Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Love this type of novel--based on a true historical event, with fictional characters playing out the story line.  The true part was the terrible child "stealing" by Georgia Tann of the Tennessee Children's Home Society in the 1930's and 40's.  Literally this woman entered hospitals and had parents sign off their children, unbeknownst to them.  Sometimes babies were born and parents were told they died, so Georgia Tann could sell the babies to rich families while making piles of money.  So many political figures, as well as doctors and police officers, actually covered up the facts, while getting paid by her.  Some supported her ideas--that these low class families could not afford their kids, and the kids would be better off raised in higher class society.  She convinced so many people, that she never was convicted of her crimes--her case was closed!

The story is told by "Rill" starting in 1939, with the "stealing" of herself and her four siblings.  Present day Avery is the "sleuth" trying to find the secrets in her grandmother's past.  Of course, Avery is changed along the way as "truth" wins out and she discovers that her traditional, political family (who are obsessed with appearances, photo ops and no surprises) are not what she would like to become.

Avery spends a lot of time with Rill, now in her nineties, to piece together the past.  Because my parents are now 94, some of the conversations really hit home.  I loved this by Rill:  "Each scene of Life has its own music and music is created for the scene....we must dance within the music of today or we will always be out of step, stumbling around in something that doesn't suit the moment....To look at me now, you would think I'd never understood that secret  This music of old age..it isn't made for dancing.  It's so...lonely.  You're a burden to everyone."  This from Avery:  "I think of my grandmother, of her empty house, of her room in the nursing home, of her inability to recognize me most days.  Tears well up in my eyes.  The music of old age is difficult to hear when it's playing for someone you love."  How very true, in the midst of loving my parents in this life scene, the music of old age brings a bittersweet sadness.