MYSTERY AT THE LOYD HOMEPLACE

Most of you will recognize immediately that this is not a post about a robbery or murder or kidnapping over here on Murdocksville Rd. near Pinehurst. It's the title of my one and only book, completed in the summer of 2007. Since then I've been able to share it with lots of family and friends, plus the final class of 3rd graders I taught. I've also read it to friends at church, and to last year's fourth graders at Farm Life School. Thanks to four very helpful teachers, I have the opportunity to read it to this year's fourth graders as well, breaking the reading into three weekly installments of about an hour each. I'll finish it on Friday, Oct. 10 and will be selling and autographing books at our school's Fall Festival from 5 to 8 on Oct. 17. Here's just a little background, but this won't be the last you'll hear about my book.

This is the homeplace the book is based on, built by my great-great grandfather, Jabez M. Loyd, or possibly even by his father before the Civil War. It has been saved from destruction and converted into a clubhouse by the Chateau Montaigne Apartments.

Here is my father, Marvin Loyd on the porch of his grandfather's homeplace, where his father also grew up. The historical plaque on the porch misspells Loyd (naturally) and is only partially accurate.
This chest and its contents are central to the mystery of the book. The story is based on the family story that family valuables were hidden or buried on the eve of General Sherman's invasion of Atlanta. Note the JML on the chest.
More mystery. I don't want to spoil the book, but let me know if you want to read it and don't already have a copy.
You can't see details on this map, but it shows DeKalb County, Georgia in Civil War days. Sherman's armies marched within a short distance of the Loyd Homeplace, as some were sent to destroy a railroad line from Stone Mountain to Decatur and the main army battled their way across nearby Peachtree Creek.
More about the book will follow as I continue sharing the tale at school.