Marjorie Wetherill grew up in a loving family among the wealthy and privileged—but she always knew she was adopted. And though she questioned how her birth family could give up a child, she was content and happy with her life. But when she faces her first Christmas alone after her parents’ deaths, she starts to wonder about finding her first family. A letter among Mrs. Wetherill’s things gives her the key to start a search that will change her life. Is Marjorie strong enough to learn of the past and face the reality of meeting her birth relations?

The future Brentwood began to change more than a century ago when 300 wild acres of brushy canyons and rabbit and coyote habitat along with sheep-grazed mesas were contributed to the cause of needy veteran soldiers. Landowners Sen. John P. Jones of Nevada and Arcadia Bandini de Baker turned the land over to the board of managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. The Pacific branch of this national hospice organization opened its doors to patients in 1888. Soon families and staff began to purchase lots and build homes near the gates. Businesses began to open to service the new residents. Through the late 20th century, this western area of the city of Los Angeles became known for beautiful neighborhoods, movie star residents, and a relaxed lifestyle--it became Brentwood.

For audiences of the popular FX television series The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, based on Jeffrey Toobin's The Run of His Life and starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., John Travolta, David Schwimmer, and Courtney B. Vance. Named on Vogue Magazine's "American Crime Story Reading List" as one of the "eight definitive books on the trial of the century." Twenty years ago, America was captivated by the awful drama of the O.J. Simpson trial. The Simpson "Dream Team" legal defense had a seemingly impossible task: convincing a jury that their client was innocent of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. In order for O.J. Simpson to get away with murder, the defense attorneys had to destroy the reputation of Mark Fuhrman, a brilliant Los Angeles detective who was the lead on the murder scene and had collected overwhelming physical evidence against Simpson. Now Fuhrman tells his side of the story in the #1 New York Times bestseller Murder in Brentwood, a damning exposé that reveals why and how Simpson's prosecution was bungled. Fuhrman offers a sincere mea culpa for allowing his personal mistakes to become a focal point of the defense's strategy but also stands by the evidence he collected, writing: "One thing I will not apologize for is my policework on the O.J. Simpson case." With Fuhrman's own hand-drawn maps of the crime scene, his reconstruction of the murders, and interrogation transcripts, Murder in Brentwood is the book that sets the record straight about what really happened on June 12, 1994—and reveals why the O.J. Simpson trial was such a catastrophe.

Roughly 40 miles from New York City and in the center of Long Island, Brentwood has always been an area undergoing struggle, change, and development. From its founding under the name Modern Times by the anarchists Josiah Warren and Steven Pearl Andrews in 1852 to its rapid and extensive growth as a suburban bedroom community in the 20th century, Brentwood has a rich history. In the first half of the 20th century, the Long Island Rail Road ushered in Irish, Italian, and Russian families that influenced the once utopian society; by the century's end, Brentwood would be home to a notable Hispanic diaspora community. The construction of St. Joseph's Convent, Pilgrim State Psychiatric Hospital, and the Brentwood School District brought jobs to the area and bolstered population growth.

Brentwood Borough, established in 1915, spans one of the highest ridges in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, just six miles southeast of Pittsburgh. In the 19th century, three small villages, four inns, and several blacksmith shops clustered along the rural ridge. A popular and primitive roadway, now known as Brownsville Road, connected these three hamlets with the wider world. This major artery carried coaches, wagons, livestock, and even escaping slaves to Pittsburgh. At least one of the four inns was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Many years later, the community established a 28-acre park, complete with shelter house and swimming pool, as well as the later additions of ball fields, tennis courts, and a football stadium. In keeping with its original focus on education, the community has maintained its own school district. Brownsville Road, as a main street, has supported several viable shopping districts. Brentwood is renowned for its annual Fourth of July parade, attracting tens of thousands of spectators each year. Today, Brentwood encompasses 1.45 square miles. The strength of this small community lies with its residents, who value service and commitment. For 100 years, Brentwood has maintained its own distinct character and charm, combining the elements of a modern community with the friendliness of a small town.

Brentwood Borough, established in 1915, spans one of the highest ridges in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, just six miles southeast of Pittsburgh. In the 19th century, three small villages, four inns, and several blacksmith shops clustered along the rural ridge. A popular and primitive roadway, now known as Brownsville Road, connected these three hamlets with the wider world. This major artery carried coaches, wagons, livestock, and even escaping slaves to Pittsburgh. At least one of the four inns was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Many years later, the community established a 28-acre park, complete with shelter house and swimming pool, as well as the later additions of ball fields, tennis courts, and a football stadium. In keeping with its original focus on education, the community has maintained its own school district. Brownsville Road, as a main street, has supported several viable shopping districts. Brentwood is renowned for its annual Fourth of July parade, attracting tens of thousands of spectators each year. Today, Brentwood encompasses 1.45 square miles. The strength of this small community lies with its residents, who value service and commitment. For 100 years, Brentwood has maintained its own distinct character and charm, combining the elements of a modern community with the friendliness of a small town.