Publication Date: May 15, 2024
Washington DC 1844: When his mother is found drowned in the Potomac, 15-year-old Samuel Evans is devastated and falls gravely ill, saved by an experimental drug given to him by the gruff Dr. James Pyper who developed it from an Amazonian plant. The drug makes Samuel so sensitive to his environment that he can communicate with animals. He sets out to prove his mother didn’t commit suicide, helped by encounters with numerous animals.
The doctor’s childless wife, Martha, convinces her husband to adopt Samuel. He discovers that their house is a stop on the Underground Railroad and that Martha helps runaway slaves.
While investigating his mother’s murder, Samuel’s life is threatened, he falls in love, he dispatches a bee hive to punish the man he suspects, and tragedy ensues. He is kicked out of the Pypers’ house, with nowhere to go. During this painful time, he uncovers lies and betrayal from people he trusts before learning the truth about his parents.
The Orphan is set against the backdrop of slavery and the 1844 presidential election that determined whether Texas would enter the union as a slave state.
The Orphan by Sylvia Maultash Warsh is set in 1844 against the backdrop of slavery and a crucial presidential election.
Samuel, our protagonist, is a 15-year-old boy who nearly loses his life after he finds out about the death of his mother shortly preceding his father’s unexpected passing. An experimental drug saves Samuel’s life. Due to a side-effect of the drug, Samuel is given a heightened sensitivity to his environment and can communicate with animals.
After saving Samuel’s life with an experimental drug, Doctor Pyper and his wife take Samuel in as their Ward. Samuel has been told his father hanged himself after gambling away $4,000 meant for the orphanage, and his mother drowned herself from grief shortly after. With the help of Mrs. Pyper and his new animal friends, Samuel sets out to discover the truth about his mother and father’s deaths.
As Samuel begins to unravel the truth, an unfortunate trial of murders follows in his wake, showing him there is someone who is desperately trying to keep him from finding out the truth. We follow along as Samuel uncovers lost secrets, shady business deals, and evil plans. Are Samuel’s suspicions about his parents correct? Will he place his trust in the right people? And will he uncover the truth about his parents’ deaths?
The Orphan by Sylvia Maultash Warsh was an interesting read, particularly because the main perspective was from Samuel, a 15-year-old. His age added an interesting element to the mystery, firstly because most people did not believe the accusations of a young boy. Secondly, the only proof he had to go on was the information he was given from animals that he couldn’t tell anyone because they obviously wouldn’t believe him.
As seen in my rating above, I did take away a star. I found myself getting lost in the story. I had difficulty envisioning the setting and feeling like I was a part of the action. I also found it a bit odd how Samuel was going about accusing and questioning the people he suspects are responsible for killing his parents. If he believes these people are capable of murder, why would he confront them in such a way? That part didn’t make sense to me.
Aside from the bit mentioned above, I thought this story was well thought out with several avenues for readers to ponder. I liked that the culprit of his parents’ death wasn’t obvious the whole time. We really had to follow along closely in order to put the pieces together.
If you are a fan of historical fiction and murder mysteries, The Orphan is a must-read. Saved from the brink of death, a boy who lost everything sets out to avenge who he loved most.
Sylvia is the author of the Dr. Rebecca Temple novels, one of which won an Edgar.  Project Bookmark Canada chose her novel, The Queen of Unforgetting, for a plaque on their literary map. Her stories have been shortlisted for Derringers and Crime Writers of Canada awards. Her new novel, The Orphan, an historical mystery, has just been published. She teaches writing to seniors.
