About the Book

Title: The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus

Author: Jaime Jo Wright

Genre: Romantic Suspense/Mystery

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Release Date: September 1, 2020

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Publisher's Book Description

"1928

The Bonaventure Circus is a refuge for many, but Pippa Ripley was rejected from its inner circle as a baby. When she receives mysterious messages from someone called the "Watchman," she is determined to find him and the connection to her birth. As Pippa's search leads her to a man seeking justice for his murdered sister and evidence that a serial killer has been haunting the circus train, she must decide if uncovering her roots is worth putting herself directly in the path of the killer.

Present Day

The old circus train depot will either be torn down or preserved for historical importance, and its future rests on real estate project manager Chandler Faulk's shoulders. As she dives deep into the depot's history, she's also balancing a newly diagnosed autoimmune disease and the pressures of single motherhood. When she discovers clues to the unsolved murders of the past, Chandler is pulled into a story far darker and more haunting than even an abandoned train depot could portend."

My Review

Abounding with eerie history, shadowy mystery, and chilling suspense, The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus might just be one of Jaime Jo Wright's best novels to date. It is especially rich in characterization, detailed in its settings, and utterly captivating in its mastery of the dual-timeline plot structure. With excellent pacing, important details are carefully revealed, exposing the secretive and dangerous circumstances in which the characters find themselves. The journey to make sense of the unsettling and frightening events makes for an extremely riveting reading experience.

As it both conceals and reveals its mysteries, the circus setting itself, both in the past and in the present, becomes a grim, complex character whose presence shapes and transforms the story itself. Within this circus setting, the characters grapple with fear, loss, and insecurities. Yet, they display tremendous courage in their determination to find hope and to pursue truth. No matter what secrets are revealed or what facts are discovered, the characters learn to believe that they have been created with purpose, and despite various setbacks, they can still live lives that are meaningful and valuable.

Though I have read all of Jaime Jo Wright's novels so far, I continue to be amazed by the profound skill she displays as she arranges words into sentences that bloom into paragraphs and blossom into stories. In The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus, her writing often appears effortless, yet it is always thoughtful, clever, and very well-researched. Page after page she welcomes the reader into a world that is raw and real, relevant and redemptive. This newest novel by Ms. Wright is exceedingly special, a genuine treat for any lover of stories well-told. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

*I was given a copy of this novel by the publisher. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.

About the Author: Jaime Jo Wright

"Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history's secrets. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com!" --Biography from Jaime Jo Wright's author page on Amazon.com.