Tag Archives: #mystery

Book Review: Death Comes in Threes by Michael Jecks

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Book 9 of A Bloody Mary Tudor Mystery

Pub Date Jan 07 by Severn House

Princess Elizabeth’s unlikely assassin finds himself on the hook for two murders in this light-hearted Tudor mystery series!

August, 1558. As London is bustling with growing trade from foreign lands, and Queen Mary’s health is once again a hot topic, Jack Blackjack has much to keep him busy. And that’s before his new tenant – a Dutch merchant – disappears under a cloud of suspicion, quickly presumed murdered, and Jack’s latest female companion’s body is found mere streets from her dwelling place.

People around Jack keep inconveniently getting murdered, and he seems to be the most likely culprit! With both the authorities and the unsavoury echelons of London on his tail, nowhere is safe for Jack to hide. He must go about proving his innocence – and uncovering the mirky truth – while ensuring he doesn’t find himself dancing the Tyburn jig!

The question is – can he rely on friends in high – and very low – places to get him out of this ever-increasing mess?

My thoughts:

I must caution you, stepping outside the door of your home and taking a stroll down the streets in 1558 London, may be at your peril. At least it is for Jack! How he manages to survive through the whole story is anyone’s guess. I would like to step inside the book and shake some sense into Jack.  Whichever way he seems to turn, he gets himself in a tight spot and also, he seems to have a knack at putting other lives in jeopardy. 

I enjoyed reading Jack’s adventures and his troubles he finds himself in is hilariously comical, and it is highly entertaining how others perceive the kind of man they believe Jack to be and when we read what Jack is thinking in the moment, it’s not like how others perceive him or is it? More times than not, the reader must discern if this was an actual character flaw in Jack or some clever ruse.

Jack is questioned or interrogated so many times, I don’t know how he keeps a clear mind with all his excuses. I couldn’t stop chuckling. My goodness! He says anything to just stay alive which is understandable in his situation.  

What a fun historical mystery!

I’ve rated this book four stars. Now I must read the other books in the series before this one. Stephanie Hopkins

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

Book Review: The Perfect Ex-Wife by Winter K. Willis

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A Psychological Thriller

Pub Date Dec 02, 2024, by Celestial Bear Publishing

Ramona plays second fiddle to Bradley’s ex-wife, Natasha, who went missing twelve years ago. No matter how hard Ramona tries to be the perfect wife and mother to Bradley and his teenage daughter, Allison, they can’t let go of the past. No matter how hard she tries to be a good mother to Allison, she always says or does the wrong thing, and Allison pushes her further away.

The day two police officers show up at their home to tell them they discovered remains of a woman believed to be Bradley’s Ex-Wife Natasha, they bring in Bradley for questioning and from there everything spirals out of control. Family secrets and betrayal reveal themselves in astonishing ways.  

The Perfect Ex-Wife is told from Natasha and Ramona’s points of view, and it certainly is a page turner from the start. This story touches on a few themes such as alcoholism, depression, adultery, obsession, erratic behavior, neglect, self-serving behavior and devastating consequences for one’s actions. I have to say obsession and desperation drives the plot of this story and the author brilliantly portrays these actions.

What fascinates me about psychological thrillers is exploration of what is reality or what is perceived to be reality in the minds of the characters. Perception is tricky when it comes to the human mind and how we see and experience the world around us and how we perceive other people’s speech, actions and motives. Our perception could easily be distorted, which may lead to serious and devastating consequences for oneself and others when acted upon. I thought a lot about this while reading this story which leads to the unreliable narrator. The characters’ credibility in the story becomes compromised by the ill choices they make due to their perception of reality and their own selfish wants. We see this abundantly with the characters in this story and it leaves you guessing what is true and what is false. The lines quickly blur as the story progresses and before you know it, things take a drastic turn to events.

What a thrilling and suspenseful story.

Stephanie

I obtained a galley copy from Celestial Bear Publishing through NetGalley for an honest review.

Reader’s Log 024: Trilogies Part I

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Thomas De Quincey Trilogy by David Morrell

Quite a few years ago now, I had the pleasure to interview and review about David Morrell’s Thomas De Quincey Trilogy. A few weeks ago, I was looking through my book stacks and came across paperback copies of his trilogy. I thought this would be a great story to read again and how it would be a great idea to re-post about his books and the interview I had with him, back in 2013. Gosh, has it really been that long ago since I interviewed David? Time flies! Morell’s Thomas De Quincey Trilogy is a fantastic read and perfect for the fall season to curl up with. By the way, did you know that Morrell is best known for his debut 1972 novel First Blood, which would later become a successful film franchise starring Sylvester Stallone?

Stephanie

Murder as a Fine Art #1

Gaslit London is brought to its knees in David Morrell’s brilliant historical thriller.

Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his memoir ‘Confessions of an English Opium-Eater’, is the major suspect in a series of ferocious mass murders identical to ones that terrorized London forty-three years earlier.

The blueprint for the killings seems to be De Quincey’s essay “On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts.” Desperate to clear his name but crippled by opium addiction, De Quincey is aided by his devoted daughter Emily and a pair of determined Scotland Yard detectives.

In ‘Murder as a Fine Art’, David Morrell plucks De Quincey, Victorian London, and the Ratcliffe Highway murders from history. Fogbound streets become a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer, whose lives are linked by secrets long buried but never forgotten.

My interview with David Morell and review for Murder as a Fine Art

Inspector of the Dead #2

The year is 1855. The Crimean War is raging. The incompetence of British commanders causes the fall of the English government. The Empire teeters. Amid this crisis comes opium-eater Thomas De Quincey, one of the most notorious and brilliant personalities of Victorian England. Along with his irrepressible daughter, Emily, and their Scotland Yard companions, Ryan and Becker, De Quincey finds himself confronted by an adversary who threatens the heart of the nation.

This killer targets members of the upper echelons of British society, leaving with each corpse the name of someone who previously attempted to kill Queen Victoria. The evidence indicates that the ultimate victim will be Victoria herself.

My book review of “Inspector of the Dead”

Ruler of the Night #3

Thomas De Quincey is beginning to control his opium addiction when the excitement of his current case threatens to unravel his grip on reality once and for all. On their way home to the Lake District, the De Quinceys become unwitting witnesses to a truly historic murder: the first to take place on one of England’s newly constructed railways.

The railways changed everything in the Victorian era, transforming the English countryside, revolutionizing modern industry, and as the De Quinceys discover, providing the perfect escape. Giving chase in a cat-and-mouse game unlike any that have come before, the De Quinceys uncover a dangerous secret that reaches all levels of English society.

My book review of “Ruler of the Night”

David Morell’s website

Book Review: The Coldest Case by Tessa Wegert

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Pub Date Nov 05 2024

Publishers: Severn House

There is so much to unpack with this story and while I can’t cover everything in this review, I’m just going to share a bit of an overview of some of my thoughts while reading the story.

Book Description:

News of a missing Instagram celebrity brings Senior Investigator Shana Merchant to a frozen island community of just eight people. When the visit turns deadly, her hunt for a killer collides with a cold case she’ll never forget . . .

It’s February in the Thousand Islands and, cut off from civilization by endless ice, eight people are overwintering on tiny, remote Running Pine. Six year-rounders, used to the hard work, isolation and freezing temperatures . . . and two newcomers: social-media stars Cary and Sylvie, whose account documenting their year on the island is garnering thousands of followers, and thousands of dollars’ worth of luxury gifts.

The long-term islanders will tell you Running Pine can be perilous – especially for city slickers who’ll do anything to get the perfect shot. So, when Cary doesn’t return from ice fishing one morning, his neighbors fear the worst.

With the clock ticking to find the missing influencer, a police team are dispatched to take the dangerous journey to the island . . . but Sylvie, his frantic partner, will only talk to one person: newlywed Senior Investigator Shana Merchant.

Where is Cary – and what is it that Sylvie’s not sharing? With aspects of the case reminding Shana of an unsolved homicide from her past that haunts her still, she risks her own safety to help. But little does she know that a storm is coming – and if she doesn’t solve both crimes soon, she may become the island’s next victim . . .

My Thoughts:

Imagine investigating a deadly crime on a secluded island during the harsh winter where a small group of people overwintering are tight knit and deeply rooted in the Islands history. Imagine trying to break a wall of ice-no pun intended- in solving a murder under those conditions. No one can be trusted, no one is safe, everyone is keeping secrets and it is cold. Bone chilling cold. Yeah, that makes a great story-line.

Author Tessa Wegert does a brilliant job weaving all the senses of seclusion with an apocalyptic feel at times. Blended with psychological elements of the small Island’s community heightens the intensity of how vulnerable everyone is on the Island. This would also be the case for Shana Merchant and her team as they investigate the crime. You experience that with the characters throughout the book-particularly as the situation escalates.  

Merchant’s backstory is an interesting one to say the least and this investigation is another test of her mental capabilities in solving the crime. I say this without reading the other books in the series, that is how well Wegert pens a good backstory.

This crime thriller takes dangerous conditions to a whole different level!

Stephanie Hopkins

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

Reader’s Log 023: Current Read and Difficult Passages

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Differentiating between red herrings and explicit content for shock value or book sales in mystery-thrillers.  

Today, I thought I would share a book I’m currently reading and discuss a little about difficult passages that may be disturbing, or what one may feel is inappropriate. Oftentimes, a reader can come across a scene where they wished they hadn’t read or wish they had just skipped over entirely. But what should one do if they’re reviewing a book for the publisher or author and come across this problem? Should they just give up on the book entirely, or power through it, hoping for the best? Personally, I really think it depends on a few things.

Firstly, it depends on the type of reader you are and what you can handle or not handle. I’ve noticed through the decades the different stages I’ve gone through with reading material. What I will tolerate, what I deemed appropriate or inappropriate. What disturbs me and so forth… Like, is it just for shock value for book sales or does it serve a purpose to drive plot of the story? Does it attest to the character’s human nature and lifestyle? What are the purposes of these scenes?

There can also be that the theme or scene-if you will-upsets one’s psyche on a personal level. One must consider these things when reading physiological thrillers and literature as a whole. If you are a reader who reads widely, even then one can have limits and there is nothing wrong with that; one must use discernment in all things.

I’m currently reviewing an ARC of, “The Last Room on the Left” by Leah Konen at the invite via email from the publishers, and I’ve come across two difficult but brief scenes I could have-in all honestly- done without. It seriously had me pause and considered if I wanted to finish this story or not. The next morning, I reflected more on whether or not to continue with the story. The pause had me ask myself the question whether or not the difficult but brief scenes were a red herring or just shock value. As I read further, I came to the conclusion that they are definitely red herrings. To be honest, the old me would have probably given up on the book entirely. I’m glad I didn’t in this case and I believe the author did a good job with writing these scenes without dragging it out. They serve the right purpose in story-telling, in my opinion.

If you come across scenes when reading books for review, what is the standard you set for yourself, and do you ask or consider the questions I mentioned above?  

Edit: My review for, “The Last Room on the Left” by Leah Konen will be posted on January 4, 2025.

Stephanie

The Last Room on the Left by Leah Konen

Expected publication January 14, 2025 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons – Penguin Random House

Kerry’s life is in shambles: Her husband has left her, her drinking habit has officially become a problem, and though the deadline for her big book deal—the one that was supposed to change everything—is looming, she can’t write a word. When she sees an ad for a caretaker position at a revitalized roadside motel in the Catskills, she jumps at the chance. It’s the perfect getaway to finish her book and start fresh.

But as she hunkers down in a blizzard, she spots something through the window: a pale arm peeking out from a heap of snow. Trapped in the mountains and alone with a dead, frozen body, Kerry must keep her head and make it out before the killer comes for her too. But is the deadly game of cat-and-mouse all in her mind? The body count begs to differ . . .

Book Review: A Cold Tomorrow by Mae Clair

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As Katie Lynch makes her way home, she spots a car on the side of the road that seems to be in trouble. As she approaches the car, she soon recognizes the motorist as Jerome. He appears to be in some sort of trance and says the word “Cold”.  She loans him her jacket and is deeply concerned about him and decides to go get help. Shortly after her decision to get help, an officer shows up identifying himself as Deputy Brown. In so many words, he tells her that he has it under control, and she can be on her way. After she leaves, she can’t get her mind off what happened. The next day she calls Point Pleasant, West Virginia sheriff’s department to speak to her friend Officer Ryan to find out if Jerome is okay. She quickly discovers that there is no Deputy Brown and Jerome was never admitted to the hospital. Officer Ryan, knowing it isn’t likely for Katie to make things up and considering the town’s strange, odd and disturbing occurrences, begins to investigate the disappearance of Jerome which connects them to the mysteries of the town’s lore of the Mothman, UFO sightings around the town and the TNT and lights appearing in the sky.

As the story unfolds further, Katie’s young son’s father shows up in town out of the blue-which is a threat, and it comes apparent that there is more to the story of why he showed up in the first place. Officer Caden, Officer Ryan’s brother, helps his brother and Katie to solve the mystery of Jerome’s disappearance and the town’s troubles.  As they race to solve the mysterious and troubling happenings in their town, while keeping Katie’s son safe, Katie and Ryan form an attachment and become involved.

Another of the many elements of this story is the relationship between Katie and her mother, Doreen. Without giving too much away, their story touches on a troubled past in more ways than one, which leads to a strained relationship and Katie keeping her mom at arm’s length. Is there healing and forgiveness in the mother and daughter relationship? I’m glad the author wrote this in the story and will leave an impression on many readers’ hearts.

This book is the second in a trilogy and I recommend reading the first book in the series before beginning this one. That said, while there are a few details that are unclear to me, it didn’t take away from the enjoyment of reading this story. After I read this book, I was curious if there is such a thing called “The Mothman” lore and what was the TNT. I discovered that such a place and the lore exist! This made, “A Cold Tomorrow” even more intriguing and mysterious.

Readers who enjoy reading about lore, UFOs and small-town events will enjoy this entertaining story.

I rated this book three and a half stars but bumped it up to four stars due to my interest in the lore and TNT.

Stephanie Hopkins

Pub Date Dec 20 2016 by Kensington Books

I obtained a reviewer copy from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

Book Review: Two Times Murder by Adam Oyebanji

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A Quiet Teacher Mystery

Book Description:

Greg Abimbola is many things. He’s Black, British and fluent in Russian. He’s a snappy dresser, a reasonable teacher, and an unenthusiastic sports fan. But most of all, he’s exceptional at keeping secrets. Like, who he really is, and the things he’s done.

Determined to keep his head down after helping solve a murder in the school basement, Greg fears a trap when Sergeant Rachel Lev of the Pittsburgh police corners him in his apartment. Because his refusal to take credit isn’t modesty, it’s a survival tactic.

But Rachel is here on another matter entirely. She needs his help. She’s lead detective on the homicide of an unidentified man fished from the Allegheny River. With clues scant, and surrounded by colleagues who’d love to see her side-lined, Greg is her final roll of the dice.

Greg has no choice. He knows more than he’s saying about Rachel’s mysterious corpse. To add to his troubles, a school trustee plunges to his demise after a heated board meeting. Both deaths come with potentially lethal consequences. If he doesn’t find answers, and soon, Greg Abimbola might be the third man on the autopsy table.

My Thoughts:

Two Times Murder is a multifaceted story told in an extraordinary way. I have not quite read a story such as this and I find myself wanting to know more about the protagonist Greg Abimbola and his side kick, Andrea Velasquez. Greg works hard at keeping a low profile, which is not working out great for him and Andrea, who is the assistant custodian at the Academy, is happy to help Greg out in solving the death of one of the Academy’s trustees. They are great team and their backgrounds make the story all the more intriguing. The other characters in this story make a great diverse cast of characters.

The DEI and culture war themes in the story had me pause at first when I came across the subject in the story. I had several thoughts on that score and was worried that this is a theme that would completely turn me off from wanting to read this book at all. Well I’m glad I chose to read this story and these themes were woven through fairly well without being obnoxious or in your face. After all, it is an issue of our day… I did find Greg’s remarks about what he calls “pampered, privileged white kids” to be somewhat of an issue especially since he is a teacher. You see, even what he may considered privileged and not having real problems in life is a bit of an assumption and a dangerous one at that. One never knows what goes on behind closed doors and all his students can be dealing with something that on the surface may seem insignificant or superficial but life teaches us that often times there is something boiling below the surface despite the backgrounds people come from. Greg definitely has room for growth.

I have not read this first book so I’ve missed a few details but this story made a great standalone and has me wanting to read the other book. An intriguing story with all the right bunches of a crime thriller. Bravo to the author!

Stephanie Hopkins

Book 2 of A Quiet Teacher Mystery

Pub Date Nov 05 2024  by Severn House

Side Bar: This book contains profanity but not so much that is distracting.  

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.  

Reader’s Log 021: Mystery & Thrillers

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On My Radar

I have been collecting book titles for 2025 reads and I discovered these thrillers on NetGalley. I’m particularly interested in Baldacci’s book. I love historical fiction thrillers and the story looks like it will be a fantastic read. Be sure to check out the others below. Are you a mystery and thriller reader? Do any of these titles mentioned spark your interest?

Stephanie

Strangers in Time by David Baldacci

A World War 2 Novel

Grand Central Publishing

Pub Date Apr 15 2025

Description:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Calamity of Souls comes David Baldacci’s newest novel, set in London in 1944, about a bereaved book shop owner and two teenagers scarred by the second world war, and the healing and hope they find in one another.

Fourteen-year-old Charlie Matters is up to no good, but for a very good reason. Without parents, peerage, or merit, ducking school but barred from actual work, he steals what he needs, living day-to-day until he’s old enough to enlist to fight the Germans. After barely surviving the Blitz, Charlie knows there’s no telling when a falling bomb might end his life.

Fifteen-year-old Molly Wakefield has just returned to a nearly unrecognizable London. One of millions of people to have been evacuated to the countryside via “Operation Pied Piper,” Molly has been away from her parents—from her home—for nearly five years. Her return, however, is not the homecoming she’d hoped for as she’s confronted by a devastating reality: neither of her parents are there, only her old nanny, Mrs. Pride.

Without guardians and stability, Charlie and Molly find an unexpected ally and protector in Ignatius Oliver, and solace at his book shop, The Book Keep, where A book a day keeps the bombs away. Mourning the recent loss of his wife, Ignatius forms a kinship with both children, and in each other—over the course of the greatest armed conflict the world had ever seen—they rediscover the spirit of family each has lost.

But Charlie’s escapades in the city have not gone unnoticed, and someone’s been following Molly since she returned to London. And Ignatius is reeling from a secret Imogen long kept from him while she was alive—something so shocking it resulted in her death, and his life being turned upside down.

As bombs continue to bear down on the city, Charlie, Molly, and Ignatius learn that while the perils of war rage on, their coming together and trusting one another may be the only way for them to survive.

The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas

Harper Paperbacks

Pub Date Aug 05 2025

Description:

Two sisters discover that the secrets they keep from each other prove to be deadly.

You’ve known her all your life. Or have you?

Tasha and her older sister Alice may look alike, but they couldn’t be more different. Tasha’s married with two children and still lives in their hometown near Bristol. Alice is a high-flying scientist who travels the world with her equally successful husband.

Yet each sister would trust the other with her life.

When Tasha and her husband Aaron need a break and Alice offers to stay in their home with the kids, Tasha knows her family is in safe hands.

She couldn’t be more wrong.

The call from home is devastating. Alice and her husband Kyle have been attacked, leaving Alice in intensive care and Kyle dead. Rushing to the hospital, Tasha finds the police trying to piece events together. She can’t think why anyone would attack her sister.

Then the note arrives, addressed to Tasha:

It was supposed to be you . . .

Every family has secrets. Some more deadly than others.

Nine Minutes Eleven Seconds by L. V. Pederson

Raconteur 888

Pub Date Jan 28 2025

Description:

Everyone has secrets. Some are just more deadly than others.

When Madison starts her first real job as an executive assistant at a Silicon Valley tech giant, she has hopes to start afresh and put her troubled life in Boston behind her. But it is not to be.

A young employee out for an evening jog turns up dead.  

Her charismatic VP boss fills her with unease. 

And when Madison uncovers his deadly secret, her ordinary life is thrust into a high-stakes conspiracy the FBI is desperate to crack.

An unprecedented crime from the past is about to be repeated on an unimaginable scale.

A shocking revelation, and her quest for redemption, could get her killed.

Tick-tick-tick…

The Fourth Girl by Wendy Corsi Staub

Thomas & Mercer

Pub Date Mar 25 2025

Description

On the anniversary of a teen’s disappearance, three friends face a deadly hometown reunion in this twisty suspense novel by a New York Times bestselling author.

On prom night, Caroline Winterfield walked away from the ruins of an abandoned mansion called Haven Cliff and into the woods…never to be seen again. Only her three best friends know what really happened. But a secret is a secret, and a promise is a promise—even when it shatters lifelong friendships.      

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of that night, Midge, Kelly, and Talia reunite at Haven Cliff, now a gleaming architectural jewel. But they aren’t alone. Someone is watching. Someone who knows what really happened to Caroline—and to the man who now lies dead a stone’s throw from where she was last seen.

Police detective Midge knows she’s dealing with a murder the moment she sees the item clutched in his lifeless hand. Only three other people in the world would grasp its significance. That means Kelly and Talia are either involved or in danger, because Caroline is long gone…or is she?

Book Review: The Married Man by K.L. Slater

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Pub Date: Nov 01 2024 by Bookouture

Choices in life have consequences.

Eleven years ago, Liv’s husband Rich and their son Maddox left the house to fly a kite at a park and she began to worry they had not returned home. A storm was brewing, and it was not like her husband to not respond to her calls or texts. She began to search for them and soon after, her son was discovered but her husband was nowhere to be found.  Soon after, Liv changed her name and she and her son moved to start a new life.

As the years go by the authorities declared Liv’s husband dead despite never finding his body.  As Maddox got older his attitude and behavior became troubling to Liv and the school he attends. While her concerns for her son grow, a woman named Kait appears and claims that she is Rich’s wife, and she believes her husband-whose name is Daniel- is the son of Maddox.

Detectives, Helena and Brewster are investigating a case that leads them to Maddox and the detectives find themselves trying to connect the dots of what on the surface seems to be two different situations.

Liv has been hiding secrets as to why her husband disappeared all those years ago and her troubles are about to explode, and her life is spiraling out of control.

At first, I couldn’t stop asking myself if there was one redeemable or likeable character in this story. Nothing is as it should be, and everyone has something to hide. When secrets and lies start to reveal themselves, I felt like I just experienced whiplash. There are so many turns of events going in many different directions but oddly enough, they are all connected. When I began to think I had figured it out, another detail came to light, and I was shocked all over again.

What an extraordinary psychological thriller.  K.L. Slater certainly knows how to weave a thrilling story.

Stephanie

I obtained an ARC from Bethany House through NetGalley for an honest review.

Book Review: The Burning of Rosemont Abbey Naomi Stephens

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Pub Date Oct 15 2024 by Bethany House Publishing

Book Description:

1956: In the quiet village of Wilbeth Green, the smoldering ruins of Rosemont Abbey set the residents’ tongues wagging, and everyone is quick to accuse troublemaker Paul Everly of being the arsonist. Paul has vanished without a trace, leaving only his twin sister, Louisa, certain of his innocence. Fueling her conviction is an inexplicable connection–she felt her twin’s death an hour before the abbey went up in flames. Knowing no one will believe her, Louisa embarks on her own investigation, challenging the skepticism of her neighbors and the disdain of her aunt and uncle. Even Inspector Malcolm Sinclair, once Paul’s closest friend, is torn between his duty and a lingering loyalty to Paul and warns Louisa to abandon her pursuit. But Louisa is determined to solve a murder no one else believes was committed, even if it means unraveling secrets that could shake Wilbeth Green to its core.

My Thoughts:

The title of this book is what captured my attention to this story in the first place because of my deep fascination of Monasteries in England and its history. My heart clinches when I imagine an old abbey burning that survived through the centuries despite its history. Why would someone do such a deliberate act of destruction to such an historic building. Particular one that can be traced back to the pre-Norman conquest. I needed to find out plus I love a good mystery.

The mystery surrounding the burning of the abbey had me thinking of all sorts of scenarios of who could have done it, Paul being the number one suspect. Stephens does a brilliant portrayal of bringing to light of other potential suspects, their backgrounds, connections and the possibility of how it could have happened and why. I must say, I was really caught off guard on who the arsonist was and the plot twist I did not see coming! Despite Louisa’s feeling her brother’s death, I couldn’t help feeling and hoping throughout reading the story, that she was wrong.

Louisa’s inner turmoil is shown throughout the story and she is flawed-of course-as we all are. Louisa certainly gets herself in sticky situations and despite her rocky relationship with her brother Paul and her disapproval towards him, her convictions to find out what happen to him, despite the obstacles she faces, is commendable. It is an extraordinary thing to see someone seeking redemption for a person whose lifestyle they don’t approve of or no matter how strain their relationship is to each other. We see that with Louisa in regards to her brother and I am proud of her.

What an excellent period for the setting of this story and I admire a writer who can develop realistic characters of the time period, and culture. I also love how the author weaves in a brief history of the Abbey and how much the building meant to the community. My heart was saddened right along with the congregation.

Wonderfully written mystery, fast paced, suspenseful, thought provoking, and a great plot! I will definitely be on the lookout for more stories by this author.

Stephanie Hopkins

I obtained an ARC from Bethany House through NetGalley for an honest review.

Side Bar: It has been quite a while since I’ve read a Christian fiction story. In the past, oftentimes, I found the stories to be cheesy and unrealistic. I felt the genre was too confining and I sensed-at times-writers were walking on egg shells. While I understand the sensitivities on topics and how it is to be written for the genre and such, I feel like that is where many writers failed to make the characters actions, and speech at times believable. My feelings on the genre left me not picking it up any longer. This is NOT to say I want to read explicit scenes and such. I don’t particularly care for that one bit. You can write strong dialog, plot, conflict, danger, character development and relationships without explicit scenes, profanity and so forth, while getting your point across. The Burning of Rosemont Abbey has proven that and I’m delighted I chose to read this story.