Cast of Characters: Bess

It's been one hair-raising, fun-filled adventure after another for twelve-year-old best friends, Cynthia and Gus. I've penned (okay...typed) five...count 'em...FIVE books taking the girls through a magic trunk in Cynthia's attic back more than 50 years to the Louisiana Bayou, Switerland, France, a steamship crossing the Atlantic, and even Southern Indiana, the original setting.

I have no doubt all anscestors would approve of their roles since they were written with joy and love. I'm going to highlight some of these colorful characters (my relatives!) in the weeks to come leading up to the release of the final book in the series, Cynthia's Attic: The Legend of Lupin Woods.

Bess: My grandmother taught me many things, as a child. How to play canasta being one of them. I remember her patience and her love for all card games. Most of all I remember that she taught me how to win. I can't say, with certainty, that she didn't let an eight-year-old beat her, on occasion, but those instances were few and far between. She knew, and related to me, that I wouldn't be given victories in cards, or in life.

For that, I'll always be grateful.

Like Gus, Bess is twelve years-old in the stories, quite mischievious, a little on the messy side, and slightly spoiled. For instance, in The Missing Locket, she talks her best friend, Clara (Cynthia's grandmother) into taking a precious family heirloom, Aunt Belle's gold locket, up to the attic so the girls can take turns wearing it. As you might guess, the locket is lost and Clara takes the blame. Cynthia and Gus find themselves square in the middle of the mystery that, not only involves the missing locket, but a missing Aunt Belle!

In The Magic Medallion, Bess gets into even more trouble when she persuades Clara to stow away on her father's wagon when he travels to the next town to deliver an organ for that night's circus performance. Not only is she scolded by Papa Charles, she eats to much cotton candy, Cracker Jacks, and soda, she's sick on the ride home.

Next time: Great Grandpa Charles!

Coming Soon! The Legend of Lupin Woods

Cynthia and Gus have solved a lot of mysteries across time, but something is seriously wrong and things are beginning to unravel.

Aunt Belle is missing…again! Cynthia’s great-grandfather, Beau, was never found! And now they are wondering if Blackie is still making life miserable for Lilly and Annie.

This time, the twelve-year-old girls journey into a strange woods full of frightening creatures and dark secrets in search of answers.

From Aunt Belle's cottage to a small village in France, they meet new friends and discover a connection to New Orleans that may lead to the devious source behind these alarming developments. Or bigger trouble.

Mary Cunningham Books