myersjewels reviewed on 11/3/2011 + 58 more book reviews

Marielle Bishop becomes the second wife of Carson Bishop and inherits much more than step children when she moves into the home he shared with his first wife. She joins the ready made family of Carson, his two children, and his first wifes grandmother, Adelaide. She also learns of the legends associated with the old southern mansion they all live in which includes tales of a great grandmother who was thought to be a Civil War spy for the North and whose ghost supposedly haunts the home. Feeling somewhat out of place and curious, Marielle begins to explore the house and look for clues to the past while Adelaide faces her own fears.

When I started reading this book it soon became apparent that it was not what I had expected the story line to be and I was not sure I would like it at all. But the more I read, the more it reminded me of the old Daphne du Maurier novel Rebecca. I continued reading and found it to become more and more interesting as I delved deeper into the book. I particularly liked the section of Susannahs letters and would have preferred that the entire book be her story. But all of the elements of a good suspense story were there with a satisfying conclusion. Marielles husband left a lot to be desired but if you can get past his non-involvement with his new wife and his lack of personality, the rest of the characters are interesting. My only criticism of the book would be the use of a medium and the obsession with ghosts and the supernatural. That really does not fit into the category of Christian fiction. It only contains the slightest mention of God with no reference to salvation or living a Christian life. While I dont think a book needs to be overly preachy to get the point across I expect more for one to be called Christian fiction. It is still a good read for those who like mysteries, but I would not recommend it as a Christian book.

I received this complimentary copy from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group through their Blogging for Books program. A positive review was not required and the opinions expressed here are my own.

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