Finding Hidden Gems in Historical Fiction

As my family genealogist (just one of many for sure), I love delving into the histories and stories behind our family lines. Perhaps that’s why I’ve recently read so many historical fiction books. Learning things we weren’t taught in school is icing on the proverbial cake.

Author, Sandra Merville Hart is an expert at research and including hidden gems in her novels. The third book in her Second Chances series, A Not So Peaceful Journey, was released this week. I hope you’ve gotten yours. I enjoyed reading the entire series and getting to know the characters. The books flow seamlessly into one another.

As usual, Ms. Hart’s writing is superb, and her attention to detail shines forth on the page, pulling you right into the center of the action and the lives of the characters. Here is my review of  A Not So Peaceful Journey:

 

A Not So Peaceful Journey, the third in author Sandra Merville Hart’s Second Chances series finds us riding the rails between Cincinnati and San Francisco. Rennie Hill only wants to marry her long-time beau and settle down to a peaceful life in Hamilton, Ohio. But John Welch has bigger dreams—becoming a best-selling author in the manner of Mark Twain. Circumstances take Rennie and John, along with their travel companions, on a cross-country journey they will remember for the remainder of their lives. Written in Ms. Hart’s inimitable style of unforgettable storytelling, you will feel as though you’re coming along for this long and often, not-so-comfortable train trip. With her impeccable attention to detail and historical events, Ms. Hart has closed this delightful faith-based series with a page-turner sure to satisfy the history and travel buff in any of us. Highly recommended.

In full disclosure, I received an ARC of this book with no expectations for a review.

 

If you’ve never read Ms. Hart’s books, I highly recommend them. She has a series of books about the Civil War and another series, Spies of the Civil War. I highly recommend both of these as well as the Second Chances series.

A NEVER-BORING WAY OF LEARNING ABOUT HISTORICAL EVENTS

Finding Hidden Gems in Historical Fiction @DDuPreeWilliams #writing #SandraMervilleHart #HistoricalRomance Share on X

If you are a genealogist and you want to learn more about the Civil War era, but not by reading a sometimes-boring history book, you will be surprised by what you will learn from reading one of Ms. Hart’s books. I promise you will not be bored.

The second book of her Spies of the Civil War series takes us to Richmond, Virginia. In one scene, the two main characters take a stroll through Hollywood Cemetery. I’ve been there, so I know what it looks like, and it was described perfectly.

My great-grandfather is buried very near the Confederate monument in Hollywood Cemetery. To the best of my knowledge, I was the first member of our family to ever stand at his grave. Tears flowed that day as I introduced myself to him and told him how much our family loves him. It was an emotional time in my life, for sure.

MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER’S STORY

Years ago, I had the Alabama Archives do a search on him. Andrew Jackson Bass, Sr. 1830-1862. He died from measles while at Camp Lee. Not an uncommon thing. Ms. Hart talks about the hospital there in her Spies of the Civil War series, and I had to wonder if Grandpa Andrew had been there.

The head archivist in Alabama called to tell me she’d found a letter written to my great-grandmother dated around October 31, 1862. Apparently, finding such is a somewhat rare thing. She was so excited. I transcribed it and shared it with all my cousins, and you may find it on Ancestry if you have an account there.

The information within the letter, though personal in nature, was a treasure to our family. He calls my great-grandmother, dear wife, and he tells her to take the little children to meeting, meaning church. He talks about the exorbitant prices of food. Not so unfamiliar to us now, for sure. He hopes to be home by Christmas as he is old and has rheumatism. He’s 32. Not so old. My baby boy is 32 and he will forever be my baby.

He tells her the Confederacy isn’t worth his being away from her and the little children. Breaks my heart. Three weeks later, he was dead. Grandma Ellen kept this letter until 1914 when she sent it to Washington in hopes of gaining a widow’s pension. They told her they had no record of his serving. She had the wrong regiment. She died in 1917.

WHERE THE PAST MEETS THE PRESENT

Fast forward to the early 2000s. Our eldest son did volunteer work at the Building Museum in DC, serving as a docent. He took us on a tour and one of the rooms had been the office of the person who oversaw pension applications for all wars. Again, the tears flowed. I could feel Grandma Ellen’s hopes rise as she sent off that letter containing her last link to Grandpa Andrew, the last letter he wrote to her in October 1862.

Even as I write this, I’m in tears.

Genealogist or avid reader, we can all learn something from well-researched history within the pages of historical fiction. I suggest you give Ms. Hart’s books a try. You will love them.

Blessings, y’all!

 

I sang this with my Gospel trio, Charles and Marie Hinson and I. So much fun. Love the syncopated rhythms. My husband says there is nothing you could come up with that I wouldn’t know a song to accompany it. Reckon that’s what happens when your entire life has been immersed in and surrounded by music since before birth. Thank you, Mama and Daddy!