Whispers of the Past (Mayflower Mysteries Book 1)

When the Past Becomes Your Future: A Love Story Across Time

Bella Thomas, an aspiring journalist fueled by curiosity, sets out to uncover a forgotten piece of her small town's history—the mystery surrounding the widow of Mayflower, Illinois’s beloved Jelly Bean Factory founder, Henry Hinchcliffe. What begins as a research project soon turns into a journey neither Bella nor Henry could have imagined. Transported back to 1926, Bella finds herself face-to-face with the charming man whose fate is already sealed by history—and by the devastating fire that’s yet to come.

Torn between her growing love for Henry and her duty to history, Bella must navigate a bustling world of roaring twenties glamour, hidden secrets, and the race against time. Will she be able to change the past and save the man she's come to love, even if it means sacrificing her own heart?

Get swept away by this heartfelt tale of love, destiny, and second chances.

Find your next favorite story—start reading today.

Excerpt from the book

The bus pulled into the Mayflower station, bringing Bella Thomas home for the first time since Christmas. She smiled at the welcome sight of her parents, Paul and Margaret, standing by the platform waving their arms like lunatics. They mortified her at times, but everyone should be so lucky as to have parents that loved them as much.

Bella hugged her backpack containing her most precious possessions, her laptop and notebook, then climbed off the bus. Her freshman year in the journalism program at the University of Illinois had ended far too quickly. With stories to dig into, and friends who craved knowledge like she did for a change, time had flown by. She hadn’t had much time to miss home. But after handing in her final exam of the spring semester, homesickness had punched her in the stomach.

She missed the aroma of her mom’s lasagna wafting through the house and her dad’s animated commentary and criticism during the baseball games. She missed Stanley at the Mayflower Gazette newspaper office, and she even missed arguing with her younger sister, Stella, over whose turn it was to do dishes.

Bella stepped off the bus, and her parents swarmed, squishing her in the center of a Thomas family sandwich hug.

“Mom, Dad, I love you, but I can’t breathe.”

Dad chuckled and released his hold. “Sorry, Isabella. We missed you is all.”

Mom held onto her waist. “You’ve lost weight. Have you been eating?”

“Of course, I’ve been eating.” Bella’s stomach growled. “What’s for dinner? I had chocolate bars for lunch on the bus.”

“Chocolate bars? Oh my gosh. I can only imagine what you ate at school all year.” Margaret pursed her lips. “Your sister stayed home to take the lasagna out of the oven.”

Bella kissed her mother’s cheek. “My favorite. Thanks, Mom.”

***

Bella stuffed herself with a double helping of Mom’s homemade lasagna, and her jeans dug into her belly button.

Blasted high-waisted trend!

The price women paid for fashionso unfair.

Stella batted her long, dark lashes and smiled sweetly from across the table. “Hey, sis. Your turn to do dishes.”

“I’ve been home for a millisecond. Let’s compromise. I’ll wash and you dry.”

Margaret grinned.

Bella said, “Mom, when are you going to get with the times and buy a dishwasher? The technology has existed since the 1800s.”

Margaret stacked their empty plates. “Why would I need a dishwasher? I have a live-in dishwasher. When your sister starts college next year, I’ll get one.”

Stella groaned. “Thanks, a lot.”

Yep, I even missed this.

Bella stood. “Stel, I’ll meet you in the kitchen after I put on sweatpants.”

Bella ambled down the hallway to her bedroom, patting her satisfied, full tummy. She flicked the light switch, finding her old room as she’d left it at Christmas. Unlike some of her friends’ parents, her mother hadn’t stored stuff in her room while she was away.

Her cozy bed, a million times more comfortable than the thin mattress in her dorm room, called to her. She couldn’t wait to cuddle under her iris-patterned comforter and sleep for a full night. For once, she wouldn’t be interrupted by parties, sleepovers, and drunk girls stumbling in the hallways with their high-pitched shrieking laughter in the middle of the night.