Book picks similar to
Jacob's Cellar by Richard G. Sharp


historical-fiction
first-reads
eh-i-could-read-it
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Finding Rose


Stephanie Humphreys - 2010
    Then Rose is sent to live with an uncle in Spring Creek, Montana, far from her carefree life with her family in Utah. Miles is returning to his hometown of Spring Creek to set up a medical practice, so Rose is certain her being sent there is a setup. Yet Miles doesn't seem interested in her, and after Rose falls ill in Montana, he seems content to act as her physician and friend. When Rose captures the attention of Miles's younger, flamboyant brother as well as the town sheriff, Miles retreats even further from any attempt at courtship. How can Rose honor her father's last wish if Miles doesn't even try to court her? Will she have the courage to put her heart on the line and fight for the one she really loves?

Monday's Child


Linda Finlay - 2016
    But when she was summoned to help out at Red Cliffs - a haven for poverty-stricken children from the cities - by her godfather Samuel she also found her own second chance within its walls. Now she will do anything to help the mischievous, loveable children there. Especially Monday whose continued silence tears at her heart.But with Samuel's health failing and his grasping nephew Christian eager to inherit, Red Cliffs is under threat. Sarah needs to fight - the children need her, and surprisingly she find she needs them. Will she be able to save the school and protect the little girl she's come to love so much, the one she's named Monday's Child?Monday's Child is the first in the Red Cliff Ragged School series, soon to be followed by Orphans and Angels. Praise for Linda Finlay 'Warm and atmospheric, you can practically taste the sea breeze' The Express'Take time out for a page-turner about family mysteries and betrayal' Take-a-Break'A compelling saga . . . with a surprising and emotional ending which weaves together the storylines in a most satisfying way. Strongly recommended and a great read on a Cornish holiday' cjbrownecrimewriter.com'A captivating and emotional novel about a strong woman struggling to find her own way in the world when others wish to see her fail' Winstone Books

Veda: A Novel


Ellen Gardner - 2013
    It’s the Great Depression and jobs are scarce, but it seems to Veda that Raymond uses religion as an excuse for why he can’t find work. He can’t work on the Sabbath, he can’t work around crude or vulgar men, and he will not join a union. After years of financial hardship, four babies, and what Raymond calls "Veda's accident”, Veda defies her church and files for divorce. The mysterious loss of her second husband is devastating and in order to raise her kids, she does things she is not proud of. Over the years she has blamed the church, Raymond, fate, and herself for her troubles, but it is Charlie’s recklessness that swallows up every bit of pride she has left.

Searching for Lincoln's Ghost


Barbara J. Dzikowski - 2011
    After losing both parents in a car accident and being raised by a grandmother obsessed with death, Andi is struggling with an unusual quest for a girl her age-- to determine whether there is life after death.It is 1966, and Castalia, Indiana, like most cities of that time, is grappling with social and cultural change. Meanwhile, rumors have long swirled around Castalia's Lincoln Elementary School. Over its long history, the school has produced two sixth graders who claim to have seen Lincoln's ghost in the school's auditorium. When Andi prays on her dead mother's rosary to be the next to encounter Lincoln's ghost in order to confirm the existence of an after-life, a complex chain of events is set into motion, including the appearance of John Malone, a new boy at school who harbors an explosive secret, and mysterious moaning emanating from behind the dark stage after school. While Andi desperately seeks answers to life's most difficult questions, an unlikely new friend emerges--a mystical bait shop owner named Ezra.Searching for Lincoln's Ghost is a story about coming-of-age during the tumultuous 1960s, exploring such disturbing topics as personal isolation, fear and depression, bullying, social and racial intolerance. Peppered with Lincoln folklore and history, it is a timeless tale of the power of love, empathy, and how the actions of one person can profoundly impact another.

The Two Farms


Mary E. Pearce - 1986
    Set in mid-nineteenth century Gloucestershire, a saga focusing on two farms and families who own them.

Reluctant Guardian


Kristy K. James - 2011
    James What readers are saying about Reluctant Guardian ~ I was pleasantly surprised to find that the characters captivated me from the start. The story is entertaining and suspenseful. ~ ~ Just finished reading this book I enjoyed it very much. I loved the compassion that the author made sure the reader grasped and also the length that when you truly love anyone you will go to. ~ ~ I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Its premise is fresh and well thought out. The characters are likeable and believable. ~ She's lost almost everyone and everything she cared about... After a heartbreaking tragedy leaves Devon O'Leary and her brother alone in the world, news of an unexpected inheritance offers hope for a new beginning. But when they arrive in Charleston, they discover a vengeful grandfather has set the stage so that no matter which course they choose, they cannot win. To make matters worse, their dashingly handsome guardian - a rake in sheep's clothing – seems bent on ensuring their financial ruin. Devon's brother is prepared to do whatever it takes to keep their home, and she vows to do everything in her power to help. The question is, will it be enough? The one thing he's ever wanted is finally within his reach... Though Tristan Montgomery hated Lucas O'Leary for years, he always coveted the land adjoining his. Now, if he can bring himself to agree to the terms of a cruel will, in two years’ time, it will be his. But in order to gain the prize, he must to agree to take responsibility for the grandchildren he's prepared to hate on sight. To his dismay, however, he finds he actually likes his new charges. And while the thought of throwing them out of their family home fills him with guilt, giving up his dream is not an option.

A Good Bunch of Men: A Dickie Floyd Detective Novel


Danny R. Smith - 2017
     What, then, could render two veteran homicide detectives speechless as they stand over their latest victim? Tightly-wound Dickie Jones and his smart and cocky partner, Matt “Pretty Boy Floyd” Tyler, find themselves entangled with gang members and a sexy drug dealer as they uncover a nefarious plot rife with greed, sex, and betrayal. Can law enforcement’s “odd couple” survive fights, shootouts, and a sniper who wants them dead? What about their wives, and their captain, all of whom have had it with them both? A Good Bunch of Men will have you laughing, gasping, and craving the next in the Dickie Floyd Detective series. *** “Finally, someone wrote it the way it should be written and added a few twists along the way. Real page turner.” – J. Sheehy “I was totally blown away. Unable to put the book down. Anyone with law enforcement experience MUST read this book.” – JZ “There's nothing like authenticity to set a book apart.” – Jackson “This work of fiction will take you into the heart of a homicide investigation, with its many twists and turns. Excellent character development and the story is a page-turner.” – A. Argott “If you want to know how murders are truly investigated and solved, and how homicide detectives think, walk, and talk, then A Good Bunch of Men is for you.” – J. Knight “This book gets you behind the yellow tape of a murder scene and investigation. You will feel as though you're living the life of a homicide investigator.” – Cliff Yates “I've read a lot of law enforcement type stories, and this is probably the best one yet. The author obviously writes from experience.” – George B. “But once in a while, an author comes along who has not only been there and done that, but comes to the table with an eye for plotting, dialogue, and intrigue. And when that happens, one can celebrate their literary blessings.” – Dean Scoville, Author of A Gun, A Badge, and An Attitude. “Dickie Floyd belongs on the bookshelf of every Joseph Wambaugh and Michael Connelly fan. Wambaugh and Connelly write about LAPD. The author has written the quintessential LA County Sheriff's Department novel.” – Phil “Crime, fights, guns, with laughs and a dash of booze mixed in give us an inside look at the life of homicide detectives.” – Richard Powers

Inside the Dementia Epidemic: A Daughter's Memoir


Martha Stettinius - 2012
    Silver medal winner in the Health/Medical category of the 2013 Readers' Favorite Book Award. Finalist, 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards. Finalist, 2013 Indie Excellence Book Awards. Winner of an honorable mention in the category of Life Stories from the 20th Annual Writers Digest Book Awards.The unflinching and hopeful story of one woman's journey into family caregiving, and a vivid overview of the challenges of Alzheimer's care. Winner of an Honorable Mention in the category of Life Stories from the 20th Annual Writer's Digest Book Awards.With the passion of a committed daughter and the fervor of a tireless reporter, Martha Stettinius weaves this compelling story of caregiving for her demented mother with a broad exploration of the causes of Alzheimer's disease, means of treating it, and hopes for preventing it. She shares the lessons she's learned over seven years of caregiving at home, in assisted living, a rehabilitation center, a "memory care" facility for people living with dementia, and a nursing home--lessons not just about how to navigate the system, but how caregiving helped the author to overcome her challenging relationship with her mother, and how she's learned to nurture her mother's spirit through the most advanced stages of dementia.One in 8 people over age 65 has Alzheimer's disease, and nearly fifty percent of those over age 85. As baby boomers age, and we all live longer, most of us will know someone with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia, or care for someone with dementia. Alzheimer's disease is the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States for those age 65 and older, but the only one in the top 10 without a means of prevention, a way to slow its progression, or a cure. In the United States, over 15 million family caregivers provide 17.4 billion hours of unpaid care to family members and friends with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Sixty percent of family caregivers report feeling extreme stress.This memoir is not a lament, however; it is guide, and, the author hopes, a means to soften the blow upon all of us. In the course of the author's experience, she discovered what could have been done earlier to help her mother, and what can be done now to help us all. Ms. Stettinius's greatest gift to readers is that of optimism--that caregiving can deepen love, that dementia can be fought, and that families can be strengthened. Her book is appealing, enlightening, and inspiring.Through its intimate scenes and skillful storytelling, Inside the Dementia Epidemic is a call to action for better dementia care, more funding for dementia research, and more support for family caregivers. In the appendices, the author shares facts she wishes she had known years ago, including how to get a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease; what medications are approved to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease; risk factors for dementia, and possible preventive measures; promising explorations in dementia research; the link between insulin resistance, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease; the benefits of "memory consultations" and early diagnosis; and national and international movements for more dementia research and better care.Inside the Dementia Epidemic: A Daughter's Memoir includes source notes, resources for caregivers, and an index.

Somerset


Leila Meacham - 2013
    "From birth, Jessica had eschewed the role to which she'd been born. Was it because she sensed that her father's indulgence was compensation for his disappointment in her? Jessica thought too much, questioned, challenged, rebelled. Sometimes Eunice thought her daughter should have been born a male." Born into the wealthiest and most influential family in 1830s South Carolina, Jessica Wyndham was expected to look appealing, act with decorum, and marry a suitably prominent and respectable man. However, her outspoken opinions and unflagging sense of justice make her a difficult-and dangerous-firebrand, especially for slavery-dependent Carson Wyndham. Jessica's testing of her powerful father's love is only the beginning of the pain, passion, and triumph she will experience on a journey with the indomitable, land-obsessed Silas Toliver and headstrong Jeremy Warwick to a wild new land called Texas. PRAISE FOR LEILA MEACHAM "Discovering Leila Meacham and her spectacular talent is akin to discovering gold. With this novel she has become a national treasure." -- Huffington Post "Rich with American history and pitch-perfect storytelling, fans and new readers alike will find themselves absorbed in the family saga that Meacham has proven-once again-talented in telling." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

The Throwback


David Canford - 2018
    Years later Elwood's son, Thomas, is rescued by a slave girl, Mosa. Helping her in return, he discovers the secrets of his family which set him on a collision course with his father and the law. Mosa makes it North to freedom but even in New York, she finds her life is threatened. Receiving unexpected news, she risks her life to return South during the height of the Civil War. She hopes to wait out the war in relative safety away from any population center, but the war finds her and threatens to destroy those she cares about. A family saga of hatred, revenge, forbidden love, overcoming hardship and helping others from the author of Bound Bayou. For fans of books such as Yellow Crocus and Sister of Mine.

The Charter


Gillian Hamer - 2012
    Sarah Morton hopes discovering the truth about the 1859 shipwreck of the Royal Charter will silence the demons of her past.But, tormented by visions and threats on her life, Sarah fears the ship may claim her as its final victim.Set along the dramatic and dangerous Anglesey coastline, The Charter is a story of greed and forgiveness - when the treasures of the past evoke the crimes of today.

The Yankee Widow


Linda Lael Miller - 2019
    When Jacob joins the Northern army, no one anticipates he will not return. Then Caroline gets word that her husband is wounded, and she must find her way alone to Washington City and search among the thousands of casualties to find him.When Jacob succumbs to his injuries, she brings his body home on the eve of the deadliest battle of the war. With troops and looters roaming the countryside, it is impossible to know who is friend and who is foe. Caroline fights to protect those she holds most dear while remaining compassionate to the neediest around her, including two strangers from opposite sides of the fight. Each is wounded… Each is drawn to her beauty, her kindness. Both offer comfort, but only one secretly captures her heart. Still, she must resist exposing her vulnerability in these uncertain times when so much is at risk.In The Yankee Widow, gifted storyteller Linda Lael Miller explores the complexities and heartbreak that women experienced as their men took up arms to preserve the nation and defend their way of life.

The Sign for Drowning


Rachel Stolzman - 2008
    In the life she constructs as a barrier against the emotional wreckage of her family tragedy, Anna settles comfortably into a career as a teacher of deaf children. But a challenge arrives—in the form of a young girl. Adrea’s disarming vulnerability and obvious need for love offer Anna the possibility of reconnecting with the world around her—if she has the courage to open her heart. In this debut novel, Rachel Stolzman has crafted a moving and poetic witness to love’s power to transcend grief, pain, and the constraints of human language. The Sign for Drowning is a poignant story of loss and the unexpected occasions of grace that enable us to heal from it and grow beyond it.

The Paris Collaborator


A.W. Hammond - 2021
    In German-occupied Paris, former schoolteacher Auguste Duchene has stumbled upon an unusual way to survive: he finds missing people. When he’s approached by the French Resistance to locate a missing priest – and a cache of stolen weapons – Duchene initially refuses. But the Resistance offer him no choice. Within hours, he’s also blackmailed by a powerful Nazi into searching for a German soldier who’s suspected of deserting.To fail at either task will have deadly consequences for Duchene – and for his daughter Marienne.So begins a frantic race against time. As forces close in on Paris, Duchene has only 48 hours to locate the missing priest and soldier, or lose the only person he loves…

White Collar Girl


Renée Rosen - 2015
    There’s a story out there buried in the muck, and Jordan Walsh, coming from a family of esteemed reporters, wants to be the one to dig it up. But it’s 1955, and the men who dominate the city room of the Chicago Tribune have no interest in making room for a female cub reporter. Instead Jordan is relegated to society news, reporting on Marilyn Monroe sightings at the Pump Room and interviewing secretaries for the White Collar Girl column.Even with her journalistic legacy and connections to luminaries like Mike Royko, Nelson Algren, and Ernest Hemingway, Jordan struggles to be taken seriously. Of course, that all changes the moment she establishes a secret source inside Mayor Daley’s office and gets her hands on some confidential information. Now careers and lives are hanging on Jordan’s every word. But if she succeeds in landing her stories on the front page, there’s no guarantee she’ll remain above the fold.…