Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Split Time
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: April 2024

1910

Effie James’ sister falls into a catatonic state after witnessing a horrific crime. Effie is determined to protect her from a killer’s reprisal. The problem is no body has been found and no one believes her. When a British gentleman arrives in town searching for his missing wife who was last seen at none other than 322 Predicament Avenue, the scene of the murder, he believes Effie. However, her relief is short lived when their search for the truth uncovers secrets some have already killed for.

Present Day

Drowning under the weight of social anxiety and grief, Norah Richman struggles to run her late great-aunt’s bed and breakfast at 322 Predicament Avenue. Norah longs to escape the haunted building and all its memories, but she is determined to keep her murdered sister’s dream alive. BnB guest and podcaster Sebastian Blaine’s investigation into the past pokes dormant ghosts back to life, threatening to bring death once more to the doorstep of 322 Predicament Avenue.

Jaime Jo Wright returns with another gothic tale that will keep you guessing until the end. As always, the author pens vivid settings that transport the reader deep into other worlds and time periods. It’s no secret that I love pretty much everything about her books—the unique characters, creepy mysteries, mind-twisting plots—but the settings are hands down my favorite. They stick with me long, and I mean LONG after finishing the last page. I have read all Wright’s stories and her early books stick with me as clearly as her latest ones.

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue delivers all Wright’s trademark elements—ghouls of the human kind, breath-snatching mysteries, and of course a message of hope. I strongly recommend Wright’s novels to readers who enjoy stories on the eerie side that don’t sacrifice morality and faith.

Review copy provided as part of the Austenprose Book Tour. Thank you!

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater by Jaime Jo Wright

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Split Time
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: October 2023

Barlowe Theater stole Greta Mercy’s eldest brother during its construction. So when her younger brother vanishes within its walls after the final hammer has been silenced, Greta vows not to let the place rip another loved one from her life. With the help of a local police officer and some friends, Greta will descend to the very depths of Barlowe Theater to unravel its ghostly secrets.

Decades have passed, but ghouls still haunt the theater’s darkened tunnels. Any doubts of this fact evaporate when Kit Boyd’s best friend goes missing while leading a tour for a ghost-hunting television show. Desperate that her friend’s disappearance not become another on a long list of unexplainable occurrences, Kit has no alternative but to join forces with the show’s co-host and skeptic Evan Fischer.

Ghostly appearances and mind-bending happenings weave an eerie tale within the pages of The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater. Known for her Scooby-Doo-like resolutions, this is one story that will have readers questioning if Jaime Jo Wright has crafted a mystery even she can’t explain.

After ten books, several of which I’ve read numerous times, one would think I could figure out the villains by now. If nothing else, I should at least know how the author’s brain works, right? Wrong! Sure, I uncover a twist here and there, a potential motive, even a culprit or two but without fail, she shocks me. For that reason, when I read The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater, I suspected EVERY. SINGLE. CHARACTER. Okay, every single character … except one. I’m sure you know where this is going. Despite knowing better, I never doubted him/her for a second. It didn’t even cross my mind to doubt him/her. You can imagine the very real, very loud gasp that erupted from my throat when his/her true nature came to light.

I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy rich storyworlds, deep characterization, and eerie mysteries. New and old fans alike won’t be disappointed.

Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley. Thanks!

Where Ivy Dares to Grow by Mirielle Thompson

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: June 2023

Saoirse Read accompanies her fiancé to his family’s ancestral home to be by the side of his terminally-ill mother. She finds the ancient home with darkened corridors and drafty halls almost as cold and uninviting as the souls living within it. Her fiance’s parents make no attempt to hide their disapproval, a feeling long since shared with their son. Alone and shunned, Saoirse ambles through the neglected estate, slipping through the halls of time to 1818 where she encounters Theo Page, her fiance’s ancestor, where she learns of one family tree with two very different apples.

Outlander meets Nicholas Sparks in this atmospheric timeslip. Where Ivy Dares to Grow has left this reviewer with polarized emotions and in a conundrum as to how to best approach them. Debut author Mirielle Thompson has proven she is a voice to lookout for, but sadly the same cannot be said about the story.

Riveting and immersive, the 1994 thread delivered eerie gothicness at its best. Exquisitely selected words painted over my world, replacing it with Saoirse’s as what she saw and felt took over.

However, as soon as Saoirse stepped into 1818, I also stepped into another book altogether. Gone were the lush descriptions and vivid portrayals, and in its place remained a caricature. Previously rich depictions were watered down to “the clothing/furniture/etc. fit the time period.” In addition, the characters lacked depth, which leads me to my biggest struggle with the book and what made it one that I could not enjoy.

The so-called romance was nothing but lust and built entirely on cheating. I cannot root for a character who is unfaithful. The heroine was shallow and unsympathetic, and her motives for not leaving her fiancé proved mercenary. The villainous portrayal of the fiancé and his family felt like a sad attempt to justify her actions.

In conclusion, while I cannot recommend Where Ivy Dares to Grow, the strong writing present in the 1994 thread ensured that I might try a future novel by this author so long as it does not include the protagonists having affairs.

Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley. Thanks!

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Historical Fiction,
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: April 2023

1870 Wisconsin

Fleeing her past, Daisy François accepts a position as housemaid at an isolated castle. As she comes to know the eccentric owner and the haunting legend surrounding the place, Daisy finds she may have traded one set of horrors for another.

Present day

Hired by the grandson of a wealthy family, Cleo Clemmons arrives at Castle Moreau tasked with sorting through everything the aging matriarch has hoarded. Amongst the boxes and stacks of dusty knick-knacks and all-but-forgotten history, Cleo uncovers a terrifying mystery. For a century, women have vanished from the castle, and she might be next.

With haunted corridors, mysterious sounds, and ghostly figures, The Vanishing at Castle Moreau possesses everything one would hope for from a gothic tale. Jaime Jo Wright continues to show why she is the queen of this genre.

This book is different than Wright’s previous ones. I won’t say more than that due to spoilers, but I will say it ensured that I hunted for ghosts in all the wrong corners and was happily outsmarted.

Out of all Wright’s heroines, Daisy and Cleo are the most paralleled to date. I did mix them up and get confused a couple times in the beginning, but once I realized this fact and got to know their characters, I quickly sorted out their threads.

Although a gothic and atmospheric read through-and-through, The Vanishing at Castle Moreau isn’t quite as creepy as some of the author’s previous works. This would probably be a good place to start for readers who have wanted to try one of Wright’s titles but have been hesitant till now. But whether new or returning, mystery fans are in for a treat of castle proportions.

Review copy provided as part of a book tour. Thank you!

The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright

Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: October 2022

1910 Michigan

Self-taught healer, Perliett VanHilton wants nothing more than to help her rural community. Dr. George Wasziak believes her a fraud at best or a charlatan at worst. Having a spiritualist mother who speaks to the dead — for a fee of course — does little to change his mind. But when a superstitious killer comes for Perliett, she has no choice but to trust George even if he makes her doubt everything.

Present Day

Married to her high school sweet heart, Molly Wasziak’s dream life was on track — until it wasn’t. Multiple miscarriages later, they are little more than roommates as they move into the old farm he has just purchased. Fighting depression, any hopes for a fresh start are dashed when the sounds and voices that have plagued her for months follow her there. Her search for purpose uncovers deceptions that reach far into the past with consequences that still reverberate in the present.

Have you heard all the jokes and puns about corn having ears? Well, in The Premonition at Withers Farm, it just might be true. Jaime Jo Wright deftly takes the simple, peaceful traits of country living and twists them upside down, contorting the farm into a spooky, isolating place. I questioned, right along with the characters, whether the faint sound was a soothing breeze or a menacing whisper. By the end, I didn’t know whether to love or fear the chicken coop.

Wright crafts relatable characters confronted with realistic and heart-wrenching challenges. I especially enjoyed that one set of protagonists is a married couple. New love and the initial euphoria have slipped away and in their place, life’s difficulties have wedged a deep gap. On a daily basis, they have to make the choice to walk away or fight to bridge that chasm.

If you enjoy creepy mysteries that keep one guessing and stories that don’t shy away from heavy topics then I recommend The Premonition at Withers Farm.

Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley. Thanks!