The Merchant's Daughter

Jayne Sinclair Genealogical Mystery #6

by M.J. Lee

After a DNA test, Rachel Marlowe, an actress from an aristocratic family, learns she has an African ancestor.

She has always been told her family had been in England since 1066, the time of William the Conqueror, and they have a family tree showing an unbroken line of male descendants.

Unable to discover the truth herself, she turns to Jayne Sinclair to research her past.

Which one of her forbears is Rachel’s African ancestor? And, who is desperate to stop Jayne Sinclair uncovering the truth?

Jayne digs deep into the secrets of the family, buried in the slave trade and the great sugar estates of the Caribbean.

Can she discover the truth hidden in time?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical

287 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2019

About the author

Martin has spent most of his adult life writing in one form or another.
He has spent 25 years of his life working outside the North of England. In London, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok and Shanghai.
He writes three series; the Danilov books set in 1930s Shanghai. The genealogical mysteries of Jayne Sinclair and the contemporary crime cases of DI Ridpath set in Manchester.
When he's not writing, he splits his time between the UK and Asia, taking pleasure in playing with his daughter, practicing downhill ironing, single-handedly solving the problem of the French wine lake and wishing he were George Clooney.

Reviews

[Kay Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a wild ride with Jayne!

I love Ms. Lee's books. What a very fine writer she is! The Merchant's Daughter, like all of her books, keeps you interested in the journey of discovery. Who isn't curious about ancestors and family secrets? Plenty of unexpected twists and turns to satisfy mystery lovers. I am so thankful Ms. Lee is a prolific writer! I can hardly wait for the next adventure Jayne will take me on for the price of the book, and not a retainer in the thousands that her clients must pay. Lol

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

M.J. Lee's Jayne Sinclair series has to be my favorite mystery series that focuses on genealogy. He's created a strong female lead in investigator Jayne Sinclair. A former police officer, she doesn't stumble into dangerous situations blindly. She knows how to take care of herself, and she still has plenty of friends on the force if the need arises. She's also a first-rate investigator, and readers can actually learn about the resources available to those who want to work on their family trees.

Lee also does an excellent job of weaving together two different timelines in these books. The older timeline which concerns the ancestor that Jayne is trying to find usually ties into a fascinating (if sometimes painful) historic event. In The Merchant's Daughter, readers learn about the treatment of women in 1840s England and the importance of the slave trade to Liverpool, England-- a topic that may come as a surprise to many. I was aware of Liverpool's role in the slave trade, but I was unaware of how slave traders were eventually persuaded to put an end to it all.

The mystery in The Merchant's Daughter isn't the strongest in this series. It was relatively easy to deduce, and what little violence there was seemed tacked on and not really necessary. I also wasn't shocked at the lengths that some people will go to in order to cover up "blemishes" on their family trees. After all, my own grandmother refused to do any further research on our Mudd ancestors on the off chance that she'd find out we were related to Dr. Samuel Mudd who was implicated in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

So... if I thought the mystery was easy to deduce, why did I enjoy The Merchant's Daughter so much? Because of the characters. Jayne is one of my favorites-- smart, determined, intuitive, and full of common sense. However, the character who shone the brightest in this book was the merchant's daughter herself, Emily Roylance. Her voice as she told me her story and what she had to endure kept me hooked, kept me firmly in her corner, and kept me hoping that things would turn out all right for her.

Do they? You'll have to find out for yourself. Is this a series that you have to begin at the beginning and read in order? Not really. The Merchant's Daughter works well as a standalone. Just don't be surprised if you read this book and find yourself wanting to read more of Jayne's investigations.

[Helen Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

A family that claims ancestry back to William the Conqueror is set on its head when a DNA test reveals African roots in the family. Once again, Jayne Sinclair is called upon to discover what the implications of this test are—and she has only a week to do it. I knew little about British slavery practices and was fascinated—and horrified—to learn the whole sordid story. Being educated while reading a book that I was reading for pleasure was a bonus. I have been tracing my family history for years and love reading about how our fictional detective does the same things I do on a regular basis. It makes the whole story more credible.

I read this series because of the mix of history and genealogy and this book is one of the best in the series as it opened my eyes to things I knew very little about.

Highly recommended as it makes you think, not merely read.

[Marianne Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

M J Lee constructs the books in this series with dual timelines. One shows the client bringing the researcher a genealogical puzzle. The other timeline paints the reader a vivid picture of what was actually happening to the ancestors in question at some previous moment in history. The research documents used to piece the genealogy together are also carefully described. I am thoroughly enjoying these books. The author really brings the past to life and always adds some drama to the present day situation as well. Giving the researcher a police background helped frame these stories perfectly. Recommended with 4 🌟 stars.

[Margaret Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family secrets hiding in the blood

A young actress appears on a TV and DNA she finds out that she has african blood probably slave blood. She wants to find out who that person was. Her rich family is against it Jayne starts to work on the case.There are twists and turns but she keeps going and of course wins. It was a interesting story and kept my attention. Highly recommend this book.

[Gary Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee looks at slavery

In the format of the Jayne Sinclair series, MJ Lee delves into the subject of Estates and slave ownership. Well done. Enlightening. Again, history has lessons for us, even today.

[Maree Croxon Mapperson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the history love the mystery

What can I say it is a great way to find answers on your past. Amazing how secrets coming out

[Susan M Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never fails!

I always enjoy Jayne's adventures and I get a history lesson that I probably wouldn't have. This story was a little bittersweet regarding Paul, but life will go on.

[Thomas E. Dye · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good pursuit of truth.

I enjoyed this as it moved quickly to a foreseeable end. An easy read. Fun to keep following Jayne. Good.

[George Anthony Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read just what you expect from MJ.

[janet moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good read, didn't disappoint after reading the others in the series! Hope there will be more of Jayne Sinclair

[Roberta C Poulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

Once again Jayne had a problem to work out and she did so very nicely. I enjoy reading how she gets things done.

[Beverly Bigmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fact filled story.

I have enjoyed this book as I have the others in the Jayne Sinclair series. I am sorry to say that I beat Jayne to the answer. Didn't stop the enjoyment.

[Merry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read

I am so enjoying this mystery series. As I have done the research for my family, I appreciate this story. The research always leads to more mysteries.

[Lisa Shower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another really good one

This one I read in one sitting! Great story, lots of clues and satisfying ending. Looking forward to the next entry!

[Joanie Chevalier · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, the author's notes at the end of the book as to what he researched for the fictional story is so interesting. I hope M.J. Lee gets a referral fee when his fans sign up at Ancestor.com when researching their family tree!

In this story, the family was ashamed of their ancestry, so parts of the family tree were missing. Jayne was hired to investigate whether there was African ancestors. During her research, there were threats to her life, so it was obvious someone didn't want her to find out the truth.

The other part of the story was from a diary written and hidden by a woman who lived in the 1800s. Her father and brother tried to control her life but she followed her heart, and was thereby shunned.

Hopefully author Lee is writing another book for this series! Recommended for those who like mystery, sleuths, and genealogy.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Rachel Marlowe appears on a talk show that also reveals her DNA results, she is stunned to learn she has African ancestry, and desperately wants to know exactly where it came from before the show is aired a week later. So she approaches Jayne Sinclair, who begins the search, but can't promise results. The story alternates between depicting Jayne's research and a journal being written by a woman in the 1840s, telling the story of her life. Fascinating and hard to put down. Recommended.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review

As always,a fascinating book by Mr. Lee. The stories are so varied and interesting. I just love Jayne. She is so strong and resilient. I learn something new with every tale. Since I am attempting to look into my own family history, I find these books inspiring.

[Jacqui Huntley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best yet. A pushy young actress, from a middling aristocratic family that definitely has high aristocratic aspirations, is initially delighted to find that she has 6% African DNA in her make-up, feeling that it might shake up the brother and father. It does! But they are not the only ones. Our favourite genealogist, Jayne Sinclair, is tasked with ascertaining the origin of this DNA as brother has 'done' the family tree and pompously assures her that they go back to William the Conqueror in direct male line - no hanky panky of any sort in his lineage. As usual there is the historical story - this time of a young woman in early 19th century Barbados/Liverpool who is basically imprisoned in her home for a reason gradually unwound through the book. There is a lot of history about the slave-trade and abolition, interesting if uncomfortable reading at times, and there's more about the nature of DNA testing for genealogical reasons, equally interesting. Twists and turns bring the reader to a satisfying, if partly sad, conclusion and Jayne, finally, is sorting her now defunct marriage - just get on with it girl. Well written, lots to think about set in a turbulent time. Very enjoyable. Bit of a niggle - and Charles' wife must have been a bit dim not see his background - read it and see what you think. As long as the stories continue to trace different eras and social mores the slight 'recipe' that's followed doesn't detract. Keep going please.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books. Sound genealogical resources methods are used to tell stories of the past. Great story of slavery in Britain. I highly recommend it.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially as my ancestors were involved in the slave trade.

[Kirill Chashchin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

Correct mix of the old history and today's life, through the view of the policewoman turned genealogist. Good suspence, plot full of precise historical details. Want you read more of this author.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this, my first of the Jayne Sinclair Genealogical Mysteries

4.5 Stars

I’ve read several other genealogical mysteries, and I enjoy M.J. Lee’s Detective Ridpath mysteries, so I chose to read this book. There’s the two-pronged storyline interweaving 1) current time story about a cheeky actress, from a mid-aristo family, whose DNA test results show 6% Ghanaian ancestry, and 2) 1840s story about a merchant’s daughter writing about her life in Barbados and Liverpool, during times of slavery and Abolition. I enjoyed both storylines, but I was fascinated by the characters, the historical period, and the details and minutiae about life in 1840s England.

Recommend if you’d like to read a well-written genealogical mystery.

[Linda Arbogast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting topic

If you enjoy solving family history puzzles, you may have enjoy this book. Beware. You may not like the answers that you find.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Rachel Marlowe takes a DNA test, the results are surprising. She finds out that she has African ancestry. She hires Jayne Sinclair, a professional genealogist, to find out who this ancestor was. The road Jayne takes is dangerous since Rachel Marlowe's family doesn't want any stain on their aristocratic lineage from 1066.

I would have given this [Kindle] book a 5, but proofreading errors always jolt and reduce my reading enjoyment. The plot was well laid out. The challenge of finding an ancestor when the published family tree is deliberately incomplete, and the records have disappeared, is an adventure that all genealogists know. It is very well demonstrated here. Not to mention the frustration of finding those brick walls that crop up every once in a while.

[Mary Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

I really enjoyed this book. It kept my attention to the very end. Would like to read more by this author.

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn't say this is Lee's best but it is always interesting to me as to how she goes about her research. I have been doing my family history for over 40 years and love to see all these resources that are now on line.

The story was okay but it seemed a little bit of a rehash on what the enemy did to her. Well, I guess there are only so many ways to show their displeasure. I will keep reading this series, as long as she keeps writing them.

[L MCLEOD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story and very relevant given the interest in the context of connections with the history of how some of our cities have been founded and prospered from the slave trade. Again good use made of story telling from the perspective of Jayne in the present day and Emily from the 1800s. This device fleshes out the narrative that historical research is less likely to provide unless documents like letters and diaries are found. Looking forward to the next one.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

African DNA in a British celebrity. Good genealogical detective mystery. Historical fiction about slavery abolition in England and the colonies.

[Ann-Marie Branning · Rating 4 out of 5]

There wasn't as much suspense or attempted murder in this one as in others in the series but still enjoyable. These stories are great for someone like me who loves historical fiction and genealogy. The main character is delightful and I enjoy following her life and feel connected to her and her family.