My Family Research Mystery Deepens

I've been doing my family history for many many years. And having investigated most of my branches up to a point, I'm now kind of stuck. I don't seem to understand how to use Parish Registers. It's like being asked to read a passage of Latin, it just makes no sense. I know I will at some point have to drag my *** down to the National Archives here in London and ask them. One family line in particular there's a family mystery and a bit of scandal which involves some wealthy Freemason ancestors, secret families, some disinheriting, and resulted with one of my great grandmothers killing herself when her child was removed from her by in-laws. The plot could be something straight out of a Catherine Cookson story. Maybe I should write a book about it. Just need to do a bit more investigating first. The TV Genealogist Nick Barratt gave me some good advice so I will try his suggestions, and kick start my quest for the truth. I owe it to my genes.