Happy Friday Everyone :)
I hope you've all had a great week, and that you're all looking forward to the weekend.
My weekend is going to be a fun one! I work my usual shift today, but then I'm actually off for the next three days. Tomorrow I'm hosting a small birthday supper for my hubby, and then Sunday we're going to take in an annual Christmas performance at a local Bible college, and it's always one of my favorite traditions of the Christmas season.
Before all of this commences however, I'd like to share a review with all of you guys for Jaime Jo Wright's upcoming book release. It will be out in the world on Tuesday, and I can guarantee you're not going to want to miss out on this one!
Echoes Among The Stones by Jaime Jo Wright:
Source: Publisher Via NetGalley
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: December 3rd, 2019
Genre: Christian Fiction/Mystery Thriller
Synopsis:
After Aggie Dunkirk's career is unceremoniously ended by her own mistakes, she finds herself traveling to Wisconsin, where her grandmother, Mumsie, lives alone in her vintage, though very outdated, home. Aggie didn't plan for how eccentric Mumsie has become, obsessing over an old, unsolved crime scene--even going so far as to re-create it in a dollhouse.
Mystery seems to follow Aggie when she finds work as a secretary helping to restore the flooded historical part of the town's cemetery. Forced to work with a puzzling yet attractive archaeologist, she exhumes the past's secrets and unwittingly uncovers a crime that some will go to any length to keep hidden--even if that means silencing Aggie.
In 1946, Imogene Grayson works in a beauty salon but has her sights set on Hollywood. But coming home to discover her younger sister's body in the attic changes everything. Unfamiliar with the burgeoning world of forensic science and, as a woman, not particularly welcomed into the investigation, Imogene is nonetheless determined to stay involved. As her sister's case grows cold, Imogene vows to find justice . . . no matter the cost.
(synopsis from goodreads)
My Review:
Jaime Jo Wright is truly a master at writing dual timeline stories, and Echoes Among the Stones might just be her best yet. While I have personally loved every single story she's written, I enjoyed that this one is written quite differently from its predecessors. All three of her previous novels had a kind of creepy or sinister overlay that almost seemed supernatural, and while I enjoyed them all, it was nice to see her tackle a different kind of mystery story as well. In this particular story, instead of it being about legends and stories haunting a town, the focus is on a decades old cold case that almost everyone has mostly forgotten about it.
In the 1940's, a tragic murder occurs, and Imogen refuses to come to terms with how her little sister's life ended so senselessly. She's determined to find the killer, and have them brought to justice for their actions, even when it means throwing herself in the killer's path in the process. In present day, Aggie has returned home to care for her ailing grandmother, Mumsie. With no other job prospects in site, she takes a secretarial position at the local cemetery. What starts out as a mundane position quickly turns into something more, as it seems that someone is unhappy with the answers that Aggie and the cemetery archaeologist, Colin, are discovering. Soon sinister happenings are popping up everywhere, and the more answers Aggie seeks, the more buried bits and pieces of history seem to interconnect.
Echoes Among The Stones was one of those stories that you never want to end, and yet you couldn't stop yourself from reading quickly as you just had to find out how everything was going to wrap up. I love when an author is able to keep me guessing with a mystery right until the reveal, and Jamie Jo Wright was able to do so. When everything is finally revealed, I was blown away. I honestly had no clue, and hadn't even remotely pieced everything together. This lady truly knows how to write the best mysteries, and I loved that part of the story.
However, I also loved how much more there was to the story beyond the mystery. There's just the perfect hint of romance in both time periods, there's a heavy focus on the familial unit, and we get an up close view of the steps taken by both Mumsie and Aggie to mend their broken relationship. Another big focus of the story is on grief and healing, and I loved how the faith message was heavily tied into this part of the story. Jesus' love is never represented as the means to an easy life. Instead, it's showcased as something you'll have no matter how tough the tough times get, and I loved that!
If you're looking for a nail biting mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat, then look no further than Echoes Among The Stones. If you've been hesitant to pick up one of this author's books in the past, then this is the perfect one to start with!
Final Rating: 5/5
Thanks so much to Bethany House and NetGalley for allowing me to advance read this.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Bethany House) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.
I hope you've all had a great week, and that you're all looking forward to the weekend.
My weekend is going to be a fun one! I work my usual shift today, but then I'm actually off for the next three days. Tomorrow I'm hosting a small birthday supper for my hubby, and then Sunday we're going to take in an annual Christmas performance at a local Bible college, and it's always one of my favorite traditions of the Christmas season.
Before all of this commences however, I'd like to share a review with all of you guys for Jaime Jo Wright's upcoming book release. It will be out in the world on Tuesday, and I can guarantee you're not going to want to miss out on this one!
Echoes Among The Stones by Jaime Jo Wright:
Source: Publisher Via NetGalley
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: December 3rd, 2019
Genre: Christian Fiction/Mystery Thriller
Synopsis:
After Aggie Dunkirk's career is unceremoniously ended by her own mistakes, she finds herself traveling to Wisconsin, where her grandmother, Mumsie, lives alone in her vintage, though very outdated, home. Aggie didn't plan for how eccentric Mumsie has become, obsessing over an old, unsolved crime scene--even going so far as to re-create it in a dollhouse.
Mystery seems to follow Aggie when she finds work as a secretary helping to restore the flooded historical part of the town's cemetery. Forced to work with a puzzling yet attractive archaeologist, she exhumes the past's secrets and unwittingly uncovers a crime that some will go to any length to keep hidden--even if that means silencing Aggie.
In 1946, Imogene Grayson works in a beauty salon but has her sights set on Hollywood. But coming home to discover her younger sister's body in the attic changes everything. Unfamiliar with the burgeoning world of forensic science and, as a woman, not particularly welcomed into the investigation, Imogene is nonetheless determined to stay involved. As her sister's case grows cold, Imogene vows to find justice . . . no matter the cost.
(synopsis from goodreads)
My Review:
Jaime Jo Wright is truly a master at writing dual timeline stories, and Echoes Among the Stones might just be her best yet. While I have personally loved every single story she's written, I enjoyed that this one is written quite differently from its predecessors. All three of her previous novels had a kind of creepy or sinister overlay that almost seemed supernatural, and while I enjoyed them all, it was nice to see her tackle a different kind of mystery story as well. In this particular story, instead of it being about legends and stories haunting a town, the focus is on a decades old cold case that almost everyone has mostly forgotten about it.
In the 1940's, a tragic murder occurs, and Imogen refuses to come to terms with how her little sister's life ended so senselessly. She's determined to find the killer, and have them brought to justice for their actions, even when it means throwing herself in the killer's path in the process. In present day, Aggie has returned home to care for her ailing grandmother, Mumsie. With no other job prospects in site, she takes a secretarial position at the local cemetery. What starts out as a mundane position quickly turns into something more, as it seems that someone is unhappy with the answers that Aggie and the cemetery archaeologist, Colin, are discovering. Soon sinister happenings are popping up everywhere, and the more answers Aggie seeks, the more buried bits and pieces of history seem to interconnect.
Echoes Among The Stones was one of those stories that you never want to end, and yet you couldn't stop yourself from reading quickly as you just had to find out how everything was going to wrap up. I love when an author is able to keep me guessing with a mystery right until the reveal, and Jamie Jo Wright was able to do so. When everything is finally revealed, I was blown away. I honestly had no clue, and hadn't even remotely pieced everything together. This lady truly knows how to write the best mysteries, and I loved that part of the story.
However, I also loved how much more there was to the story beyond the mystery. There's just the perfect hint of romance in both time periods, there's a heavy focus on the familial unit, and we get an up close view of the steps taken by both Mumsie and Aggie to mend their broken relationship. Another big focus of the story is on grief and healing, and I loved how the faith message was heavily tied into this part of the story. Jesus' love is never represented as the means to an easy life. Instead, it's showcased as something you'll have no matter how tough the tough times get, and I loved that!
If you're looking for a nail biting mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat, then look no further than Echoes Among The Stones. If you've been hesitant to pick up one of this author's books in the past, then this is the perfect one to start with!
Final Rating: 5/5
Thanks so much to Bethany House and NetGalley for allowing me to advance read this.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Bethany House) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.
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