SOLVED. Juvenile story set in SF around the time of the 1906 earthquake [s]

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Basically what I remember is that a family inherits a house, some money, jewels, stocks etc from an uncle or other relative in SF just before the 1906 earthquake. I remember that there is at least 1 teenaged (or slightly older) son, who inherited the books of the uncle (who was a miser.) The mother thought that the jewelry was all fake--until one of the servants (or someone) tells her that no, they are not fake, and that to bring the pearls "back to life" (I think they were referring to bringing the lustre back to them) she just needed to wear them next to her skin--that the pearls had gotten "Sick" from not being worn. At the end of the book, the earthquake and fire happen, and the family realizes that the money/inheritance had spoiled all of them, and I think that they were happy to be going back to whereever they came from. Oh--and the son had packed some of the first editions that his uncle left him in the car, but the cars gets commendeered by the police/military who then dump the books out onto the ground where the son can see them.

[Cathy]

Though I have not read it, I believe this is Mystery at Thunderbolt House (also called "Thunderbolt House") by Howard Pease.

Here is a good review found at http://www.mysteryreaders.org/Issues/...

"Thunderbolt House takes place in 1906 San Francisco where the young hero of the book, Judson Allen, uncovers a dark family secret involving his wealthy great uncle known as Thunderbolt Judson. When old Thunderbolt died, everybody called Judson's family the lucky Allens. They inherited his fortune and his San Francisco mansion at Bush and Leavenworth on Nob Hill. (Of course, I went there just in case the dark foreboding mansion really existed even after the 1906 earthquake and fire, but, alas, all I found were post-earthquake apartment buildings.) Unpleasant events began from the very first day the Allen family arrived from Stockton on a ferry boat across the bay. The book presents a picturesque description of San Francisco of the 1900s, including a cable car ride from the Ferry Building through the fog on the hills of The City.

"Judson discovers a secret about the mansion's great library and a blood stain on the ballroom floor and is just about to solve the family mystery when the 1906 earthquake shatters San Francisco and the Allen family. The account of the historic fire and earthquake is vivid. The book gives a colorful recount of the Barbary Coast, the City of Paris and other long-lost San Francisco treasures."

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Well, here's hoping that that's the book. I got lucky and found one available on PBS--so, as soon as it gets in, I'll move this if its the one--and if not, then I'll put that in too.