Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #9
Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!
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- The hunt BEGINS on 4/10 at noon Mountain with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.
- Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).
- There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 4/13 at midnight Mountain)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.
- Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!
Hi! So good to welcome you here. My name is Ann H. Gabhart. When I was about ten years old, I decided it would be fun to write a mystery starring me as the one who solved the case. Since then, I’ve written a few million words sharing stories in various genres, but mostly historical fiction set in my home state of Kentucky. You can find out more about me and my books on my website, Facebook, and Instagram. My newest story, The Pursuit of Elena Bradford has a mix of history, romance, and mystery. Here’s more about it.
At twenty-two, Elena Bradford has never met a man who made her consider marriage. But when her father dies and leaves the family deeply in debt, Elena becomes her family’s only hope. Her mother uses their last funds to take Elena and her younger sister to Graham Springs, Kentucky, where the mineral water is reputed to cure various ailments, even perhaps spinsterhood. The ballroom dances give plenty of opportunity for romance. As her mother schemes to find Elena a wealthy husband, Elena is drawn to two men her mother would never consider, charming artist Kirby Frazier and broken-hearted Andrew Harper. When a beautiful young woman shows up at the Springs with no chaperone and a story that seems suspicious, nearly everyone is charmed and intrigued. But when an unexpected tragedy occurs, Elena, Kirby, and Andrew will all be faced with decisions of life, love, and loyalty.
History, romance, mystery, and dances. A mystery from the past was the spark of inspiration that set me off down this new story road.
The Enduring Mystery of the Dancing Lady
Graham Springs Hotel
While searching for a new story idea, I happened across the mystery of the dancing lady at Graham Springs. In the first half of the 19th Century, hotels that offered healing spring water became popular gathering places. In Kentucky, Graham Springs, where those seeking cures for various ailments came to “take the waters,” was often called the Saratoga of the West. The summer season was an ongoing social event with music, all kinds of entertainments, and ballroom dancing most nights.
One summer in the early 1840s, a beautiful young woman came to Graham Springs alone. She claimed to be a Louisville judge’s daughter. That night she was the belle of the ball. Tragedy struck when she died suddenly in the arms of her last partner during the final dance of the evening. The judge turned out to have no daughters. The woman had nothing in her room except the dress she’d worn when she arrived that day. When they were unable to discover her identity, she was buried on the hotel grounds.
Although several theories have been suggested, her life and death remain an enduring mystery to this day. A city park is now on the site where the social upper crust once played and danced. The dancing lady’s grave there is well-tended and marked with an inscription that reads, “Hallowed and Hushed Be the Place of the Dead. Step Softly, Bow Head.” Through the years, some have claimed to see a girl in a fancy ballgown dancing in the moonlight near her grave. A few have even heard her asking the way back to the ballroom for one more dance.
Now I’ve added yet another story about the dancing lady at Graham Springs, but the mystery stays unsolved. No one will ever know.
Can you imagine wearing a dress like these and dancing the night away?
Here’s the Stop #9 Basics:
If you’re interested, you can order The Pursuit of Elena Bradford on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBook, Baker Book House, or at your local bookstore!
Clue to Write Down: a lovely
Link to Stop #10, the Next Stop on the Loop: Lynn Blackburn’s site!
Wait! Before you go, I’m offering additional prizes to two entrants – winners’ choice of two of my books along with my favorite candy bar, Blue Monday, made right here in Kentucky. (Sorry, USA or Canada only)
To enter, sign up for my e-newsletter (lower left on my Home Page or top right green box on my book page) or say you already get my newsletter on your Rafflecopter entry. I had to change newsletter services recently and some names got lost in the process. If you haven’t gotten a newsletter in the last few months, please sign-up again.
Entries start on 4/9/2025 at 12:01 a.m. Mountain Time (2:01 a.m. EST) and deadline to enter is 4/14 12:01 a.m. My winners will be contacted by email and the winners will be posted on my blog post on April 22, 2025. Enter on the Rafflecopter below.
Comments 24
Signed up for newsletter. Can’t wait to learn more about you and your books.
Love your Rosey Corner series! I’m already a newsletter subscriber. 🙂
signed up for the newsletter, new reader here 🙂
I am a fan and a follower for years. Also, I have been fortunate enough to be in your presence on more than one occasion. The Blue Monday candy bar you mentioned is one new to me. I have heard of a bleach brand of that name. Your new book, as per usual, sounds like an interesting read!
Hi from Toledo, Ohio. Years ago I visited Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. That was when the aquarium in Newport first opened.
Author
Glad to hear from Toledo, Michelle. I’ve been to the aquarium a couple of times. Went once with my grandkids. That made looking at all those fish more fun.
I already get newsletters and other emails…and follow you on FB.
Love all your books!
Looking forward to reading this new one!
Author
You’re the best, Marji. I’m so glad we are reading friends here online. I hope you will enjoy the new story when you get to read it. And good luck if you’re doing the Scavenger Hunt. I hope you win some books.
I just finished The Song of Sourwood Mountain (as an audiobook). It was lovely! Can’t wait for this next one!
I just signed up for the newsletter.
Author
I’m so glad you enjoyed reading The Song of Sourwood Mountain. Well, listening. I haven’t listened to the audio of that book yet. I hope it had a great narrator. I’ve done the narration on a few of my books that didn’t get a professional contract. I had a great time reading the stories for audio. Didn’t enjoy the editing much though. You can find those on line if you’re interested in hearing me read you a few stories. 🙂
Thank you for signing up for my newsletter.
I’m already on your newsletter list, but I’m having fun with this scavenger hunt.
Author
Glad you are enjoying going on the hunt to find some new books to read, Roberta. Maybe you’ll even win a few.
I, too, am already a fan of yours and receive your newsletter. Thank you for this opportunity to broaden our base of authors.
BTW – As you know, I live in KY, but I have never heard of a “Blue Monday” candy bar! Where have I been? LOL!
Author
You have missed out not giving those Blue Mondays a try, Cyndy. They are made by Ruth Hunt Candies in Mt. Sterling. And you can find them at a lot of specialty gift stores or state parks. Or Amazon. I guess you can find almost anything on Amazon, but the local gift shops are more fun.
Thanks for being a subscriber to my newsletters. Hope you find some new books to try.
Thank you for the giveaway.
I have never heard of a Blue Monday candy bar until today! I have learned something new!
Author
We have several candy makers in our area, Judy. One that makes modjeskas, a caramel candy, is right here in my hometown, but Blue Mondays are made by Ruth Hunt Candies in Mt. Sterling KY.
And we should all learn something new every day. 🙂
I’m already on your email list, as you know! Thanks!
Author
And I’m so glad, Jola. Thank you for reading my newsletters.
I just moved to Kentucky!! Thank you for sharing unique history and a new candy to try!!
Author
Welcome to Kentucky, Jackie. I promise the weather in April is usually nicer than it has been this year. I hope you’ll like one of those Blue Mondays. I like the ones with dark chocolate, but they have several different kinds these days.
My mother loved Blue Monday candy bars too! I always bought them for her for her Christmas stocking, her Easter basket, her birthday…
Author
You are a good daughter to have remembered your mom’s favorite candy on special occasions, Charlotte. My daughter remembers some of my favorites too at Christmas, but since she lives out of state, she sticks with toffee and lets me give her the Blue Monday.
Blue Monday is my Fave too!!
Author
I discovered Blue Mondays when I was in high school, Robin. A girlfriend and I would go to a grill on Main and get a Blue Monday and a coke. Made me a fan of the Blue Mondays forever even though I didn’t eat another one for years after that.