This book is pure magic! When real life calls you away from the book, its story and characters will haunt you, drawing you back as quickly possible. Easily one of my favorite books I have read in 2020! I have been a fan of Ms. Wright since the release of her debut novel, and find that she keeps raising the bar. She sets the standard for writing split time novels, skillfully exposing layers of the plot, building suspense, fleshing out her characters with each line of prose.

Jaimie Jo Wright's unique experience of growing up in an old circus town, fostered her love for the circus world of old. Her skillful pen combines the beauty and magic of the circus but also reveals the dark side of circus sideshows, one that exploited those who were different and could only find a home in a place filled with misfits.

Jaime Jo Wright's unique voice creates a wonderfully spine-tingling mystery filled with unsolved murders, a haunted old circus town and the uncovering of long forgotten secrets that threaten the present, intertwining the stories of two unlikely heroines. Add to this a precious elephant calf, and I was hooked! Seldom am I invested in both storylines, but found both Pippa's and Chandler's stories fascinating. Although separated by almost 100 years, they each struggled to be seen and valued for themselves, just as those who hid within the confines of the circus of old. This subtle faith thread of finding acceptance and love as one created and loved by God is the beauty and magic of this tale.

One of my favorite quotes:
"Remember, what to us seems like God's biggest errors, to Him they are His largest promises."

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

No Spoilers!

The exhilarating sights and scents of the Big Top will assail your senses—the roar of the tigers, trumpeting, massive elephants, beautiful trapeze artists—and eerie, dark secrets all lend to the pervading sinister aura that is Bonaventure Circus.

As only Jaime Jo Wright can create them, dual timelines intertwine one another, with two deeply troubled heroines (who live a century apart) seeking to find their place in life and wondering where God is in the midst of all of it. Will their search inadvertently put them directly in the path of a crazed killer...and unexpected romance? As a trapeze artist must trust her partner will seize her when she lets go of the bar, will heroines, Pippa and Chandler, learn to trust that God will catch them should they fall?

With expertise and compassion, Ms. Wright invites the reader on a spine-tingling, but intriguing journey into the life of circus performers, who were sometimes mocked, judged, and abused...but whose faith and love of family sustained them. By the way, be prepared for a shocker at the conclusion of this novel that this amateur sleuth never saw coming! Beautifully written in the author's poetic style, I highly recommend The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus!

*I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are entirely my own.*

An old abandoned train depot. This is the setting of the beginning of the present day timeline. Chandler is lurking about there at night, even though she's been told it's haunted....this story has lots of creepiness right from the get-go (this is kind of a Jaime Jo trademark...). She is determined to bring it back into a useful, if not slightly glorious estate again....

Chandler is such a sweet heroine. A single mom, battling an autoimmune disorder, desperately doing anything she can for her beloved son.

And then there's Pippa in the historical timeline....abandoned by the very circus people she so admires and would love to know. She’s been adopted by the wealthy Ripley family and is expected to live as a proper young lady, and has even been told whom she must marry. But when a mysterious stranger promises information about her real parents....

As always, mentally I attempt to pick a favorite character, and once again I find it  a much too difficult task. Both of these ladies wormed their way into my thoughts, and I just can’t choose.

I especially liked the details about the circus, the performers, etc. And the elephants! Elephants are so amazing. Pippa’s bond with the baby was so neat.

This story is just what I’ve come to expect from Jaime Jo Wright. Just the right elements and combination of mystery and suspense. And plenty of spookiness and dark undertones. I really enjoyed the suspense and watching it all come together. 

As always, the underlying question when I’m reading a dual time story—How do these play out? How does everything come together? I was kept guessing until the very end! You will need to read and find out as well!

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

#TheHauntingAtBonaventureCircus #NetGalley

Get ready for a winding creepy ride, through two time periods-the late 1920's and the present. This book was so creepy, not my favorite genre to read, but Jaime Jo Wright knows how to keep me hooked.
Pippa Ripley is a lost soul. Left on the doorstep of the owners, of the Bonaventure Circus, Pippa has always felt like a cast off. Her love for her nanny dog, Penn, who is her protector. I could picture the big top and the circus people,and them, riding the rails. I loved Pippa and her courage to find out who she was, bless her for fighting for control.
Chandler Faulk, a single mom, with a young son, Peter arrive in Bluff River, Wisconsin, and are soon entrenched, in the old town stories of a serial killer. Chandler buys a depot and old costume house, where Bonaventure Circus used to have their animals and house their staff. Chandler, doesn't realize that it is also the scene of Patty Luchent's murder. Patty was a costume designer for Bonaventure Circus. I loved Chandler and her love for her son, and her love of restoring old buildings. This book had me reading late into the night and kept me guessing.

THE HAUNTING AT BONAVENTURE CIRCUS by JAIME JO WRIGHT is a mystery thriller which will keep you guessing right to the end (and reading until the early hours)!
The plot winds between two time frames - the late 1920's and the present - with many ups and downs and surprises along the way.
When Chandler Faulk comes to Bluff River Wisconsin to decide what to do with the abandoned train depot building her uncle Neal has bought, things are really stirred up. Is the town actually haunted by Patty Luchent's ghost, as Lottie Dobson would have her believe, or are there those who do not want Chandler nosing around the old buildings? There is no doubt that the gruesome murders implicating a serial killer have left their mark on the town. Chandler is an overachiever who is terrified of losing her precious son Peter. She feels no one really "sees" her and is loath to accept help in case she is seen to be an unsuitable mother. Whilst she has been brought up to believe in God, she doubts that He could be all that interested in her. She does not buy into the ghost stories, although she is really unsettled by them.
Pippa Ripley was adopted by Richard Ripley, the owner of the Bonaventure Circus, and his wife Victoria, when she was found abandoned on their doorstep. She longs to know who her real father is, and with her crippled leg, feels more at home with the circus and its damaged, misunderstood and often shunned people, than in the luxury and loneliness of Ripley Manor. I love her interaction with her Pit Bull Penn, the "nanny dog", and Lily the injured elephant calf.
The novel is packed full of colourful characters in both time frames.
It is a story about families and belonging, fathers, broken people and restoration. One particularly picks up a sense of the Fatherhood of God - the only perfect Father, who watches over His children.
It is altogether a most enjoyable read and one I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

The dual line story surrounds the mysterious old building of the Bonadventure Circus. I loved Pippa and her love for the baby elephant. I appreciated the fact Chandler was having a difficult time being a single parent and trying to prove herself but thought she was too intense. The darkness of the circus was highlighted by the way the workers were perceived by others. Often the workers had disabilities and were looked down upon. The author slowly intertwine the two storylines to have a surprising ending.

Breath taking.

Jaime’s writing style is beautiful, and I feel like in this book it was even better. I loved the story and the characters. The story intoxicating, once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop. And it felt wrong to be finished reading it and not have any more story about these characters to read and explore. What I am saying, is this book gave me a serious book-hangover.

This book covers so many deep, emotions struggles and frames them so well. It made me cry and laugh all at the same time because of how well the emotional scene are written.

I absolutely recommend this book to everyone!

This story jumps between the past and the present, between Pippa and Chandler, between a sweet baby elephant and a precocious seven year old.
We are pulled into this book, mystery, murder, happenings, all surrounding a circus.
When the facts unfold, surprises, yes! A lot I never saw coming, and yet it was right in front of me. We have an abandoned baby with a deformity, a mother that has a serious illness but with a fearless she loves her child, and how this story is all wound together is masterful, and you will quickly page turning for answers. This book has hauntings and serial killers along with two very strong women.
I received this book through NetGalley and the Publisher Bethany House. and was not required to give a positive review.

Wright is THE best author at writing dual timelines. Both parts are fascinating and always seem to be connected in some way.

In the past, Pippa struggles to believe that anyone really sees her. She was abandoned on the Ripley’s doorstep and taken in by them but knows her father doesn’t care much for her other than to control her. Yet she knows that someone is watching over her. Who that is, and what their intent is, is the question.

In the present, Chandler wants to renovate the old circus depot while hiding the fact of her illness. She quickly comes to realize that she needs help even though she doesn’t want to admit that. She undergoes about the creepiest thing that could happen to a person and is forced to lean on the man who bothers her the most, Hank.

The circus has always been a place of mystery and magic. While it has come under scrutiny for animal abuse and while some feel it made a mockery of people who were created with physical abnormalities, it was also a place where people could feel at home, like they belonged to this family. This book does a good job of showing that tension.

While the book started off a little slow, it quickly grew in intensity and suspense. There were huge twists that took me by surprise. I like that. I wish there had been a little more on Pippa after her story left off. It was a great read. I’d highly recommend it.
Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is another great read from author Jaime Jo Wright. It is a dual time story with mystery and edge-of-the-seat suspense that lures the reader in immediately and doesn't let up. Readers are caught up and compelled and inspired by the lives of the characters and their stories. Wright has permeated the story with mystery, drama, and emotional tension as the intense action is seen from several characters' points of view. I enjoyed how the mystery of a long ago circus murder is woven into a present day ghost story that refused to be put to rest. The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is a well-written yet gritty tale of a serial killer, murders, and kidnapping. It is a book that offers a look at how we long to be known, to be seen by those around us--to be loved for who we are. It is a story about family and how we hide our secrets behind illusions and yet, in the best of families we know we are broken and yet we still see and love each other. As one character put it, "We were all meant to be...Providence places you there...who knew God had one of me up His sleeve?" I loved how there was romance woven into the both time lines, romance that is unexpected, fraught with stress and yet so full of tenderness. This is a book that readers who love a great suspense book, one with some 'wow, I did not expect that at all' moments, will not want to miss.
I read a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

Another incredible time-slip novel penned by Ms. Wright that had me hanging onto every single word that was so brilliantly written. I’ll be honest and admit that I have never been a fan of a circus even as a child. I always felt so bad for the animals in cages but it never occurred to me to think what life was like for the humans involved in the circus. How difficult their lives were which brings me to the story of Pippa Ripley who we meet in 1928 and what a life she had. Filled with questions of where she came from, who are her real parents but most of all why is the Watchman sending her so many mysterious messages?

Chandler Faulk is part of the present-day story, I genuinely liked and her adorable little boy named Peter. Their relationship was true to life and so believable that I could imagine the two of them together. It’s not all fun and games for any of the characters in the book, nope, not at all because Ms. Wright has added so much to the story. There are creepy sounds coming from the old circus building that Chandler’s uncle has purchased and is under renovation, an unsolved murder, a kidnapping and all the juicy bits that comes from the pen of one of my favorite authors.

Overall, I thought this page turning, sitting on the edge of my seat read was one of the most exciting books I have read this year. It has more twists and turns than a wild ride and I was sorry when it ended. I highly recommend this one.
I received a complimentary e-copy of the book. All opinions are completely my own.

Chandler Faulk has a mission at hand: restore an old circus train depot. A place which once promised a home for those outcasted by society. A place where it's history lingers at every corner, it's memory spooks present visitors and takes away what little peace Chandler still has. When she decided to navigate the history surrounding the Bonaventure Circus and all the mystery surrounding it, Chandler bumps into decades-old history and ghosts who do not want to see them unburied. And her determination to not fail, to prove herself capable, might just put herself in the path of a serial killer.

In the early 20th century, the Bonaventure Circus is alive and prospering. Pippa Ripley knows deep in her bones her story is intricately tied to the story of the circus. But growing up as the adopted daughter of the circus manager comes with expectations, and they include keeping as far away from the circus grounds as possible. When Pippa starts receiving cryptic messages from someone who calls himself the Watchman, she believes it to be the perfect chance to discover her own story. And when a baby elephant's trauma ties to Pippa's own story, she discovers a strength in herself to for once not do as she is told, but what she believes to be right.

"The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus" is Jaime Jo Wright at her best! And I believe this is because it is her at her most courageous. It takes a very, very brave soul to write this book. It is a book about second chances. About those awkward steps taken towards reconciliation. But, most importantly, how incessant and potent hope can be. Even in the midst of brokenness, hope prevails, maybe stronger than ever.

"But they weren't loved so much as treasured. And there was a difference between the two. Love sacrificed, whereas a treasure was hoarded."

Such a beautifully penned split-time novel with a huge helping of suspense! Jaime Jo Wright never fails to hold you captive with her lyrical writing, raw emotions, and palpable anticipation. The slow build-up to the murder that happened in 1928 at the circus and the disappearance of a young woman in 1983 is well-done and the details are impeccably intertwined. The plot is complex but still easy to follow, with plenty of surprises along the way. The ending will surely leave you reeling and gasping.... I totally did not see any of that coming. If you enjoy well-written suspense novels, you will absolutely love this book. If you've never tried a dual-timeline suspense novel, this book should be your first.

In 1928 Pippa, the adopted daughter of the circus owner Ripley, has a physical deformity and has always felt unwanted because she was left at the Ripleys' as a baby. She knows that she was born into the circus before being given away and gravitates toward the circus and its performers, longing to find her roots. Her world careens out of control as she works to rehabilitate an injured baby elephant while unwittingly digging into the darker underworld of the circus.
In present day Chandler, a single mother working to restore and renovate historical properties, stumbles onto the mystery and gothic lore that surround the Bonaventure Circus grounds when she heads up this particular project for her uncle. She has a a full plate with her son, an autoimmune disease, and a demanding job but totally unravels when strange and eerie things start to happen at the circus grounds that bring up events of the past.
Both Pippa and Chandler are quite likable and relatable though they're very different women. Jake from 1928 and Hank from the present are great supporting roles in the story and are similar in their brooding, intimidating, masculine ways. The romance in both timelines is subtle and works as a nice subplot to the overarching suspense. The central themes of "being seen and known" and "not being alone" are profound and worthy of contemplation. There is one character who was very much into new-age spirituality regarding ghosts and spirits but her thoughts were balanced out by Chandler's biblical beliefs. Learning about the circus in its prime was a lot of fun.

I received a copy of the book from the author and Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

When I picked up Jaime Jo Wright’s latest book The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus I really didn’t know what to expect. The setting is quite different from her previous novels and I was hoping for no circus clichés like creepy clowns. I must say she delivered a gripping novel once again. The setting may be different, but the suspense and the craftmanship is still ever present and there are no creepy clowns.

I consider Wright to be a master of the split timeline novel and of eerie suspense. The old train depot and the wintering quarters of the circus provide the backdrop for two stories that ultimately resolve in a satisfying conclusion. I especially enjoyed all of the less than perfect characters, not all of them circus performers. As with earlier novels, I was kept guessing from page to page and was mostly surprised by the outcome of the novel in twining the two stories together.

I find a dual timeline novel to be a winner if I get so caught up in the story that I am reading that I am almost disappointed to turn the page and find myself transported to the other story. The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus was such a novel. I highly recommend this book especially to those readers who enjoy a little creepy with their suspense.

I was given a copy of this book through NetGalley from the author. All opinions are my own.

Seriously, there is no other author that can spin stories quite like Jamie Jo Wright. After reading this one, I found myself in awe once again. The reader is following two complete stories in this split-time novel. The first story revolves around Pippa Riley in the year 1928. She’s a young woman who loves her father’s circus and a baby elephant named Lily. The second story, set in the current day, focuses on Chandler Faulk and her young son, Peter. As these two stories play out side-by-side, it’s hard to imagine how they will join together, but knowing this author, I knew this would happen in spectacular fashion—and it did. I loved the faith theme that emerges from this book: No matter what our circumstances may be, we are seen, known, and loved by God. His purposes for us are always good. It may take a somewhat “spooky” story to make this point, but after reading Pippa’s and Chandler’s stories, you’ll see God’s hand at work in all things.

One other thing: You might want to consider reading this book during the daytime. I did!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

No one writes a time slip mystery-suspense novel like Jaime Jo Wright! I always appreciate how well layered and believable her characters are written. The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus revolves around the 1928 family of Pippa Ripley and their family-owned 1928 circus of misfits, workers, and animals whose ghosts of the past converge into the present day life of Chandler Faulk, a single mother running from her own troubled past. With long-hidden family secrets and a serial killer from the past who seems to reappear in the present, Jamie Jo had me rooting for the outcome I prayed was coming! Just when I thought I had it all figured out - BOOM - her ending was full of surprising revelations and a shocking twist. She outdoes herself in this novel bringing to life a cast of characters who want to belong, feel loved, and are searching for their own place in the world. Jaime Jo Wright's lastest novel woven with an undercurrent of faith that brings a message of true love, forgiveness and second chances is one you do not want to miss. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are honest and entirely my own.

“Life was not unlike the wisp of fog that curled around the base of a grave marker, softly caressing the marble before dissolving into the violet shadows of night.”

Opening line of “The Haunting of Bonaventure Circus” by Jaime Jo Wright
Jaime Jo Wright’s lyrical prose adds a whimsical feel to her eerie narrative in “The Haunting of Bonaventure Circus”. Each line lures the reader a little closer and, simultaneously, raises the hair upon the back of one’s neck. A time-split novel, I enjoyed flipping from 1928 to modern day because Jaime does it so effortlessly, the thread weaves elegantly from one time to another linking the mystery at the heart of both.

Pippa is the leading lady of 1928 and her physicality has been judged from birth. Whilst feeling she should be grateful to have a home, she rails internally against the oppressive behaviour of her adoptive father. She longs to spend time at Bonaventure Circus so when an injured newly born elephant responds to her, it begins her journey of finding her inner strength.

In the present day, recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, Chandler is railing against her body and how society, especially her family, will receive the news of the debilitating effect the disorder is having on her. Terrified they’ll take her son from her, she conceals her problems and moves to renovate the old Bonaventure circus train depot. The real estate agent fails to inform her, prior to purchase, of the murder of a young woman in the depot in 1928 or the subsequent disappearance of a young woman decades later. The town believes the depot is haunted and, on her first night, Chandler is called as a neighbour spots a light moving inside. Chandler dismisses mystical intervention and files the case with the police but, over the next few days, strange things keep occurring and she wonders what she’s gotten herself, and her son, into!

I am a huge animal lover so I flinched and read with my eyes “closed” every time one entered the story but, rest assured, the animals are fine! The humans don’t fair quite as well! The murder mystery expands into the hunt for a serial killer and is intriguing, it kept me guessing. Pippa’s father is so well written, I loathed him from the start and wished I could scream “run!” I love the characters of the circus and the town, the smaller characters are beautifully crafted!

I have a chronic pain condition so deeply related to Chandler’s challenges and fears. Jaime Jo has captured the feelings amazingly. She has written the hope of God, the peace only He can give into this story whilst reflecting accurately the struggle it is to live in those promises every day. In the darkness of this story, she finds a way to write an ending of light. There is gentle romance and deep family love which I so enjoyed!

It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommend this one. But ,be warned! I couldn’t stop reading until I knew who did it!

A compelling story weaving the lives of broken, rejected and tormented people--people like you and me--into the sometimes secretive, sometimes sinister, hidden world under the bigtop.

What I loved: the elephants, Peter Pan, the old abandoned buildings, sights and sounds of the circus, an honest glimpse at a chronic condition, and slow simmer of blossoming love. Jaime Jo Wright creates many masterful images, remarkable lines revealing God's truth, and a story fraught with emotion.

Challenges: Pippa's connection to the Watchman in the early chapters did not make sense to me. There seemed to be a slow burn before the real danger threatened (perhaps the result of desensitization in a modern world.) Volume of other worldly/spiritual/ghostly references. (But it is a haunting, right?)

The theme of being seen and being loved by the Father--despite our own perceptions--is a universal truth we all need. This is a book I will want to reread. There is so much more to be discovered.

‘If we were all good and flawless, then Jesus wasted His blood.’ -The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus, by Jaime Jo Wright


I received a complimentary copy of this title. All thoughts are freely provided of my own volition.

Wright continues to be an author whose work is layered and full of suspense. Her latest entry into the world of the circus is one that will engage those who love stories of misfits and outcasts. I love that Wright continues to supply female protagonists that seem to be underdogs, but not ones afraid of confronting their struggles. The search for truth is often a undercurrent in both past and present.

Pippa Ridley (1909 heroine) and Chandler Faulk (contemporary heroine) find themselves searching for answers in a past and present that eventually intersect in "The Haunting At Bonaventure Circus." Pippa is trying to create a normal life in 1909, but she has a physical struggle, as well as relational ones. When her friend, Jack, enlists her help in finding out who killed his sister, Pippa is drawn into the unique life of the circus crew and on the trail of a possible serial killer. Will she find out who The Watchman is? Is he the one killing off the circus folk--and what does he know about Pippa's family history? Why does he reach out to Pippa, sending her cryptic letters?

Chandler Faulk's life continues to get more complicated each day. A single mom, trying to do the best she can, Chandler is positive God doesn't care about her any more. How could He--allowing her to struggle with an autoimmune disease--on top of everything else? Chandler attempts to talk her uncle out of purchasing the abandoned train depot, which is purported to be haunted, to no avail. As she begins to investigate the depot and the unusual people who used to walk its halls, she's pulled into an investigation with the property landlord, Denny, and his nephew, Hank. What dark secrets are hiding in the depot? And how do they connect to a series of murders in 1909? Will the Watchman ever be brought to justice, or will someone else suffer for his crimes?

Wright continues to bring her unique voice to her novels. Drawing inspiration from real life issues and sneaking a bit of thriller into the mix, her books continue to be ones that will keep you up into the wee hours-but only if there's a night light on!

I was an early reader, thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I am not typically a fan of historical fiction, but I just devour a split timeline story by Jaime Jo Wright because it is filled with such suspense and mystery. The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is no exception. This novel bounces back and forth between 1928 and the present day and centers around Pippa in the past and Chandler in the present. They are tied together by the Bonaventure Circus. As a baby, Pippa was left on the doorstep of the Riley family who were the owners of the circus. In present day, Chandler is overseeing the project to either restore or tear down the historic circus train depot. These two ladies are tied together almost a hundred years apart in a search for truth and justice.

I was so excited when I first saw that the author was writing a story tied around a circus because I knew she could pen quite a story centered around such an entertaining yet possibly strange and mysterious setting as well. Due to circumstances that I don't want to explain for fear of spoiling too much, both Pippa and Chandler are searching for the real identity of a serial killer known as the Watchmen. The Watchmen killed women at various stops of the circus train back in the 1920's. A man was identified and charged as the Watchmen, but did they actually have the right man? You'll have to read to find out. This story had so many twists and turns that just when I thought I had it figured out, the author threw in a new twist. I was totally surprised and blown away by the ending. If you want a story with lots of suspense, some creepy characters, and a bit of romance, then this novel is for you!

I was given a copy of this story by the author and publisher. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.