A Sparkle of Silver

A Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson  368 pages

Millie Sullivan works as a waitress, trying to support herself and her grandmother, who is a nursing home suffering from dementia. But she’s behind in her payments. Their world is turned upside when the director of the nursing home gives Millie Grandma Joy’s ninety-day notice. Millie isn’t sure where to turn.

One afternoon, out of the blue, Grandma mentions a treasure is hidden away at the 1920s mansion, The Chateau once the wealthiest estates in Georgia. During this brief moment of what appears to be lucidity, she makes three other claims: 1) that her mother (Millie’s great-grandmother) was a guest there during its heyday; 2) that Grandma was conceived during that period (making Grandpa not really Grandpa); and 3) Great-Grandma left a diary at The Chateau that contains a diary leading to the treasure.

This could be the answer to Millie’s prayers. If she can located that treasure she can get Grandma into a facility that can care for her as she deserves. Luckily for Millie, old mansion is a historical attraction that gives tours. She quickly gets a job there.

One evening while hunting for the diary, she is caught by Ben, one of the attraction’s security officers. Ben has his own set of financial problems, working three jobs to right a wrong his mother committed. Millie quickly explains why she is searching an off-limits section of the house and offers him half of whatever she finds if he doesn’t turn her in.

The search begins. Millie finds Great-Grandma’s diary, but there are no secret maps. Then she learns that there is a second diary. The treasure hunt continues along with a budding romance between Millie and Ben.

This is a fun story, light hearted, a dashing romance, and family intrigue. I loved reading some of the entries on Great-Grandma’s diary, seeing what life among the wealthy was like the weekend before the last weekend before October 29, 1929 (Black Tuesday). Sometimes two of the main  characters in Great-Grandma’s life were hard to keep straight, and that is why  “A Sparkle of Silver” receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.