How a Family Secret Inspired Author Maureen Marshall’s New Historical Mystery ‹ CrimeReads

Be warned that if you ever invite me for a dinner party, I'll be taking notes about your family gossip. Not for any malicious reasons, and I won't drop any names, but because I've always been enthralled with the stories behind the stories-the snippets of behavior so out of the ordinary that it's worth repeating. For decades.

My relatives always rehashed bits of family lore when we were together for celebrations and holidays. I'm not sure if it's because they couldn't fathom why some of our antecedents made the choices they did, or if some of the stories were just too juicy not to share with the next generation.

That interest is shared by so many-pop culture is full of books and tv shows that zero in on how one decision can alter the future of everyone after. And when those stories are about your family, it provides a lot of fodder for a would-be novelist.