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With a Masters' Degree in Science and 28 years as a science museum director, Lynne Kennedy has had the opportunity to study history and forensics, both of which play significant roles in her novels. She has written six award-winning historical mysteries, each solved by modern technology.
The historical characters are fictitious, both protagonists and antagonists, but they are surrounded by real people who lived at the time. The back stories are thoroughly researched and as authentic as possible in a work of fiction.
Reviewed by Saifunnissa Hassam for Readers' Favorite
Lynne Kennedy's The Tree of Lost Secrets is a fascinating historical novel inspired by actual people, places, and events. In 2018, Helen Ainsley is a bestselling mystery writer who returns to her homestead, Ainsley Hill Farm, in Brattleboro, Vermont, to revitalize her writing. The farm was originally The Ainsley Hill Inn and Tavern, built in 1766. An ancient magical maple tree still stands in front of the Inn. For 250 years or so, people had carved their initials into the tree. Urged on by her golden retriever Honey, Helen is drawn irresistibly into their backstories. The first story takes place in 1944 during WWII, a tragic tale of a family at the Inn. The second story is about a young woman at the Inn, set in WWI, and the 1917 catastrophic explosion in Halifax Harbor in Nova Scotia. The third story is set in 1856 when the Inn was part of the underground railroad and a haven for runaway slaves. The fourth story is set in 1776, during the American Revolution, and is about David Ainsley, the builder of the Inn.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lynne Kennedy's The Tree of Lost Secrets for its remarkable principal character Helen Ainsley and her curiosity, courage, and resilience in finding her path again to writing mystery stories. I loved the unfolding of the stories and the richly imagined characters that flow from the carved initials on the enchanted maple tree. I liked the interweaving of fantasy and magic into the novel. The mysterious appearance and disappearance of the carved initials added great depth to the story, tracking Helen's persistence and disappointments. Helen's gifted golden retriever Honey is a wonderful character, ever eager to unearth new details. I enjoyed the time travel approach and particularly liked the vivid and evocative details of characters, settings, dialogues, and events. The most poignant story, and one of incredible fortitude, was when the Inn was part of the underground railroad. The most gripping story was about the American Revolution and David Ainsley, Helen's great-great-grandfather. The Tree of Lost Secrets is a captivating historical novel with spell-binding mysteries.
