This book was all right. I really hated how the main character, Alex, was supposed to be a 35 year old widow who just happened to act like an over-dramatic teenager half the time. I felt like as a 17 year old senior I was more mature than she had been at times, which really got on my nerves. However, the plot was pretty nice as far as it being a mystery novel - I didn't expect the actual culprit. That being said, the book is not well tied together at the end. I was especially frustrated that Daniel and Alex didn't actually get together. I also wasn't a big fan of Alex being a mormon, although I have nothing against Christianity at all [I love it!]. I feel like there were too many loose pieces that weren't tied down, and that perhaps the author actually hadn't been sure how all of the pieces fit together and got really sloppy about the ending. That's okay though, because it was a two-day novel. ( )

Cankered Roots by GG Vandagriff is an emotional tale of love, loss and finding out who you are. Alex, a genealogist, takes a break from helping others learn about their family trees and concentrates on her own. Desperately wanting to have a family after her husband's death, she sets out to uncover the grandfather she barely knew and whom her parents are determined to forget ever existed. What she begins to uncover reminds Alex that sometimes it is better to leave things buried in the past.

Originally written in 1993, this new edition of Cankered Roots was a pleasure to read. Taking a step back from modern technology, Alex and her friends have to uncover her family history by traditional means - searching libraries, microfilms, court documents, etc. It was so nice to read a story that isn't built around technology and how easy it is to find information online. Throw in nice doses of mystery, blackmail, unknown identities...even a dash of romance...and Cankered Roots is a great book to get lost in. I am eagerly looking forward to reading more adventures from Alex and her friends. ( )

Alexandra Campbell reveals troubled family truths as she does genealogical research on her family. The results of her search are new friendship, unveiling a murderer, and the death of her father.