I was late discovering the superb novelistic creations wrought by author Jaime Jo Wright, but now that I have, I'm a committed fan. Ms. Wright capably demonstrates how the past is always with us and is in fact foundational, and she does so by cleverly interweaving a plot thread of the past side by side witho the contemporary plot thread which it both prefaces and influences. If you like faith-based but not preachy novels; strong female protagonists with secrets and sins and deepset vulnerability who strive for authenticity; male characters unafraid to be more than a stereotype; taut suspense; and characters who elicit your empathy, do not waste another moment before discovering this author.

THE RECKONING AT GOSSAMER POND

BY JAIME JO WRIGHT



BETHANY HOUSE

BETHANY HOUSE PUBLISHERS

CHRISTIAN

PUB DATE 03 JUL 2018





I am reviewing ing a copy of The Reckoning of Gossamer Pond through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:



The town of Gossamer Grove has thrived in charm and midwestern values for over a century. Annalise Forsythe knows the painful secrets including her own secrets, hide just below the surface.





After a man is found dead in a run down trailer, Annalise ends up inheriting the trailer as well as photographs andvintage obituaries as well as old revival posters. Going through the collections Annalise is in no way prepared for the dark and deadly secrets she’s about to uncover.





A hundred years earlier Gossamer Grove is in chaos caused by the arrival of controversial twin revivalists. The Chaos takes a murderous turn when Libby Sheffield who is working for her Father’s newspaper receives an obituary for a well respected church deacon hours before his death. As Libby works with the Deacon’s son to find the mystery behind the deacon’s death it becomes obvious something is going on in this town. It isn’t until another obituary arrives that they truly realize the depths of the danger they are in.



Two women living a hundred years apart must uncover the secrets of their town before it’s to late and they loose their future or their very souls.







I give The Reckoning of Gossamer Pond five out of five stars!





Happy Reading!

I was a little nervous if this book could live up this book could be as good as the first. I was worried for no reason! I loved every moment of this book! The way the dual timeline interweaves is genius and so much fun! I liked the characters in both timelines, so I looked forward to each one. I also love how the mystery and danger is a little spooky, but nothing too creepy. I don’t want to have to sleep with my lights on. This is the second in a series, but completely standalone for anyone wondering if they can start with this one. I cant wait to see what this author comes out with next. I highly recommend this book!

This story is a timeslip mystery with two main characters- one in current time and one in 1907. It's a complex story with enough mystery to keep you on the edge of your seat and you wonder who did it -both then and now- and why.

Received this book from the publisher via NetGalley all opinions are my own.

Another great story by Jaime Jo Wright! She weaves past and present together effortlessly to solve a mystery brought to light by a death. The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond is the story of the past colliding with the future. From the past, someone is sending obituary notices to the local paper and Libby finds them. That person is then found dead. Can Libby figure out what is going on before it's her turn?

When Eugene Hayes dies, Annalise finds that he has been researching her past and the town's past. What do the murders from the past have to do with her?

I enjoyed reading about this town's past and the people in it as Annalise researched the connections and found out more about the past. If you love a historical mystery/suspense, you will love this story! I enjoyed getting to know the characters from the past and the present. Gossamer Pond sounds like a place I'd love to visit. Can't wait to read more by this author!

I received a free copy from Net Galley in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I have been reading Christian suspense for years, and as much as I enjoy a good mystery sometimes this genre needs a breath of fresh air. Jaime Jo Wright is an incredible author and The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond was even better than her stunning debut novel. While it can be slightly confusing keeping track of going back and forth between time eras, the stories flow seamlessly and hold readers on the edge of their seats. I look forward to reading more from this author!!

I very much enjoyed the first novel by Jaime Jo Wright and was looking forward to her next book. I did not typically like split-time plots, but now this author has turned me around to them by crafting stories that connect is such unique and interesting ways. I very much liked both of the main protagonists in this book and found the overarching theme of forgiveness and moving on from painful pasts something that any reader can relate to. The plots are interesting with the twists and turns and I did not anticipate the villains. My favorite part is seeing how all the details fit together at the end. I very much recommend this book!

Ms. Wright's sophomore novel is both spooky, and creepy. Not scary at all.

I enjoyed the time slip essence of the story. I am a huge fan of time slip and I think she did this superbly.

Libby and Annalise's story wove together beautifully. The mystery was an edge of your seat page turner.

I recommend it!

The Reckoning At Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Jaime Jo Wright offers up a complex, twisty novel that will have readers staying up too late to get to the end – you will just have to know what happened.

I’m always of mixed feelings when an author uses two time periods to tell a story. Its hard to just jump right in to the story as you’ve first got to wade through the set up for each time before the meat of the story is reached. However, Ms. Wright starts her story with a gruesome death that will set up a chain of very scary events. Its 1907 and Libby Sheffield has just found the lifeless body of Deacon Greenwood in the barn of his own property. She had been sent a note listing the dark obituary of Deacon Greenwood the evening before but hadn’t receive it until the next morning. Rushing to the Greenwood House in the hopes that she might find this all a joke, Libby is beyond shocked to discover Deacon Greenwood dead, apparently by his own hand. Summoning the family and the authorities, Libby is heartbroken over the loss of the man she once hoped to call Father-in-law. Libby’s father is the second partner of the town newspaper, a paper that has recently been basing its stories on sensationalism rather than true facts. Libby’s father, Mitch, loves the thrill of offering their readers the most lurid details of the town happenings, regardless of whom it might harm. Libby is hard pressed by this but respectfully defers to him as he is part owner, believing, surely, he would not want the paper to fail and thus is trying to secure a good reader base. But there are many secrets to be found in the quiet town of Gossamer Grove, secrets that are causing more than one person to die. Libby must figure out who is behind all the trouble before another person, perhaps even herself, finds themselves victim of this “righteous” killer. Fast forward 110 years, and Annalise Forsythe receives the shocking news that she has been left the belongings of an old hermit named Eugene Hayes. While Annalise has heard of him and seen him rarely around town, she has no idea why he would leave her his possessions. Add to this the fact that he died with one picture of her in his hand and his walls plastered with many more and Annalise is beyond creeped out by this strange bequest. To make things even stickier, Annaliese gets the news that her former boyfriend, Garrett Greenwood has moved back to town to help build a climbing course/zip line course for the man Annalise is fighting against for property the town council has final vote over. Thus, her life has become anything but boring. Annalise has a heart for the homeless, war veterans or otherwise, in her town and is hoping she will receive the vote to build a shelter for those in need. But with Garrett’s sister, Nicole, as mayor, Annalise is sure all her dreams will come crashing down any day now. The secrets that Annalise and Garrett carry weigh heavy on them both and their full effects are still to be seen. Why did Eugene Hayes have so many pictures of Annalise? Why did he also have pictures and obituaries for members of the Greenwood family? And why is someone trying to keep Annalise from figuring it all out? These are just a few of the questions that will have to be answered as Annalise and Garrett work together to discover all the pieces to this interesting puzzle. But the closer they come to figuring it all out the more dangerous it becomes to Annalise. Will they let the past define and draw them apart? Or will they find that what they had before is just a glimpse of what they could have together now? Ms. Wright did very well in writing these two stories side by side, carefully weaving them together with the essentials and still giving each story plenty of page time. This is one of few stories I’ve read where an author is able to do this – usually they use the flashback method and that just becomes annoying. Both stories have so much to them its hard to tell any more of the important pieces without giving everything away, so I will now steer clear of the important content and discuss the writing. The mysteries of both times were well developed and deeply complex. I read this book rather quickly because I just had to know what happened in each. I loved how Ms. Wright took plenty of time to develop her characters too, giving each a distinctive voice and presence. I was also happy to see the return of a relationship between Annalise and Garrett. Their story deserved a happy ending and I was glad to see that they were able to bring this about with forgiveness and trust. I will say that the romance between Libby and Jacobus Corbin was a bit unexpected, although not unwelcome. I knew that Libby would have to find a way out of Gossamer Grove if she were going to really move on from her past and Jacobus was the perfect answer. There were also journeys of faith for each of the main characters that had to be taken in order for them to find the needed forgiveness and trust that would help them move beyond their hurts into a better life. The ending for each was a little abrupt but this gives the reader a chance to imagine what will happen next, always an interesting approach to a conclusion. However, each hanging conclusion was written in such a way as to know that everything will be worked out even if it wasn’t completely spelled out on the page. I will certainly be adding a copy of this book to my shelves and will be recommending it to others. I’m so pleased to see that Ms. Wright is continuing her writing in such a wonderful way and hope she has many more stories to share. I’m greatly looking forward to the next generations-spanning story she might have in the works.

I received this E-book free of charge from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

This was a wonderful time-slip novel! It's so hard to find one that I like, but Jaime blows this genre out of the water! She is a relatively new writer I believe, but it's hard to tell as she has the voice of a seasoned author that's been writing for over a decade. The two stories in this were expertly woven together. I found it easy to follow and the transitions between both were smooth and fluid. I loved how well written the charters were. They had lots of depth and grew on me. The setting were well done too. I loved all the descriptive backdrops. Definitely give this 5/5 stars.

I had a little trouble in the beginning of this novel. There were lots of people to keep track of. in both time lines. The dates weren’t listed at the top of the chapters only the lady’s names (Libby and Annalise) which I eventually became familiar with.in associating each lady was a certain time period. I was engaged and quickly emerged in both time line situations, family secrets, deception, murder suspects and ultimately the fact that grace is available to everyone rich or poor! I enjoyed the natural flow of the spiritual thread.

In the current time line Annalise’s house has been broken into. This stirs up secrets she’s hidden away. Why did someone steal the one thing that would bring to light a secret that still tore at her heart even after 12 years. It didn’t help that Garrett her high school boyfriend has just moved back to town. It was more stirring up than she could bear. She was trying to do good in starting a homeless shelter. The coffee shop she owned was doing well and she wanted to give back to the community. She was trying to deal with the guilt and shame from her past.

The time line is 1907 and Libby works at her father’s newspaper. A revival was in town stirring up people and their emotions, along with riots and now a suicide, possible murder. She longed to be an investigative reporter. Now was her chance to get to the bottom of the fact obituaries showed up at the newspaper before the deaths of two people a week apart. If they could prove these obituaries showed up before the deaths that would change things to murder. This situation was unthinkable in her small town during revival meetings no less.

I enjoyed the natural spiritual thread running through this story of forgiveness, sin, and loving grace. This story is rich in secrets, intriguing mystery and shows how in hiding the truth especially from yourself, you can and will do to you damage to your soul spiritually and your physical body. God wants to set us free.

This story is full of surprises, twists and turns in each time line. If you are a mystery fan you are going to love how this novel unfolds. Great for book clubs there is so much to talk about.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher/NetGalley.. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

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This is the sophomore release from Wright. It’s a dual time-line (or timeslip, as it is sometimes called) mystery novel set in the town of Gossamer Grove. There is a mystery occurring in the present, and it’s linked to one from over a hundred years ago. The premise intrigued me, but I found it difficult to stay engaged with the story. The connection between the two storylines was interesting, but the pace stalled out for me more than once. Thankfully, the romance angle is not heavy, which I appreciated. I did enjoy the use of the Poe quote at the beginning! Things did improve for a bit as the story went on, but it was a bit too late.

This review was posted on Goodreads and on Amazon.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

Do you have a secret? Something that haunts you and torments you with memories?
It may bring much more than guilt, but actual hurt and trauma...

Jaime Jo Wright is back with her witty writing dealing with the deep hidden side of our souls, the part weighted down by burdens we can't change. Gossamer Grover is not your quaint charming small-town. A fault-finding newspaper, a quintessential founding family, and cryptic obituaries. Add to that two seemingly censorious brothers speaking promises of revival and there's enough to start an uproar or keep people quiet to their own preoccupation out of fear. Still, there might a few who might question if light can shine? And dare they say actually hope for it.

Grace and forgiveness are not unknown concepts, but when do they go beyond an idea to a conviction?
Two women centuries apart but connected by the same weight of sin, will they be able to be who the town and there close owns, not to mention their own safety, needs them to be - shrewd characters able to see the river of life within not just the superficial carefully crafted story.
Once again, well done Jaime Jo Wright for writing a thrilling, powerful and thoughtful story.
Very much looking forward to her next book <3

With her sophomore full-length title, Jaime Jo Wright cements herself as an author to read in the dual-time genre. Wright’s ability to weave an eerie mystery with two separate storylines while giving each their own unique spin is of the highest caliber.

In 1907, the town of Gossamer Grove, Wisconsin is in turmoil with mysterious deaths at the same time as a tent revival has made its way to them. Over a hundred years later, Analise is pulled into the buried secrets and mysteries when a photo of her is found alongside some older ones.

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond is an exploration of the consequences of hiding things from the next generation. There’s truth in the statement, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. And those who aren’t aware of the sins of their fathers just might repeat them. There are freedom and forgiveness in confession, but sometimes the shame of our sin doesn’t allow us to experience either form of grace.

Another solid, thoroughly captivating read from Wright has me wondering what readers have to look forward to with her 2019 release I, for one, cannot wait to read it.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

This was a very interesting book. The whole premise was very unique and I'll admit to being a little spooked by every noise in my house after finishing it!

I love when authors come up with fresh new ideas for books and love it even more when I can't figure out the ending!

Normally I avoid timeslip novels because I only like one of the storylines. Wright, however, has truly mastered this type of novel. Instead of wanting to get back to just one story I found myself always wanting to get back to the other no matter which one I was reading because I couldn't wait to see a resolution to the mystery! I'm usually amazed at an author keeping the plot of a book in line - but in Wright's case, she does it times two and excels at it!

The lover of romance in novels really liked the contemporary storyline, but that isn't to say I didn't enjoy the historical half because I really loved the mystery in that part. Honestly, both parts stand out with things that I loved. In the historical part, my favorite was the newspaper. I've always loved newspaper ever since I was on staff in both high school and college for the school's papers. I know some people love to read the obits, but personally, I don't care for them. But they made for a great addition to this story.

I'm really excited to see what Wright does in her third book. These books have been so refreshingly different than what I normally read!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion.

Jaime Jo Wright’s writing is so exquisite and illustrative, I could feel the breeze off of Gossamer Pond! This skill creates a chilling tension, an ominious foreboding, as the characters of Reckoning at Gossamer Pond race to solve the mysteries wrapped into this small town’s history. It also ensures I read her novels during daylight with my German Shepherd, Teddy. near to hand and my heart racing!

As in The House of Foster Hill, the novel flips between the present day and a century earlier following to lead characters, Annalise and Libby. Despite not being a fan of two timeframes in a story, I find the way Jaime Jo Wright does it quite mesmerizing. I don’t like creepy stories either but again, this is the exception! Each person is so carefully created, fleshed out and intriguing. Nothing is quite like it seems and it’s wonderfully exciting trying to deduce what is happening and link between past and present! Broken by past mistakes, God’s forgiveness and grace weaves through the townspeople bringing hope and healing in interesting and realistic ways.

I highly recommend it, it’s a five out of five! I do hope we’ll see more from Jaime Jo soon!

Great story about grace and forgiveness. I love the way this book weaves the past and present into a story. How a small town tried to hide it's secrets, but everything always comes out sooner or later. It teaches about God's love and forgiveness without being "preachy".

This was a great summer read! Lots of suspense and mystery. I love thrillers, and it's hard to find them in historical settings. I definitely recommend this if you're in the mood for something creepy.
I was given this book by the publisher for review.

This is a wonderful book! Wright is the only author I’ve read who can move back and forth between two timelines in one book and make them both utterly captivating. Usually I find myself wanting to skip over one half of those kinds of stories to get to the one that interests me. Not this time. Libby and Annalise both live in Gossamer Grove but are separated by 100 years or more. They’re both connected to secrets that some are trying to bring to light or trying desperately to keep hidden.

In 1907, when twin revivalists come to town to hold meetings, strange things start happening. Obituaries for people who aren’t dead start showing up, including verses from Edgar Allan Poe. Libby, wracked with guilt over her own secrets, gets drawn into the mystery when she finds the first body. Jacobus, one of the revivalists, seems to see right through her to her underlying need for grace. He’s an amazing character. He consistently points Libby to grace and forgiveness. “One may carry guilt and shame with them for years, only to discover that while they attempted to dodge God’s judgment, they instead cheated themselves of His forgiveness” (location 2476). He’s the perfect counterpart to his brother who preaches hellfire and damnation. To me he will always be Rufus Sewell (from “Victoria”). He looks somewhat dangerous yet has a glint in his eye and a twist to his mouth that hints at so much more. His words are compelling to a heart that fears they’re too good to be true.

In the present, Annalise’s world is rocked when an old recluse dies and leaves his trailer to her. Finding it covered in pictures of her is alarming and creepy. Annalise can’t help but wonder, why her? The more she pursues the secrets of their connection, the more danger she finds herself in.

In both the past and the present, we see that keeping secrets is hard and often has devastating effects. Lives are changed and grace and forgiveness seem elusive. Yet God, who knows ALL of our secrets, still pursues us in love and mercy, not treating us as we deserve, if we come to Him. He creates beauty out of ashes. This book is a beautiful reminder that “God can do pretty stellar things with screwed-up people” (location 4735).

This book is full of mystery, suspense, action, romance, forgiveness, and danger. It’s very compelling and I’d highly recommend it. Jaime Jo Wright is on my “must read” list of authors. Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a complimentary e-copy of this book. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright is a time-slip mysteries. We start with a mystery from 100 years ago. A eulogy is sent to the paper the day before the person dies. Everyone things he hung himself but Libby suspects foul play. The victim is the dad of one of her best friends. When it happens to another person also related to her friend they try to figure out what is going on.
During this time there are two evangelists that are having tent revivals and getting the community all worked up. To add more complications, Libby’s dad is part owner of the newspaper that is known for sensationalizing anything to help the paper sell.
Libby has her own secrets and guilt she is dealing with. One of the evangelists tries to get her to understand secrets are not good for the soul. And that God offers grace and forgiveness and she must also forgive herself.
Present day Annalise is dealing with her own secrets and guilt. When her highschool boyfriend moves back to town after 12 years she relives some of her guilt. Annalise owns a coffee shop and is trying to start a homeless shelter. Her ex boyfriend comes back into town to help with the project that is competing for the same land as the homeless shelter.
When an old hermit dies and they find pictures of Annalisa and pictures from 1907 they are trying to figure out how it is all tied together.
I love it when an author can throw in some surprises. Jamie did a great job of revealing some of the secrets from both storylines. The item that is stolen from Annalise house was well come.
There are a few others that I really enjoyed the surprises but I don’t want to ruin them for you.
Admittedly I had trouble keeping the people straight from the two time periods for some reason. However the book is good and worth the read. The storylines are well done.
Sexual content; not much romance in this. There is mention of sex out of wedlock but no details. kiss on the forehead.
violence - several mysteries deaths, drowning, hanging,
language - asinine was the only profanity I saw
drinking - a mention of drinking but not any of the main characters