The Secret Revealed

by Carolyn Alden Howard Costello, J Alden (Editor)

Overview

A hundred years ago my great-grandmother wrote a book. That manuscript was presumed lost, its existence nearly forgotten. Not seen in over 50 years. That was until. Until 2018. The sudden passing of a relative left a rather large estate to process. One full of art and rarities. And that's when we saw it. Of all the things in this collection, this was not expected. After a century with little readership, a simple joy for a woman ahead of her time, here it is - "The Secret Revealed."

Set in the time period in which it was written, the 1920s, three generations of a family live a life of luxury, opulence, and grandeur. But beneath the wealth lies secrets - secrets that will force choices to be made, the outcomes of which lie in uncertainty. Relationships will be forged, tested, and manipulated all in the name of happiness under the guise of science. In a world where the pursuit of progress often comes at a steep price, the family must ultimately decide what they value most: the preservation of their legacy or the revelation of the truth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798331420543
Publisher:	Barnes & Noble Press
Publication date:	06/29/2024
Pages:	148
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Carolyn “Carrie” Alden Howard Costello was my mother’s, mother’s, mother. Her husband was a doctor in the military. They lived all around the Americas. They had wealth. They eventually moved to Kensington, the same neighborhood of San Diego that I grew up in. She was part of high society and my family remembers her as being proper, with a temperament fitting of her status and time. She passed away well before I was born and what little I know about her is from brief anecdotes told at family dinners, things said with much familiarity by the person speaking, but that my younger self only partially preserved. This is my anecdote.

I grew up playing tennis in San Diego. Many of the tournaments were hosted at The Barnes Tennis Center in Point Loma. Between matches, my mom and I would order a sandwich from Chris’s Liquor and Deli (the Yachtsman with cheddar cheese, no onions, on wheat) and I would sneak a Snickers when she paid at the counter. Then we drove up the hill to Fort Rosecrans, the military cemetery at the end of The Point, just before the lighthouse. As we pulled in, we were welcomed by stunning 180º views of San Diego. Just through the gate, we parked alongside a curb, a spot in the shade of an old tree. As we ate, we watched the planes takeoff and land at Lindbergh Field and the sail boats navigate around the harbor. Once done, we walked purposefully through the headstones until we were in front of those of my great-grandparents, Charles Anthony Costello and Carolyn Alden Costello. After saying our hellos and goodbyes, we drove through the rest of the cemetery (this would eventually be the place I’d learn how to drive) and then returned to the club. This was a routine, a tradition, we continued for many years until I left for college. This was how I knew my great-grandmother, the author of this manuscript.

- Joslynn Alden Burkett