In Secrets, we see the development of family love and friendship that blossoms within families that take children into their home. For most, their new life has improved, yet, many of the characters have secrets from their past that could have devastating consequences, if discovered. Some secrets are revealed; others better left untold. Overcoming their haunting memories won't be easy.
1900-1901 This third and final story from Robert Noonan's Orphan Train Trilogy, Secrets explores the fate of orphan children who begin a new life in the Midwest. Who adopts them is the key to their happiness ... or sorrow.
Upon arriving at this new territory, the children had to adjust to new parents, new home and community. Most found a loving home, but one was forced to run away. The story in not only about the children, but also, about how the lives of the adults were changed by taking these children in, not knowing anything about them and how they will react to decisions made for them. Love and tears would flow both ways.
Through the children the new parents are brought together and begin friendships, having a common bond by adopting the orphans, including a romance between two of the adults.
This trilogy is an emotional story about family love and friendship, tragedy, romance, murder and intrigue ... and lots of humor as you follow the children.
Excerpt
Adam gathered six glasses from the picnic table when Hillary called, "Kate, can we have some of what you are drinking?"
Kate frowned at her. "What do you think, young lady?"
Adam looked at Hillary. "Why do you call your parents, John and Kate, instead of mother and father?"
Hillary smiled. "Because they aren't my parents. They adopted me."
Adam stopped abruptly and slowly lowered the glasses back to the table. "You're adopted?" he repeated, in disbelief. He looked to Kate and John, searching for affirmation.
"That's right," Kate assured him. "Her parents were our best friends, so when her parents died, we adopted her."
"Me, too," Pina added. "I was adopted."
"Bridie adopted me," Catherine said.
Adam leaned against the table, as if his legs were too weak to hold him. He spoke as though the words came hard. "You three, beautiful girls ... were orphans?"
With raised eyebrows, Ruth glanced at Tom, surprised by such a bold statement from Adam.
Pina raised a hand to fluff her hair. "He called us beautiful."
Shocked by this sudden revelation, Adam looked at Ruth and Tom.
Ruth placed her hand on top of Adam's hand resting on the table. "Like I told you, there are millions of orphans, and they are loved, as we love you."
Adam looked at the girls again and methodically announced, "I'm adopted. Ruth and Tom are my aunt and uncle. Trish and Marnie are my cousins." Adam's feeling of being an outsider to his adoptive family began to evaporate.
"Then you're a grape like us, so join the bunch," Hillary jested.
Ruth's affectionate touching of his hand and Hillary's levity about, "joining the bunch," lessened his notion of being tolerated. Adam collected himself and looked to the five girls under the tree. "Let's start piling the wood and trash for the bonfire. It'll be dark soon."
Professional Reviews
Orphan Train Trilogy
"A must read." Click on link above for a short Bio of author, book descriptions and reviews.
SECRETS by Robert Noonan [Review: Charlotte Liebel, M.Ed.]
Award winning historical novelist Robert Noonan creates the story of Secrets to complete tales of his Orphan Train Trilogy. He fashions it around the children’s earlier 19th Century circumstances. Yet, Secrets stands alone as readers become involved in the lives of his past and newer characters in this third book. Those who have read his first two novels will be surprised at the developments in lives of favorite families. Noonan’s customary journeys develop with strange mysteries and intrigue – even, murder.
In early 20th Century: Secrets reintroduces family conflicts that serve to reach background mysteries in Wildflowers and Bridie’s Daughter. Stories show the desperate plight of 200,000 orphaned American children of New York during 1854-1929 until transported by so-called Orphan Trains to Western states for adoption.
Audiences follow youthful characters in Secrets who find adoptive parents. These are children whose lives produced many and complicated secrets. Imagine loss of parents by death and separation or escape from perils of murder and suicide.
* It is the beginning of the 20th Century and Bridie McDonald’s life is fulfilled with the adoption of teenager Catherine who arrives on the Orphan Train to her hometown of Newberry, Illinois. Bridie’s past overshadows her happiness until an unexpected love interest enters her life. But Bridie cannot move forward until she deals with the past. In a nearby town, Hillary is 14 years old and living with Kate and John her foster parents who left lots of history in Delaware. The textile mill owner is killed there as they leave and Kate knows who did it. Riveting moments occur when a person from the past shows up in their lives. Considering the family settles in an unlikely Mid-Eastern town, they are shocked to learn they’ve been discovered.
Noonan is a master at situations of intrigue and suspense. Just as lives of favorite children appear without problems, a stranger from the past rides into town. Noonan’s protagonists encounter disturbing events and bad timing. He is clever to generate interest in several families with their own set of activities. Additionally, he conjures interest by having characters interact with one or another family to create complex scenarios.
You won't want to miss the final book in the orphan train trilogy by Robert Noonan!
Haunted by the Secrets of their past, Kate, John and Hillary Hanley had joined together as a family and established their home in Newberry, Illinois. Each of them had secrets from their past that continued to plague them even as their happiness and love grew each day.
For John who had been accused of a murder he did not commit, he knew the law could arrest him because the victim's brother was a wealthy influential man. The real murderer had manufactured evidence against him, but revenge could be satisfied whether guilt was real. John had left Alton, Delaware, to move west and hopefully outrun his accusers. Kate loved him and would follow him anywhere to be his bride.
But Kate had a secret, known only to her, that also caused her to leave Alton. Having her own revenge against her former boss, who had caused so much pain to her beloved Hillary, she had found Frank Dragus guilty and punishable by death. Would they some day come for her as well as John?
Hillary had a secret as well.
These Secrets carried into the final book in Noonan's trilogy are woven into the lives of other orphans that rode the trains to the west. And the trains also carried the families for visits from one home to another. Bridie's daughter becomes a close friend to Hillary, but Bridie has also found a reason to visit the homestead because Biff, Hillary's adopted Uncle had caught Birdie's attention. But before she could ever consider entering into a loving relationship, she was forced to deal with the secret from her past--and He was there at her home every day to remind her!!
There is just enough drama and suspense to move this heartwarming story forward. Noonan takes the time to "create" the period into which we may fall, enjoying fairs, home-made cider, dressing up as squaws to get pictures taken . . .
By now, each of Noonan's characters had become familiar and I wanted to be sure that all would be well with each of them. Thankfully, that did happen! I've likened The Orphan Train Trilogy to the television series and books, Little House on the Prairie. I think you will agree. Robert Noonan wanted to bring out a long-forgotten part of our heritage and he has indeed handled that responsibility well. His books are meticulously presented; his writing sensitive and understanding as he shares the plight of the children who were orphaned, oftentimes by tragedy or pain.
Many of you may realize that Robert Noonan came to our site for a review of his books. He and I later worked to proofread, edit and finalize the books prior to publishing. I was honored to have this little part in bringing these Americana stories to readers. My only wish? That the trilogy had really had one more book--Hillary, so we would know that Hillary had indeed had a wonderful life and had successfully dealt with her own tragic secret. How about it Mr. Noonan? I've added it to my "wish list" at all the online bookstores! Will I get my wish? Hillary is a must-must read for me because I consider the first three books as Must-Reads!
Ireland 1944.. A young man’s body is pulled from the River Lee. He’s wearing a distinctive silver ring that belonged to Paudy Daly, the eldest son of the notorious Mixer Daly. Why?
