Recent Reads - The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jónasson - When a bestselling crime author goes missing, the young detective Helgi is given the challenge of finding her or finding out what happened before the press and public realize there's a problem. Helgi hopes to prove his mettle with the case, and maybe his own love of crime and mystery fiction will help him make sense of the few clues available. He faces challenges in his personal life too, with his former girlfriend stalking and threatening his new love interest and his struggles to handle the situations. 

There's one flashback timeline in which the author, Elín Jónsdóttir, is being interviewed by an unknown person. We're given the transcript of this interview, and there's a sense that there must be clues for the reader that Helgi doesn't have access to, and it does add to the tension. The sections of transcript are interspersed throughout the story.

In another alternate timeline, the detective that Helgi replaced, Hulda, is doing follow-up work on a bank robbery and murder case. It was apparently the last case she was working on before she disappeared. Again, there's a sense to the reader that the cases or maybe even the disappearances must be related, but at the beginning it's not clear just how.

The tension builds throughout, as Elín's few close friends maintain hope that she is still alive and has just chosen to be incommunicado for reasons of her own. There are some clues that don't fit this solution, so Helgi keeps working at it, and the bits of interview transcript start to fall into place for the reader as well. There are some twists and turns in the solution.

There's some good payoff in how Hulda's investigation has a connection to Helgi's case, but those threads seem loosely woven together, and the way Hulda's timeline concludes makes me wonder if there is more to come in a sequel. Likewise with how the book ends on a cliffhanger, and such an abrupt one that I'm still not sure how I feel about it! I was actually startled that there was not another chapter and I really had reached the end of the book. I enjoyed the read, putting together the clues as best I could, and the rising suspense and subsequent satisfaction of the pieces coming together. However, that abrupt ending was very unsettling and left me puzzled and feeling like I'd missed something important.

This book is a sequel to Death At the Sanitorium: A Mystery, which I understand has a similar layout of Helgi following up on Hulda's previous investigation after her disappearance. I don't think it's necessary to read these in order, but given Hulda's disappearance and the drama in Helgi's personal life, I assume it would probably be very helpful to read in order. 

From the publisher:

The next thrilling golden-age-style mystery from the #1 Icelandic bestseller Ragnar Jónasson, author of Death at the Sanatorium and Reykjavik.

One winter evening, bestselling crime author Elín Jónsdóttir goes missing.

There are no clues to her disappearance and it is up to young detective Helgi to crack the case before its leaked to the press.

As Helgi interviews the people closest to her―a publisher, an accountant, a retired judge―he realizes that Elín's life wasn't what it seemed. In fact, her past is even stranger than the fiction she wrote.

As the case of the missing crime writer becomes more mysterious by the hour, Helgi must uncover the secrets of the writer's very unexpected life.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review.

#NetGalley

By the same author: Reykjavik: A Crime Story (with Katrín Jakobsdóttir)

This is a book set in a country with an active volcano (#49) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.

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This post will be linked at the current BookWorms Monthly link-up hosted by At Home A Lot.

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Recent Reads - The Vanshing at Castle Moreau

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The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright - From the opening lines, this story paints a mysterious picture of Castle Moreau and of all the characters associated with it. A nameless young girl in the early 1800s is facing the illness and death of her mother when a ghostly woman with a crooked hand starts appearing in her room. In another timeline, Daisy François, an orphan, comes in 1870 to become a housemaid at Castle Moreau, hoping to escape the abuses she faced in her past life. So there's a mystery surrounding Daisy's past and why she came to the castle, and what she finds when she arrives makes her wonder whether she's made the right decision. She is frightened of the formidable Madame Tremblay and her tales of Gothic horror, and concerned because there are no other servants and her own duties are quite vague. She also hears tales that women have disappeared and the locals believe that the castle and its eerie residents have something to do with it.

In yet another timeline, the current day, Cleo Clemmons is hired by the grandson of his reclusive grandmother to help clean up Castle Moreau, which is full of the grandmother's (who goes by Virgie) hoarded possessions. It suits Cleo to disappear to the mysterious castle, because she is running from something in her past too. Between the daunting task of trying to organize a huge collection of generations while navigating Virgie's changing moods, and managing her own weaknesses and guilt, Cleo wants to run away from the castle too, but she has nowhere to go. Then she is drawn into the century-old mystery of the missing women when someone gives her some clues to one of the last women to disappear and Cleo reluctantly partners with Virgie's celebrity grandson to try to put the rumors to rest. 

The stories of these two young women, and the elderly mistresses of Castle Moreau that they encounter, have many parallels, and although Daisy and Cleo each have their own fears to overcome, they find themselves unable to walk away from the mysteries within the castle walls. Both young women grapple with whether the grandson they deal with can be trusted, and both are oddly compelled to try and discover what happened to the missing women and whether there really was a connection to Castle Moreau.

Suspense and mystery hover throughout the story, as each character struggles to discern what is real and what is imagined or legend, and grapples with their own fears and past hurts. Is there any light and hope within these castle walls, or will Daisy and Cleo become part of the dark legends?

There are hints of the possible solution to the mystery, but it's teased out enough so that it's still a surprise twist, and a really satisfying one. 

From the publisher:

A haunting legend. An ominous curse. A search for a secret buried deep within the castle walls.

In 1870, orphaned Daisy François takes a position as housemaid at a Wisconsin castle to escape the horrors of her past life. There she finds a reclusive and eccentric Gothic authoress who hides tales more harrowing than the ones in her novels. As women disappear from the area and the eerie circumstances seem to parallel a local legend, Daisy is thrust into a web that could ultimately steal her sanity, if not her life.

In the present day, Cleo Clemmons is hired by the grandson of an American aristocratic family to help his grandmother face her hoarding in the dilapidated Castle Moreau. But when Cleo uncovers more than just the woman's stash of collectibles, a century-old mystery and the dust of the old castle's curse threaten to rise again . . . this time to leave no one alive to tell the sordid tale.

Award-winning author Jaime Jo Wright seamlessly weaves a dual-time tale of two women who must do all they can to seek the light amid the darkness shrouding Castle Moreau.

This is a book told in non-chronological order (#10) for The 52 Book Club's 2024 Reading Challenge.

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©2008-2024 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

 

Recent Reads - The Keys to Gramercy Park

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The Keys to Gramercy Park by Candice Sue Patterson - Andrea is a historical journalist hoping to find a great story that will earn her a promotion for her magazine, so it seems like a great stroke of luck to find a stash of post-Civil War era counterfeit bills hidden in a wall of her historic district apartment. Around the same time, she meets Beau Davidson-Quincy, an aspiring politician, who has connections that help her in investigating where the bills came from and why they were hidden there. As their relationship―and the research into the story―progresses, they realize that there's a possibility the counterfeit is connected to Beau's family somehow, and if so, publishing the story could have a devastating effect on his hopes in the upcoming election.

In the historical timeline following the Civil War, Franklin Davidson works hard to provide for his wife and daughter, and to protect his reputation from being marred by the apparent crimes and scheming of his estranged brother, Edward. Franklin's big breakthrough comes when he's offered a position with the newly formed Secret Service, where he'll work to stop the spread of counterfeit currency. Following a tragedy that costs him everything, he moves to fashionable Gramercy Park in New York with his young daughter in an effort to build a new life while holding on to his secrets. His only goal is to provide the best life possible for his beloved daughter, but as she gets older, she starts asking uncomfortable questions, and he becomes more determined than ever to keep his own past life and secrets from her. 

The fact that there's a connection between the character Franklin and the contemporary character Beau is apparent early on, but the details and how it will all play out is teased out slowly enough through the unfolding story to add suspense. Andrea and Beau have a promising relationship, despite her reservations about trusting him and their suitability. Beau pursues her patiently, but the threat of negative press for him if she gets her breakthrough story can't be ignored. Her commitment to good journalism and her desired promotion are at odds with Beau's dedication to winning his election and furthering his political career, so there's plenty of emotional conflict. In the past, meanwhile, brothers Franklin and Edward have their conflicts and secrets, and their lives are more intertwined than either of them would wish. It seems impossible that Franklin can keep all his secrets from everyone around him, especially his daughter, considering how close their relationship is. This keeps the tension in his timeline high, and there's a lot of complexity in his story and character.

Overall, I was drawn into this story and all its intrigue in both timelines. All the lead characters were well-developed and each faced their own series of dilemmas and moral decisions that would shape their lives and the lives of those around them, and the best choice was not always obvious. I enjoyed the portrayal of a politician as a positive character, and the layered nature of the historical timeline. By the end of the story, the reader has learned all the secrets, but not all the characters have, and I appreciated that while the story is wrapped up to satisfaction, the final chapter leaves enough of an opening for the reader to wonder what will happen when those final secrets are revealed.

Secrets Sealed Within a Wall Come to Light in Lower Manhattan

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical series of romance and adventure.

Investigative historical journalist Andrea Andrews is tired of waiting tables to make ends meet. If she could find and write the next breakout story, she could secure a promotion with Smithsonian Magazine as their writer-at-large. But not much happens in lower Manhattan out of the ordinary until she discovers post-Civil War counterfeit bills hidden in the wall of her historic district apartment.

Politics have always been Beau Davidson-Quincy's passion, despite his family's real estate empire. His clean image and single status make him a target in the media as he prepares to build his campaign for New York governor. He has nothing to hide until a cute waitress unravels a mystery that could destroy his family's reputation.

Two centuries earlier, wounded Civil War veteran Franklin Davidson lost everything―his house, his wife, his standing in society. In his darkest moment, he's awarded a position with the newly formed Secret Service to combat the spread of counterfeit U.S. currency. His life and new home in Gramercy Park are the envy of his peers, but nothing is as it seems. Secrets are meant to be kept, and Franklin will take his to his grave.

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

By the same author: All That Glitters (novella) in the Lumberjacks and Ladies collection.

This is a book that sent me down a rabbit hole (#29) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge

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©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - In Spotlight and Shadow

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In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel - The Doors to the Past series delivers again with another well-crafted dual timeline story. It opens in modern day Pittsburgh, with Elise stressing about whether she'll ever win approval - in a relationship or professionally. She wants to earn a spot playing violin in the symphony but her stage fright is so bad she's terrified to audition. Her friend sets up the audition for her, and the same day a mysterious package arrives for Elise - and she's convinced that the valuable piece of jewelry hidden inside is a clue to her father's identity. When Elise goes to visit her music teacher and mentor, she's shocked and embarrassed to find her high school crush there. Pierson disappointed her years ago, and now he's a big country star. But he seems determined to help her over the stage fright, help her track down the clues to her father's identity, and maybe rekindle more than just a friendship between them.

The historical timeline takes place in the 1920s, in the theater in Pittsburgh. Sophie is a hopeful stage actress with a mysterious past, and when some valuable pieces of jewelry are stolen from theatre patrons, it seems she may be connected. To her dismay, the detective working on the case is none other than Sterling, the man she left at the wedding altar with no explanation. As Sophie is framed for the thefts, she must try to make things right with Sterling, and eventually decide to reveal her secrets in order to clear her name and catch the real thief.

The jewelry is the piece that ties the two stories together, but the common theme is that both ladies are struggling to find their identity and worth amid rejection and uncertainty about their parents. Both Elise and Sophie question whether the relationship with their respective beaux can survive the pain of the past and the questions about who they really are. Both storylines take a few unexpected turns along the way as the main characters change and grow. 

From the publisher:

A Gem of a Mystery Takes Center Stage

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

Elise Malvern has a habit of letting people down. Her former boyfriend who hoped she'd be his bride. Her grandfather who hoped she'd take over the family's auction company. But mostly she's disappointed herself. What's the point of pursuing her passion as a violinist, if she is too scared to audition for a seat in the Pittsburgh Symphony? Her internship at the elegant Heinz Hall places her in the wings of the stage, but never on it. By accident, she discovers an old stage prop. Her instincts tell her there's more to the paste necklace than meets the eye. Whether a good idea or not, she accepts help from a childhood friend, who happens to be a country music megastar - Pierson Brooks. Pierson and Elise share a history; one she doesn't care to repeat. The more involved they become in the mystery, the more things get tangled, including her heart.

A century earlier . . .

Sophie Walters longs for center stage, her name on the marquee, and all that jazz, but climbing her way into an acting career is more difficult than she imagined. Having spoiled all her chances in Hollywood, she returns to Pittsburgh, accepting an insignificant role in a popular production. She watches her dreams pass by from behind the curtain at the illustrious Loew's Penn Theatre. She finally gets the coveted spotlight, but not for her talent. No, her surge to fame is all one terrible mistake. Somehow, she's suspected to be a notorious jewel thief known around Pittsburgh as The Mirage. The man she pleads for help is non other than the man she jilted at the altar five years before, Sterling Monroe.

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review.

#InSpotlightandShadow  #NetGalley

By the same author: Undercurrent of Secrets

This is a book with a shadow on the cover for the February 2023 Mini-Challenge.

This is a book set in a workplace (#31) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2023

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - What I Would Tell You

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What I Would Tell You by Liz Tolsma - Mathilda and her husband are Sephardic Jews building a life in Salonika, Greece in 1941, when the Nazis march in and their world changes. Mathilda uses the small Jewish newspaper she publishes herself to urge the people of their community to be brave and to not give in to fear, even to resist, but what can they do against such a relentless enemy? Their movements are restricted, businesses confiscated, and eventually most of the men are sent away to labor camps. Mathilda helps the council come up with a plan to ransom the men back, but the cost is tremendous, and soon the Jews are all forced into ghettos and the transportations to Poland begin. As things get more bleak each day, Mathilda is anxious for the future of the baby she carries, and grateful for the help and support of one Greek Christian friend who takes her own risks to offer hope.

In 2019, Tessa is a college student struggling with the awkward dynamics in her family when she and her cousin get the results from genetic testing to find out their family background. Tessa is puzzled when hers doesn't match her cousins at all, and that she has Sephardic Jewish heritage. With no answers from her mother, and her grandparents gone, she impulsively decides to travel to Greece and research her family's roots there. With help from a guide at the museum, she digs into the little information she has in hopes of finding relatives of her great-grandmother that still lived in the area. And she realizes she must answer for herself the questions of whether she could be Christian and Jewish, and what her Jewish heritage might mean.

This novel tells the story of the Jewish people in Greece and what they suffered during World War II in a poignant way, with its focus on the character Mathilda. She is a courageous and decisive character, and through what she writes in her diary and in her little newspaper, the horrors and uncertainties of the time are made very real and personal. The modern character Tessa and her complicated family with all its tensions is a relatable and sympathetic character as well. She borrows Mathilda's translated diary from the museum in her effort to understand what happened to the Jews in Thessaloniki around the time her grandmother was born, and in this way the two stories unfold together. Both characters keep a diary or journal, and excerpts from these writings are what mark the shift from one viewpoint character to the other.

The story is well-written and very moving, and although I found it hard to read at times because I knew what the likely outcome would be for Mathilda and her loved ones, it was carefully told so that it was honest but not graphic. While telling a piece of history that many are not familiar with, the story also draws on the themes of a mother's powerful love and the importance of family and loyalty.

From the Publisher:

Determined to resist the invading Nazis, a Greek Jewish woman's greatest dream has become her worst nightmare, and now she faces an impossible choice whose consequences echo across the generations.

1941 - The pounding of Nazi boots on the streets of Salonika, Greece, reverberates in Mathilda Nissim's ears, shaking her large community of Sephardic Jews to its core and altering her life forever. If only her people would rise up and resist their captors. At great risk to herself and those around her, she uses the small newspaper she publishes to call them to action, all to no avail. Her husband encourages her to trust God to watch over them, but God has once again deserted His people. Amid the chaos, Mathilda discovers she's expecting a longed-for child. Still, nothing stops the occupier's noose from tightening around their necks, and she may have to resort to desperate measures to ensure her daughter's survival.

2019 - College student Tessa Payton and her cousin take a popular DNA heritage test only to discover they don't share any common ancestors. In fat, the test reveals Tessa is a Greek Sephardic Jew. This revelation threatens her tenuous faith. Always the overlooked child in her family, she empties her savings account and jets off on a journey to Greece to discover where she belongs and which God demands her allegiance. The enchanting curator at the Jewish museum guides her as she navigates life in Thessaloniki, helps her with her genealogical research, and loans her a fascinating journal written by a Jewish woman during WWII. Tessa's search, however, may open old wounds and uncover long-hidden secrets that could fracture her family forever and leave her with more question than when she started.

Based in part on true accounts of Jews in Salonika, Greece, What I Would Tell You traces two women's journeys, delving into what faith looks like and where it leads us as they navigate difficult circumstances and impossible choices that have ripple effects across the years.

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

By the same author: A Promise Engraved, The Silver Shadow, The Gold Digger, The Pink Bonnet, The Green Dress

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

This is a book with a dedication (#9) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2023

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The Master Craftsman

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The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart - This dual timeline story combines a modern treasure hunt with a historical drama, with a bit of suspense and a hint of romance thrown in. In the historical timeline, the story follows the great Peter Karl Fabergé. Having risen to fame and success as a jeweler for the imperial tsar of Russia, he finds himself with divided loyalties as unrest pushes Russia closer to the Bolsehvik Revolution. Fabergé has supplied the beautiful jeweled Easter Eggs to the tsar's family for years, but now he secretly creates an Egg to express his dual allegiance. As the danger mounts, he entrusts the secret of the Egg to a trusted master craftsman in his business, Alma Pihl, and asks her to keep the secret safe when she escapes to her native Finland.

In the present-day timeline, Ava Laine finds herself intrigued by the possibility of helping her estranged father complete one last treasure hunt. The great treasure hunter Nick Laine is bedridden and when Ava and her mother go to see him, Ava volunteers to be his 'padawan' or apprentice to find a mysterious Fabergé egg. Her mother Carol and her friend Zak join the team and they head to Russia to track down the clues. In St Petersburg, they connect with two trusted contacts of Nick's and begin the hunt.

The two story lines unfold in alternating chapters, with the historical story following Fabergé, his wife Augusta, and Alma; and the present day story focusing on Ava. The suspense builds as Ava and her team follow the few leads they have, but relying more on Ava's instincts as the days go by. Then when everything in the hunt goes wrong, Ava finds herself in greater danger than she thought possible, and must decide who she can trust in a race for her life and to find the missing Fabergé egg.

This story took some unexpected twists in both timelines, and the complex relationships and personal dilemmas kept me turning pages, as did the rich background of historical context of the Fabergé eggs.

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2022 European Reading Challenge

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This is a book set on at least two continents (#12) for The 52 Book Club's 2022 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub2022

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - A Promise Engraved

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A Promise Engraved by Liz Tolsma - In 1836, Josie Wilkins wants to do her part to defend her Texas home and family from the attacks of General Santa Anna's army. She is a very good spy, and is courageous and determined. Her father and stepmother are reluctant to let Josie act as messenger to Stephen Austin, but her personal experience of losing her mother and sister to invading Mexicans drives her on. Josie also has a very dark secret that motivates her, one that brings nightmares and anxiety, and one that she is afraid to share with John Gilbert, the town's preacher.

In modern day San Antonio, Kayleigh Hewland finds a cats eye ring at a flea market that catches her eye, and purchasing it seems to set off a series of dangerous events. Kayleigh believes the ring could be the same one taken from her own mother years ago and could be a key to understanding her past. She seeks the help of Brandon, a jewelry appraiser, to decipher a mysterious inscription inside the band of the ring, and the partnership leads towards a relationship.

The cats-eye ring is what connects the stories across the years. Both young women value the ring because it's been passed down through their family and to each of them it holds powerful memories of their mother and represents a tie to their past, even as they both deal with the painful parts of their past. In both timelines, someone else is trying to wrest the ring from them, so it really is a center of the conflicts. 

Josie's story involves the Alamo, so that historical event is explored, giving a young woman's perspective to the tragedy. And Kayleigh's career and personal history involve the modern day immigration crisis at the US-Mexico border. I enjoyed the settings and background, and the perspectives of both characters - the portrayal of the events leading up to the Battle of the Alamo, some ideas about what it may have been like inside the mission for the few women that were there and survived, and a gentle reminder of the very real problems of children being brought across the southern border illegally and the dilemmas they face.

From the Publisher:

Can Promises Made in Times of Struggle Endure 200 Years?

Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.

Young, spirited Josie Wilkins' life is about to take a turn when faced with political turmoil and secret love in San Antonio of 1836. John Gilbert has won her heart, despite being a Protestant preacher who is forbidden to practice his faith in Texas. If he discovers the secrets of her painful past, he will never have anything to do with her. But then comes the Battle of the Alamo. Will either of them survive an epic battle for liberty to create a legacy of love?

Nearly 200 years later, Kayleigh Hewland takes breaks from her demanding job as a refugee coordinator working with Mexican migrants to attend flea markets where she has found a uniquely engraved ring that helps her discover who killed her parents. Enlisting the help of appraiser Brandon Mullins, they piece together a love story long forgotten. But will dangers linked to the ring end her own hopes for leaving a legacy built on hope, faith, and love?

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

By the same author: The Silver Shadow, The Gold Digger, The Pink Bonnet, The Green Dress

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

This is a Five-Syllable Title (#15) for The 52 Book Club's 2022 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub2022

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Love's Fortress

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

Love's Fortress by Jennifer Uhlarik - Danielle Sango is skeptical and bitter when she hears that she has inherited her father's estate. She's had no contact with him for years and he was a convicted art forger whose reputation has overshadowed her life, so she doesn't expect to find anything in his home or belongings that she wants. What she does find is his best friend and neighbor, Matty, who has plenty of information about her father, and plenty of fatherly advice and encouragement for her. Matty takes Dani under his wing and helps her navigate all the shocking discoveries. 

Among Franklin Sango's effects is a book of Native American drawings, and some email messages about it. Dani follows up on the emails and meets museum curator Brad Osgood who helps her research the book's authenticity and how Franklin acquired it. Brad has just taken guardianship of his four-year-old niece, and despite his reluctance to get involved with any drama or complications related to an art forger's daughter, he and Dani are drawn together and both of them find that Matty is a wonderful mentor.

In the story from the past, Broken Bow is among a group of Plains Indians relocated to St Augustine, Florida in 1875. They are imprisoned at Fort Marion, but the Lieutenant in charge wants them to be educated and trained so that they can eventually return to their tribes and live peaceably with the white settlers. Sally Jo Harris and her fiance Luke Worthing have been hoping to go to the mission field, but the arrival of the Indians opens the door for them to teach and share the gospel right at home. Broken Bow initially rebels against his captors but finds friendship with Sally Jo and Luke, and makes great strides in learning to speak and read English. Not everyone in St Augustine is accepting of the Indians though, and Sally Jo's father is harsh and controlling, which eventually leads to danger and false accusations that put all of them at great risk.

The story is told from multiple perspectives - switching back and forth between present day viewpoint characters Dani and Brad, and 1875 viewpoint characters Sally Jo and Broken Bow. At first I felt it would be difficult to follow, but it's actually quite clear. Dani is a brittle and negative character at the beginning, but after awhile I warmed up to her as she found out the truth about a father she never knew. Matty is a wonderful father figure character that brings each of the characters in the present day story together and guides them towards healing and answers. The story from the past is quite compelling, as the situation of Broken Bow and the rest of the Indians is difficult, and the commanding officer is doing his best to help them under restrictive circumstances. The scene in which Broken Bow hears the gospel is one of the most moving I've read in a long time. 

A great read as the connection between the past and the present characters is gradually revealed, and the storylines of healing and forgiveness combine.

From the publisher:

An Epic Love Story From the Past Brings Closure to Dani's Fractured Family Roots

Walk through Doors to the Past via a series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

When Dani Sango's art forger father passes away, Dani inherits his home. Among his effects is a book of Native American drawings, which lead her to seek the help of museum curator Brad Osgood to decipher the ledger art. Why would her father have this book? Is it just another forgery?

Brad Osgood's four-year-old niece, Brynn, needs a safe home, and Brad longs to provide it The last thing he needs is more drama, especially from a forger's daughter. But when the two meet "accidentally" at St. Augustine's 350-year-old Spanish fort, Castillo de San Marcos, he can't ignore the intriguing woman. 

Broken Bow is among seventy-three Plains Indians transported to Florida in 1875 for incarceration at ancient Fort Marion. Sally Jo Harris and Luke Worthing dream of serving God on a foreign mission field, but when the Indians arrive in St. Augustine, God changes their pans. Then when a friendship develops between Sally Jo and Broken Bow and false accusations fly, it could cost them their lives. 

Can Dani discover how Broken Bow and Sally Jo's story ends and how it connects to her father's life?

 Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

By the same author: The Scarlet Pen

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Recent Reads - High-Wire Heartbreak

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High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt - Chloe Whitfield is a successful mystery novelist, but she needs inspiration for her upcoming book which will be set at Ca' d'Zan, the Florida home of John Ringling. She's arranged to stay at the estate while it's being renovated so she can do research on the history and setting - it's important to her to get all the details right. She has no intention of allowing anything personal into her novel, but she does have a personal interest in the Ringling circus. Her great-grandmother, Lucinda Conroy, was a trapeze artist in the circus, but she seemed to have disappeared. All Chloe knows is that her Grandma Alice was Lucy's only child, and Alice was raised in an orphanage before being adopted by a couple from New Jersey.

Chloe's passing interest in Lucy intensifies when she notices a poster showing Lucy performed at Ringling's private birthday gala at Ca' d'Zan. A little more digging turned up a newspaper article reporting that she was accused of stealing that evening and was arrested. With help from the estate's historian, Dr. Ian Flanner, and a couple other young staffers, Chloe gathers information for her novel and follows Lucy's trail as well. And along the way, Chloe and Ian get closer.

In alternating chapters, the reader is taken back to the 1930s to follow Lucy's story. At the pinnacle of her performing career, she discovers she's been duped by the man she thought was her husband. Now she's pregnant and alone, and unsure where to turn. When she's framed for a theft, her trapeze partner comes to her rescue and the two of them come up with a bold plan to help her evade arrest and have her baby. She plans to bring up her child herself despite her circumstances and health concerns, but what if her true identity is revealed?

It took me a few chapters to warm up to Chloe, but I liked her more as she learned about Ca' d'Zan and her great-grandmother; and got more invested in the friendships she's building with Ian and her assistant. I felt that Chloe was a bit flat as a character, but Lucy was much more well-developed. There were some interesting and unexpected twists in both storylines and I enjoyed both. 

From the Publisher:

In 1936--A party at the Ringling mansion Ca d'Zan in Sarasota, Florida, leads to a robbery--and possibly death.

A successful historical mystery writer, Chloe Whitfield comes to Ca' d'Zan to research her next novel. Chloe's fascination with the circus is rooted in family stories of her great-grandmother Lucinda Conroy, who reportedly was a trapeze artist of some renown. She's heard hints of scandal - and perhaps larceny, but no details.

Chloe's grandmother - rumored to be Lucinda's only offspring - was raised in an orphanage and never knew her mother. Intrigued as she is, Chloe has no intent of writing about Lucinda until she sees a poster featuring Lucinda as the star performer for a 70th birthday gala for John Ringling in May of 1936. From there the trail goes cold.

Who was Lucinda and what happened to her?

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Behind Love's Wall

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Behind Love's Wall by Carrie Fancett Pagels - This novel in the 'Doors to the Past' series is set on Mackinack Island in Michigan, at the historic Grand Hotel. In 2020, successful interior designer Willa comes to consult for a possible redesign of some of the hotel's rooms. It's also a homecoming of sorts for her, because she lived on the island when she was very young. Willa hopes to find some answers about her past while there - but she was not expecting to be attracted to a handsome landscape artist Michael who also has ties to the Grand Hotel. Willa discovers an old journal belonging to a singer that performed at the hotel over a hundred years ago, and while her interest starts out as curiosity, she realizes that the journal may reveal secrets of several old families in the area . . . including hers and Michael's.

In 1895, renowned singer Lily Swaine is enjoying her time as the resident performer at the Grand Hotel, but she has secrets in her past that she fears would ruin her. The handsome Dr. Stephen DuBlanc is pursuing her and she is torn about her response. As much as she is attracted to him, he is a psychiatrist and if he were to find out who Lily's mother had been . . . and worse, that her mother may have a connection to a tragedy in Stephen's family. Lily has difficult decisions to make as she navigates her own estranged family members and the truth about her past.

I especially enjoyed the 1895 storyline, and although the entire novel was well-written and solidly researched, the cast of secondary characters in both storylines was so large and the family members so interconnected that I gave up trying to keep everyone straight. I found out later that many of these secondary characters are families from other novels by Pagels, and realized that's why a couple of the names did seem familiar. I think to fans of the author, this connection to her other novels would be delightful, and those readers may have an easier time with the family connections. I was less drawn to the characters in the 2020 storyline, although it was very realistic, right down to the characters needing to wear their masks and the hotel having reduced capacity because of the pandemic. 

A lovely addition to the Doors to the Past series, with an interesting focus on how past trauma affects people; but not my personal favorite.

From the publisher:

The Grand Hotel Slowly Reveals Her Secrets

Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.

Two successful women, a hundred-and-twenty years apart, build walls to protect their hearts. Modern-day Willa, a successful interior decorator, is chosen to consult for the Grand Hotel's possible redesign. She discovers a journal detailing the struggles of a young woman, Lily - which reveals dark secrets. The renowned singer wasn't who she pretended to be. As Willa reaches out to Lily's descendant, a charismatic and prominent landscape artist, she lets down her guard. Should she share the journal with him, or once again erect a wall as she struggles to redesign both the Grand and her life?

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Undercurrent of Secrets

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Undercurrent of Secrets by Rachel Scott McDaniel - Devyn Asbury is trying to move on after a bitter betrayal and breakup, and loves her job as wedding coordinator on a historic river steamboat, the Belle of Louisville. The Belle is a finalist in an important wedding venue contest, and Devyn needs to pour all her creativity and energy into preparing for the event. Then Chase Jones shows up, and bargains his own creative skills in exchange for her help in finding out about a young woman that appears in a 1920s photo taken on the Belle.

In the timeline from the 1920s, Hattie Louis is the adopted daughter of a steamboat captain. She loves their life on the river and is involved in all aspects of it. Then her Papa welcomes new first mate on board, Jack Marshall, and everything changes. At first she is suspicious of Jack, but eventually he earns her respect and friendship. As their relationship blossoms, they cooperate to find answers to some of the odd happenings on the steamboat. After all, Jack is a federal agent looking for rumrunners. 

The storylines alternate, with Devyn and Chase building their own relationship and preparing the Belle for the contest while hunting down leads about Hattie and what her connection might be to Chase's great-grandfather. Devyn has her past to reckon with, so she's hesitant to trust Chase, and he has secrets as well. There are some unexpected twists in both storylines that add intrigue and mystery to the unfolding romances during the two timeframes.

From the publisher:

Two women, a century apart, are bound by a haunting secret aboard a legendary steamboat.

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

As wedding coordinator for the 100-year-old steamboat The Belle of Louisville, Devyn Asbury takes pride in seeing others' dreams come true, even though her engagement had sunk like a diamond ring to the bottom of the Ohio River. When the Belle becomes a finalist in the Timeless Wedding Venue contest, Devyn endeavors to secure the prestigious title with hopes to reclaim some of her professional dreams. What she hadn't planned on was Chase Jones showing up with a mysterious photo from the 1920s.

A century earlier, Hattie Louis is as untamable as the rivers that raised her. As the adopted daughter of a steamboat captain, her duties range from the entertainment to cook. When strange incidents occur aboard the boat, Hattie's determined to discover the truth. Even if that means getting under First Mate Jack Marshall's handsome skin.

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.