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Type of bind: Paperback
EAN num: 9780595436286
ISBN number: 0595436285
Label: iUniverse, Ltd.
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Ltd.
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 250
Printing Date: September 11, 2007
Publishing house: iUniverse, Ltd.
Release Date: September 11, 2007
Sale Popularity Level: 945558
Studio: iUniverse, Ltd.
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Product Description:
The third and final story from Robert Noonan’s Orphan Train Trilogy, Secrets explores the fate of orphan children who arrived on an orphan train during the late 1800s to find a new life in the Midwest. Who adopts them is the key to their happiness … or sorrow.
Despite harboring secrets from a past filled with physical abuse, shame, murder, and prostitution, the children and their new parents begin a new and exciting life. But overcoming their haunting memories won’t be easy.
After fleeing from their home following a horrible crime, Hillary and her new parents, John and Kate Hanley, have found a new life in Galena, Illinois. Hillary longs to visit her former hometown and reunite with her friends in the club called the Wildflowers. But going back could mean the ruin of her new family.
Filled with vivid historical detail and heartfelt emotion, Noonan delivers a compelling look at a little-known event in American history.
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Rated by buyers 
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Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (3/08)
"Secrets" is the final book in the "Orphan Train Trilogy" by Robert Noonan. This book, which begins in the year 1900, continues exploring the lives of the children who had arrived in Newberry, Illinois on the orphan train. Alternating settings between Newberry and Galena, Illinois we also get to see what has become of Hillary, Kate, John, and Biff whose background we learned of in the very first book in the trilogy, "Wildflowers."
This third book is entitled "Secrets" and indeed almost every person in the book has a secret that only they or a couple of other people know about. Hillary has the secret about what happened to her in the mill in Frank Dragus' office. Kate is hiding what happened on the day when they left Alton, Delaware for the last time to join John who was forced to flee after being accused of a murder that he did not commit. Hillary misses her two closest friends in Alton but she cannot tell them where she is in order to protect her family from the man that is trying to avenge his brother's death. However, unbeknownst to Kate and John she enlists the help of another orphan, Pina, in getting letters to her friends. This action compromises their secret though and puts them in danger once again.
It was interesting to read this trilogy and to think about how orphan trains were truly a part of American history from 1854 to 1929. I honestly do not remember learning about orphan trains in history class and I am grateful for these books for teaching me about them. I had no idea that this was the fate for so many children in that era.
Although "Secrets" did not have as many surprises as the second story "Bridie's Daughter," I enjoyed reading how all of the lives of the orphans and their adoptive families intertwined. Noonan does a good job of linking everyone together and forming relationships among them. Most of the loose ends throughout the trilogy are now tied up but I do believe that there is definitely room for a sequel.
Rated by buyers -
Secrets:
Everyone seems to have a secret or regret in this third account of the Orphan Train Trilogy. Hillary, her parents Kate and John, Brian, Monica, and even Bridie McDonald. The story revolves around the aftermath of accidents, rapes, murders, indiscretions, and regrets. Fear permeates the future until these strong-willed characters rise above their circumstances and overcome the traumas of their pasts. Hillary's future remains a mystery as do the lives of so many children who rode the "orphan trains" for seventy-five years between 1854 and 1929. Let's hope that Mr. Noonan shares more of Hillary's heroic spirit in the future!
Rated by buyers -
Expertly written by Wisconsin author Robert Noonan (who moved from Chicago, Illinois to Hatfield, Wisconsin to write his books), the 'Orphan Train Trilogy' is a set of three novels that, taken together or read separately, draw upon the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth century phenomena of orphaned boys and girls from the eastern seaboard who were placed upon trains traveling west for exploitive foster home placements, menial factory jobs, and agricultural laborers. "Secrets" is the story of Hillary and her new parents who, after fleeing from their home following a bloody crime, find a new life in Galena, Illinois. The three titles comprising this superbly written trilogy showcase an obscure historical event in American history that ran began in 1854 and continued until 1929. The intent was to improve the lives of children in otherwise desperate circumstances in the cities of the east. The results were often more harrowing that anything the children had experienced prior to boarding those orphan trains headed west. Informed and informative, Robert Noonan is a master storyteller whose novels are as entertaining as they are thoughtful and thought-provoking.
Rated by buyers -
Secrets
Third of A Trilogy
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 very first three books as Must-Reads!
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