Secret History Revealed by Lady Peggy O'Malley

by C.N. Williamson, A.M. Williamson, Clarence Rowe (Illustrator)

Alice Muriel Williamson (1869-1933) was a British novelist. She was Charles Norris Williamson (1859-1920)'s wife. Her former name was Alice Muriel Livingston, and she was introducing herself after her marriage as Mrs. C. N. Williamson. Her mystery A Women in Grey (1898) was translated and adapted into Japanese by Kuroiwa Ruiko by the title Ghost Tower in 1901. Alice and her Husband collaborated in writing too many books including The Princess Passes (1905), The Motor Maid (1910), The Port of Adventure (1913), It Happened in Egypt (1914), The Shop-Girl (1916) and The Second Latchkey (1920).

252 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1915

About the author

Charles Norris Williamson, 1859–1920, British writer and journalist

Reviews

[Alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half I found kind of lackluster, but the second half was more interesting. Plenty of war talk creeps in and talk about soldiers being "born for" their kind of work...which I think is meant to just convey someone's strong sense of duty, courage, etc., but there's also plenty of mention of cannons booming and planes being shot down, which I personally don't like to have center stage in a novel. Not that it was center stage most of the time. Just on occasion.
The story starts out with 16-year-old Peggy, whose older half-sister Diana is a selfish flirt. Diana gains the affection of the only man Peggy has ever admired, an aviator/soldier named Eagle March, but then throws him away when a wealthier suitor proposes (and, to ensure that Diana accepts him, this other guy totally and cold-bloodedly wrecks Eagle's reputation and career). It's thought that he will never hold up his head again, and Peggy's sister, father, and everyone else couldn't care less. Only Peggy is desperate to keep in touch with him and express her total confidence that he's exactly as good as she always thought.
A couple of years have gone by, during which no one except Peggy even cares what has happened to Eagle. Peggy is traveling with some friends in Belgium when World War I breaks out. She decides to stay and help as a nurse. How she finds Eagle again, what has happened to him in the meantime, whether he cares for her as more than a "little sister," which is what he calls her at the beginning of their acquaintance, and whether or not they get justice after his public disgrace make up the rest of the story.

[Mbuye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of the fun in reading the Williamson couple’s books is their joy in travel, in motor cars and (for them) modern trains and even monoplanes and zeppelins, in describing places that were still remote names to most people, descriptions that now have a certain historical interest when one reflects upon the changes that have taken place in the last hundred years. At the same time, the dated slang and the sadly outdated values and principles at times render their style almost cringe-worthy.

‘The Secret History’ has all the elements given above, but in many ways, it is an unsatisfactory novel, with a good plot but no resolution at the end. At the outset, it appears to be a coming-of-age story, the next moment a Cinderella tale, then four or maybe five love triangles get in the way, and finally the court-martial and dishonour of a gallant soldier-airman is the really serious element here. The principal characters, two half-sisters, one with brains and the other with beauty, appear to dislike each other thoroughly, while their father dotes on the beauty and ignores the younger daughter. Some promising plotlines simply drop off the radar, while others have contrived and unconvincing resolutions.

All this is forgiven in the glorious excitement of a flight, something still very rare in 1912, followed by a border skirmish between the United States and Mexico, and culminating in the slow reactions to what was considered a minor Balkan squabble, but which turned out to be the first World War. Somehow, with all the shortcomings in plot, style and characterisation, ‘The Secret History' is a very entertaining, very readable book, in line with the other Williamson novels of travel, adventure and romance.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great wartime story, mostly focusing on side issues rather than fighting: dysfunctional family, wartime sacrifices and sham sacrifices, a dastardly deed done to a soldier to gain an advantage in love, and a young woman trying to uncover the stolen honor of her secret love and wreak revenge on the perpetrator. Clean with an honorable message.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A choice must be made, Justice or true love?