The Weight of Years

Savannah Secrets #6

by DeAnna Julie Dodson

Julia and Meredith find themselves drawn to the owner of the lavish Delorme Estate, Miss Charlotte Delorme Lockwood. Miss Charlotte is the great granddaughter of the well-known Alice Delorme Lockwood, who established a foundation that provides educational and business opportunities for the benefit of orphaned children and those who adopt them. When aspiring author, Jaden Browning, comes to Savannah in hopes of writing a book about the Lockwood Foundation and Alice's life as a survivor of Savannah's 1876 yellow fever epidemic, Miss Charlotte is eager to shed light on her great-grandmother's story. But her eagerness turns to suspicion when Jaden's questions take a drastic turn toward the Delorme family tree rather than Alice's accomplishments. Suddenly wary, Miss Charlotte hires Magnolia Investigations to discover the truth. Who exactly is Jaden Browning and what are her true motives? Follow Julia and Meredith as they dive into another mystery that comes with some unexpected truths and revelations.

273 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2020

About the author

DeAnna Julie Dodson has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with four spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her first books, In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered, are a trilogy of medieval romances and have just been redesigned and freshly edited for Kindle. She is also the author of the contemporary mystery, Letters in the Attic, and has recently signed on to write another Annie's Attic Mystery: The Key in the Attic, due out in 2012. Her newest books, yet to be released, are A Dinner of Herbs, a Civil War drama, and a 1930s English mystery, Rules of Murder. Civil as an Orange, her current work in progress, is the sequel to Rules of Murder. You can find out more about DeAnna and her books, including sample chapters, at her website: http://www.deannajuliedodson.com/

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've found this series, Savannah Secrets, within the last year and they are really good- mystery with very little, if any, danger and always a historical mystery. It often involves genealogy, which is very interesting to me. This one was fantastic! I like the way segments of an old diary was scattered throughout the story. Although I partially guessed the answer to the whole riddle with the first diary entry early in the book, I think this made it even more interesting to me as the story unfolded and I was able to confirm my suspicions.

Magnolia Investigations PI's, Meredith and Julie, become involved with 90 year-old Miss Charlotte, the quintessential Southern lady, who requests their help in investigating a young woman, Jaden Browning, who seems too enthusiastic about Miss Charlotte's great grandmother, Miss Alice. Jaden wants to write a book about Miss Alice, who was the sole family survivor of the yellow fever outbreak of 1876 and inherited a fortune. Meredith and Julie aren't sure that her motives are pure. Miss Charlotte is quite wealthy and has no direct descendants. Is it a scheme to gain her confidence and fleece her out of her money? Oh no, it's so much more than that. Like I said, it's a genealogical mystery and turns out to be more than I suspected as it twisted and turned.

[Kristi Winter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of the Savannah Secrets books so far. I would love to be invited to one of Miss Charlotte's luncheons at the Delmore estate. They sound so lovely.

This book was a little harder for me to follow along with all the different family members that were introduced. It was hard to keep up with who was who. The twist at the end though! It made it all worth it!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful addition to the Savanna Secrets series. They are always page turners.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another nice break from doom, gloom and violence. I like this series because it reads fast and reminds me of a trip to Savannah.

[Lynda C.]

I like the Savannah Secrets mystery series.