In this historical nonfiction, S. A. Beach tackles a question that haunts many of us as we get older but few approach with such scientific and historical rigor: Why am I the way I am? After thirty-five years of teaching science and serving as a librarian in the Caribbean, Beach turns her analytical eye toward her own origin story. “Ghosts in My DNA” is not merely a recitation of a family tree, rather it is a lyrical exploration of “blood memory,” the haunting idea that the traumas, triumphs, and wanderlust of our ancestors are encoded into our very fiber.

The narrative arc begins with a stark contrast in her evocative memoir. We see the author as a young “baby boomer” leaving the rocky soil of New England for the vibrant, colonial echoes of St. Croix. This move serves as the book's primary catalyst. Decades later, Beach questions if her “cultural leap” was a modern whim or a genetic echo in a search to begin a family with greater diversity.

Beach’s research, conducted largely at the New England Historical and Genealogical Society, is impressive in its breadth. She navigates several centuries of American history beginning with the Puritan Paradox. Tracing the Kingsbury lineage back to the 1630 Winthrop Fleet, Beach recreates the tension of the early Dedham Colony. She provides a nuanced look at the “Covenant of Grace” and the “Covenant of Works,” showing how these rigid religious structures shaped her ancestors’ temperaments.

The book does not shy away from the darker chapters of New England’s founding. Through the eyes of the Kingsburys, we witness the encroachment on Indigenous lands, the tragedy of the Pequot Wars, and the complex role of “Praying Indians” caught between two worlds.

One of the most compelling segments follows Fisher Kingsbury, a member of the Sons of Liberty, and his courtship of Chloe Kenney, a Loyalist. Their marriage serves as a microcosm of the American Revolution—a reminder that the birth of a nation was also a fracturing of the home.

The heart of the book lies in Beach's thesis that genetic heritage silently directs our life choices. As a science teacher, she bridges the gap between hard biology and spiritual intuition. She posits that her ancestors’ survival instincts, their religious rebellions, and even their “secret” family tragedies (such as the mysterious disappearance of Chloe Kenney) created a psychological blueprint that she inherited centuries later.

What stands out is that Beach writes with the clarity of a librarian and the curiosity of a scientist. Her “popular style” makes complex genealogical records feel like a propulsive mystery novel. Furthermore, the book excels at placing individual ancestors within the larger “Great Migration” and Revolutionary movements, making the history feel personal rather than academic. Lastly, the focus on “reinvention” as a family trait provides a satisfying emotional payoff for the author’s own life in the Caribbean.

Readers looking for a traditional “ghost story” may be surprised to find that the “ghosts” are metaphorical and genetic. However, for fans of Finding Your Roots or Ancestry, this is a powerful feature “Ghosts in My DNA” is a beautifully rendered map of a woman’s soul, traced through the ink of old town records and the salt of the Atlantic Ocean. It is a vital read for anyone interested in genealogy, New England history, or the burgeoning field of epigenetics.

Beach reminds us that while we may leave our homes, our homes and the people who built them never truly leave us.