A Beckoning from The Past

I did it I finally finished this book and I must say I really enjoyed reading it. The story starts out in the year 1979 with Miranda Wallace being sent to Ohio to research and do an article on the folk lore surrounding Beaver Creek State Park in East Liverpool Ohio. Legend has it that when the canal was being built that E.H. Gill had a young daughter Gretchen who died of the fever. She made him promise to take her back to her home country so she could be buried with her mother who fell overboard when they were coming to America from Europe. So Mr Gill kept his daughter in a crypt in Lock 41 and once he finished his work he decided to take her body back to Europe , during the ship ride a severe storm caused their ship to capsize and they were both buried at sea in the same area where the mother had fallen overboard. Miranda works for Lloyd Garrison who is an editor in San Francisco. His aunt Jenny has been after him for over a yr to do a story about the legend. So while she is away in Fl he decides to send Miranda for a month to research the story. While she is in Ohio she will stay at aunt Jenny's house and be a caretaker for her to cantankerous black cats Zak and Effie. While Miranda is doing her research she meets a local businessman John Mason who is interested in the legend as well so they decide to work together. While Miranda and John are investigating old buildings they are literally transported back in time to the year 1834 celebration for the groundbreaking of the canal. The dangers they face while they are in 1834 make them wonder if they will ever make it back to 1979 so that they can share the amazing truths they have learned. This is an amazing story full of historical facts woven into a fictionalized story that is chock full of romance, lighthearted humor, suspense and a haunting story that makes this book a real page turner. After reading this story I know I will want to do more research about the Beaver Creek State Park. I would definitely rate this book a 5. I was furnished a copy of this book by Dorrance publishing but in no way does it alter my opinion of this book.