Set in 1868 Maine, "The Heart of a Lie" is a New England Gothic story about a young woman discovering her past's heartbreaking secrets.
If you love women's literature classics like "Sense and Sensibility" or "Little Women," then enjoy my story about two sisters who discover long-buried truths about their secretive family.
All Esther Perry wants is to become the owner of her family farm in Bayview, Maine. Her mother is very ill, so Esther takes care of her and her younger sister, Lara. Their father was killed in the Civil War three years earlier. Upon her mother's death, Esther discovers the farm is $40,000 in debt and she is forced to sell it to her greedy neighbor.
Suddenly, a mysterious aunt shows up on their doorstep with an incredible offer. Esther and Lara journey to Portland and to a new world in the city. They meet kind cousin Elliot and nasty cousin Jane, wonder about a secret locked bedroom, encounter their brooding uncle and become acquainted with the wealthy Vallencourts.
But all is not as it seems, and Esther’s true past comes to light amidst the lies deeply entrenched in the hearts of her new family.
As of November 2011, still editing chapters. Am uploading them as they are finished.