A young lawyer decides to investigate the intriguing background of his client's inheritance in the plot of J.B. Manheim's The Keystone Corner. Sam chooses to have an appraisal done on a few of the belongings left to him after his Uncle Frank passes away and leaves Sam his estate. A unique pair of lamps is one of the items in the inventory. Sam is fascinated by them and asks Andrew Dennum to help him solve the mystery surrounding his recent change in fortunes. What the young lawyer finds surprises them, and it sets him on a quest to find a document that renowned American inventor Thomas Edison had stashed away. Andrew will need to use all his skills to solve this puzzle.

In J.B. Manheim's The Keystone Corner, the reader is drawn into a novel whose suspense builds to a climax thanks to the use of flashbacks to highlight Edison's part in this mystery. The origin stories of the characters are plausible. By separating fictional characters from real ones right from the beginning of the story, Mannheim further simplifies it. The level of attention to detail is near perfect. There are two examples of this: the encounter between Andy and the government delegates, and the notes and pictures that are placed at key points throughout the narrative. This novel is noteworthy for its seamless integration of a captivating treasure hunt into a narrative that could easily be comparable to a business and baseball history lesson.

J. B. Manheim's The Keystone Corner: The Deadball Files, Thomas Edison Turns Two is the second book I have read in this series and it is very interesting reading. The author has taken a period in baseball history, from 1900 to the 1930s, and written a detective story around baseball, the celebrities at the time, and their families who were involved in baseball and the game today with the various governing bodies that make sure that all is fair in love and war. Andy Dennum is a reluctant lawyer who inherited his law practice from his partner, along with documents and files that relate to people who have long gone and whose families are now only finding out what is what. Andy Dennum has a sidekick, Keiley Barefoot, and they unravel the mystery left behind to the benefit of the inheritors.

The Keystone Corner holds the reader's attention from the very beginning especially if they are a history buff. J.B. Manheim takes the boring bits out of history and homes in on the nitty-gritty of everyday life, making these famous people seem very real and ordinary. The author draws heavily on the history and inventions of the time as he weaves a story involving not only the founding fathers but their eventual offspring that can be traced to the 21st century. The story takes the reader through the establishment of some of the most famous names in business today, which is most interesting. This book is well worth a second read, especially concerning the historical facts and references that back these facts up. It helps the reader understand how some of these businesses came into being and how important they were at the time. Thank you for a very interesting book.