Mary Kendall

The Spinster’s Fortune really takes place in two different times even though it is a tale of the character’s present. There have been plenty of whispers of a fortune buried in the old Brownstone where the two sisters lived. When only one is left and living in a home people who have long heard rumors of a fortune being hidden in the house start breaking in looking for it.

The executor of the estate is contacted to deal with finding the fortune and handling the care of her aunt. As she searches the house she starts to find rolled up bundles of money which is helpful for a number of reasons; her Aunt needs better care and she needs money to keep her horse farm running and her husband out of trouble.

The Spinster’s Fortune was a wonderful way to spend a lazy Saturday. I sat down with the book and endless glasses of ice cold water. I found myself lost in the stories of both the effort of old Blanche to hide and safeguard her family fortune and Margaret’s desire to find it before all is lost for both of them.

These are characters that keep you turning the pages to find out if all will end well or if like other Gothic tales before it, the fates will deem otherwise. The reader comes to care for both women and wants the best for them. Once I started reading I just kept going until I found myself turning the last page. If you are looking for a book to keep you interested with a solid story and some fun twists this is the one for you.… (mais)

In the summer of 1929 Margaret O'Keefe learns that she has been appointed as the executor for her aging aunt, Blanche Magruder. Blanche has been placed in a home for the destitute after her crumbling home was condemned. However, Margaret learns that the home has been looted as stories of a hidden fortune are passed around. Margaret is already trying to escape financial woes with the horse breeding business she was left by her father and a husband who wastes their money in gambling and drinking. Margaret goes headfirst into trying to uncover the Magruder fortune. In doing so, Margaret gets to know Aunt Blanche and slowly discovers the reasons why her Aunt felt the need to hide her family's fortune.

The Spinster's Fortune is a historical mystery based on the strange tale of the real Blanche Magruder who really did hide away her family's fortune in rags before she was placed in a poor house. While not much is known about the intentions of the real Blanche, the author has created an intriguing mystery that incorporates some of the facts from the case. The story is mostly told from Margaret's point of view with several pieces of Blanche's memories interspersed to help fill in missing pieces. Margaret was a difficult character to like. She was straightforward and a shrewd businesswoman, yet didn't seem to have her Aunt's best interests in mind until near the end. Margaret did not hide the fact that she was just as interested in the whereabouts of the hidden money as everyone else. Although, this very well may have been the reality of the situation. Margaret did grow on me by the end as she figured out the situation with her husband. I was very interested in Blanche and her past in the house, her sisters and her boyfriend who fought in the Civil War. Blanche's character had a lot to unpack and I wish more of the story could have been told from her point of view or her memories. I loved uncovering the family secrets and exploring the tunnels beneath Washington D.C. Overall, a fast-paced mystery with an unexpected ending.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.… (mais)