The Secrets She Carried
Barbara Davis, 2013
Penguin Group USA
368 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780451418777
Summary
When a young woman returns to North Carolina after a thirty-year absence, she finds that the once-grand tobacco plantation she called home homes more secrets than even she imagined.
Though Peak Plantation has been in her family for generations, Leslie Nichols can’t wait to rid herself of the farm left to her by her estranged grandmother Maggie—and with it the disturbing memories of her mother’s death, her father’s disgrace, and her unhappy childhood. But Leslie isn’t the only one with a claim to Peak.
Jay Davenport, Peak’s reclusive caretaker, has his own reasons for holding onto the land bequeathed to him by Leslie’s grandmother. Before she died, Maggie hinted at a terrible secret surrounding Adele Laveau, a lady’s maid who came to Peak during the 1930s and died under mysterious circumstances. Jay is haunted by Maggie’s story, yet the truth eludes him—until Leslie uncovers a cryptically marked grave on the property.
As they delve into the mystery of Adele’s death, Leslie and Jay discover shocking secrets that extend deep into the roots of Leslie’s family tree—secrets that have the power to alter her life forever. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—June, 1969
• Where—Fairlawn, New Jersey, USA
• Education—N/A
• Currently—lives in Holly Springs, North Carolina
After spending more than a decade in the jewelry business, Barbara Davis decided to leave the corporate world to pursue her lifelong passion for writing. The Secrets She Carried is her first novel. She currently lives near Raleigh, North Carolina with the love of her life, Tom, and their beloved ginger cat, Simon. (From the publisher.)
Visit the author's website.
Book Reviews
This beautifully written novel tells a tale of epic romance, one that lasts through the decades and centuries. Set on a plantation in a small town in North Carolina, loves stories unfold as the novel progresses through both past and present, and hidden secrets once thought long buried, slowly reveal themselves. It's a beautiful story and Davis does an amazing job telling it.
Romantic Times
This is the story of a journey of healing with intrigue, humor, mystery, secrets, romance and hope. While it starts out fairly slowly, it quickly picks up and the reader won't be able to stop reading. Be prepared for some late nights reading, with some take-out dinners and less sleep than customary. Barbara Davis has written a poignant, enigmatic, and loving novel that will delight all who relish a great story. Well-crafted and exciting work of contemporary fiction!
Crystal Book Reviews
Davis wowed me with her flawless blending of past and present in The Secrets She Carried. Her compassion for her characters made me care, and her haunting tale kept the pages flying. A poignant, mysterious and heartfelt story.
Diane Chamberlain, author - Necessary Lies
I read Barbara Davis's debut novel, The Secrets She Carried, deep into the night--one minute rushing to discover how the mysteries resolved, the next slowing to save her lovely and assured writing. Adele Laveau's haunting voice and Leslie's Nichols' journey toward understanding lingered long after I read the final page of this engrossing tale.
Julie Kibler, author - Calling Me Home
Discussion Questions
1. Running away rather than confronting uncomfortable situations is one of the themes of the book. What situations, past or present, is Leslie fleeing? Are the potential consequences she fears emotional, physical, or both?
2. What other characters in the book are seeking to run away from something, and how does that avoidance express itself? What pitfalls do they encounter as a result?
3. In the early part of the book the relationship between Leslie and Jay is tense and wary. What events eventually lead them to realize they may have misjudged one another?
4. How does Adele’s voice (first person/present tense) contribute to the overall ‘flavor’ of the book? Did you have trouble with the idea of her story being told from beyond the grave?
5. Do you have a favorite passage or scene from the book, and if so, what about it speaks to you?
6. The book includes two women who evolve deeply as a result of story events. Discuss how Leslie and Adele change, learn, and grow over the course of the book, ad what specific events evidence this growth?
7. Discuss Henry’s strengths and weakness. Though Adele never stops loving him, how does her perception of him change as the book progresses? How did you feel about his decision to send Jemmy away?
8. How does Leslie’s sense of “family” evolve over the course of the novel, and what events or discoveries specifically influence that evolution.
9. Discuss the concepts of forgiveness and redemption and how they are addressed in the book. Which characters require redemption and why? Which characters bestow forgiveness, and how is it shown?
10. The heart wants what it wants is repeated several times throughout the book. Do you see Adele relinquishing Maggie to Susanne as an act of strength or weakness? Does love justify any action?
(Questions courtesy of the author.)