mostly about hidden jewelery.The ending is one you won't see coming.