Bring up an order that has been around since the Crusades and you will find more conspiracy theories than you can imagine. The Knights of Malta have a long history is courage, protection of the Christian faith and as a secret society.

Tracing the history of secret societies is typically easy. The United Ancient Order of the Druids is older than most written records.

Most secret societies are formed to keep a secret. Why the secrecy? Because most members don’t want to face persecution and death. That was the case with many secret societies including the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Writing a fiction story about an historical character can prove to be a challenge. This can be extremely fun for the writer. Stella Duffy has some fun with the infamous Empress Theodora in her book, Theodora.

The catalyst for the first Persian war stemmed from a revolt by Greek Ionians. It was instigated by Aristagoras, economic burdens, and a feeling of being treated unfairly by the Empire.

During times of unrest, revolutionary groups can emerge from every crevice. Rumor has it that the Grand Firmament was the connection between them all and helped guide them though they might be far away.

Many secret societies begin with the young and those in universities. One group in Germany that rose up to create a united Germany was the Burschenschaft. They were the driving force of the 1848 Revolution.

Set back during World War II, Bonnie Compton Hanson’s Holly Jean and the Secret of Razorback Ridge is a delightful story of a young girl’s journey from a big city to the hills of Kentucky and a mystery that she is just got to solve. Even an adult can enjoy this tale.

When one thinks of secret societies, they think of power and clandestine meetings with evil purpose. Many of these societies others are secret because they admit they are trying to overthrow the government. The Carbonari was such a group.

G.M. Dyrek has done a great job in weaving history, culture, mystery, and murder together into a story that keeps you hopping. The Seer and the Scribe is a great young readers book for entertaining and learning.