A true-life genealogical mystery detailing the two-year search to identify the next of kin to a $1M Massachusetts estate. The story tracks the day-by-day efforts of a professional genealogist—an "heir finder"—as she and her crew dig into vital records, neighbors' memories and, finally, use DNA to prove the identity of a 100-year-old woman who lived in a close community for 80 years and never talked about her family. Includes 22 pictures and newspaper clips.
Will appeal to anybody interested in genealogy or wanting to learn how to locate missing family members. This story, which took place in the early 2000's, raises questions about what people do under stress, the desperate choices they may make, and the consequences.