Millie’s Treasure Book Review
I hardly know where to begin in describing how much I LOVED this book! I’ve read a lot of books by Kathleen over the years, and by far, this has been my favorite one. I may be a little biased because the majority of the story takes place in my (nearby) hometown of Memphis, TN, but the story itself stands on its own merits regardless of the setting.
So, if you don’t know anything about Memphis history, a lot of the landmarks, streets, and descriptions will not mean much to you. However, after living here almost my entire life, I had no trouble visualizing every bit of it. Adams Avenue plays a prominent role in the story, and rightfully so as it was to Memphis what 5th Avenue was to New York at that time. Even now, there are many houses still standing on this street that have been preserved from the mid-1800s.
Next, there was the Peabody Hotel which, even to this day, is the PREMIER historical hotel to stay in if you visit the South. The location that Kathleen likely used for Millie’s Treasure was the first version of the hotel that was later torn down before a new and much larger hotel was built a few blocks over.
Also mentioned on more than one occasion was the Union and Planters Bank which later just became known as Union Planters Bank. This was memorable for me personally as it’s where I opened my first bank account as a teenager. 😀
I mention all this to emphasize how important it is that writers genuinely KNOW about the setting and period they’re writing in. Without question, you can tell that Kathleen did her research for this story because every single historical detail was impeccably woven throughout. While the story setting was indeed one of my favorite aspects, both Millie and Kyle were scientific individuals with very unique individual pursuits. While there were a few things that I didn’t quite understand in regards to Kyle’s inventions (my artistic brain is not wired that way!), their interests and how they overlapped at times helped flesh out their characters even more.
And if you want romance, oh my goodness… the sparks fly like crazy between these two! The moment that Kyle KNEW… (and you’ll know what I’m talking about when you get there)… oh, I had chill bumps on my arms! It was such a perfectly written scene.
I’ve yet to mention that there is a GREAT deal of suspense and mystery intertwined in this story, too! Kyle and Millie see their way to New Orleans about 2/3rds of the way through as they start to get more information about her family and the treasure that’s mentioned in the book’s title. And once you meet Kyle’s mother, you’ll see right through her faux tough exterior and love her to death!
So, I’ve probably kept you reading this review for long enough! I could go on and on, but if I do, I’m liable to spoil it all. I can’t say how thankful I am that my library had a copy of this book and that I checked it out on a whim. Millie’s Treasure was worth every minute I spent reading it. ♥
***SIDE NOTE – a little birdy has told me that this book is most likely going to be re-released in the near future (it’s out of print right now). By all means, grab yourself a copy when it is!
