Thank you to Bethany House and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. I like to read anything by Jaime Jo Wright. Her books are a little different, but in a good way. There is always some kind of mystery or ghost and things are never what they seem. This book revolved around characters in a circus-there is two timelines. One is a more current time and the other storyline takes place when the circus was in its hay day. A great story with lots of spooky elements. Highly recommend!

This was my third book by this author, and while in my opinion it was the best of the three, I was disappointed that Jaime Jo Wright didn’t diverge from her usual formula. Once again, it was a dual timeline in which the present time period features a woman new to town who finds herself in the midst of a mystery that stems from the past. As with most dual timeline novels, the story was much stronger when it switched to the earlier time period.

Both time periods, however, were full of a strong ‘creepiness’ factor involving a serial killer, which held my interest, but also left me wondering how the book found it’s way into the ‘Christian’ genre. Yes, it did mention God from time to time, but almost as an attempt to keep the Christian classification, rather than coming from any real Christian message or redeeming factor in the storyline. I would recommend this as a somewhat intriguing mystery, that is creepy but not graphically violent.

*Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book! A positive review was not required, and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I know I'm in the minority here but I didn't love this book like so many people. I didn't hate it but it took me much longer to finish this book which is always a sign to me that I'm not feeling that engaged with the characters. I didn't like Chandler's character too much because she seemed excessively insecure. I felt like her background was supposed to be traumatic but it wasn't described that way or to the extent that it should have been. I felt Pippa was a great character and well fleshed out. I enjoyed her story and that time period more than I did the modern-day story that included Chandler. I was drawn to this book because it was historical fiction and involved a circus that always intrigues me. I was not disappointed in either of these areas. I really wanted to love this book but I just didn't find it that engaging.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

Very good Christian based book. The atmosphere was written beautifully. I loved the plot and storyline in the book. I loved the characters in this story. It gave me all the feels I was looking for when I started reading this. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

I downloaded an arc of The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by author Jaime Jo Wright off from NetGalleys read now section. I knew when I did that I was in for a treat because I’ve always loved everything that this author writes. And believe me, I was right, this was such a fabulous story! As far as genres go, this book could fall under several categories. It was part mystery, part historical fiction, a little mild romance and some supernatural spooky when it talked of ghosts. All I know is that once I started reading I was so intriqued that it was very hard to put down at night. The story is told in a dual timeline and centers around life at the circus. It tells of a masked Watchman, a serial killer, who goes after female circus employees. The main characters were all very likable and I especially grew a fondness for Pippa Ripley and the baby elephant Lily. It isn’t until close to the end that you fully understand how the 2 timelines come together and learn who the real masked Watchman is. This book I highly recommend and think it was the perfect read just before Halloween. I’d like to thank NetGalley for the arc and author Jaime Jo Wright for once again writing such an amazing and entertaining story. This deserves more than the 5 stars allowed!

The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus
By Jaime Jo Wright
This dual-timeline story about a deserted circus haunted by the ghosts of a serial killer and his victims is a readable, though uneven, novel. The characters are interesting and relatable, and the themes of loneliness and belonging weaving through the story are poignant. The word choices and descriptions of characters’ inner thought processes were sometimes a bit belabored, and the author did a lot of “telling” rather than “showing” when it came to characterization, but I did care about the characters. I found the story interesting enough to persevere through the book, but I wasn’t bowled over by it.

𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕀 𝕃𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕕
❶ I love Jaime Jo Wright books. She writes the perfect mix of mystery and history, dare I say histery, every time! This one was no different.
➋ I live a good plot with circus mixed in. It makes the story so mysterious to start with.
➌ Loved flipping between a main character in present day and a character in the past. It’s so fun in trying to solve the mystery.
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𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝔹𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕕 𝕄𝕖 𝕆𝕦𝕥
Although I enjoyed it, I think some details were lost between the switching. Instead of switching every couple of chapters it would have been nice to switch every five chapters or so the story really gets rooted before moving on to the other timeline.
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In summary: definitely recommend this one and any others written by Wright. She’s a great storyteller and they are always fun reads and good mysteries.

Thanks to Bethany House for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.
Wright always creates spooky stories that are perfect for this time of year, and this one was no exception. Pippa is visited by the Watchman, who some think is a dangerous killer, but she doesn't believe that to match what she knows about him. Chandler moved for the job of restoring the old circus grounds, but gets a legend along with the land.
This book is not only creepy, but it also explores women's place in society, motherhood, chronic illness, anxiety, and single parenting. I think each of these topics were explored wonderfully through these characters. The book is long, so the depth needed to hit hard topics like these worked. Also with the length, it had time to really build up the suspense. I had to know what was going to happen next.
I do feel like the reveal of one 'twist' at the end was a little lackluster. I wish there had been more there with Pippa and her feelings about what happened at the end of the book. Besides that, I don't have any complaints, and can't wait to read what spooky story Wright dreams up next.

My Thoughts
Books like this one tend to grab my attention this time of year. I love a good thriller, haunting, mystery story to snuggle up with during October. I saw another person’s favorable review of this book and I was excited to read it. It ended up being a 3-star read for me, but there are definitely things to like about this story. Here are my pros and cons for The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus:

Pros
1. I absolutely LOVE the title and the cover!
2. I loved that the male protagonists were atypical – flawed men trying to do what is right. I thought that was refreshing.
3. I thought the Christian element was incorporated into the story well. Characters would question God, question faith, wonder why things were happening the way they were and then pray. I think Christians can and do experience this kind of doubt and uncertainty at times when things go wrong in our lives, particularly when those things are irreversible or tragic, so the story will be relatable.
4. The book is presented as a past and present narrative and I loved the story from 1928. Pippa was a fantastic character and her storyline was the most enjoyable part of this book for me. It was a joy to witness Pippa gain strength and confidence and grasp life as she wanted it to be.
5. The relationship between Pippa and the baby elephant was very special.
6. I loved the whole circus atmosphere of the past narrative. It has always intrigued me that something like a circus, which can be so fun and exciting, can also be so dark and frightening with just a slight change in the perspective.

Cons
1. Chandler’s character was over-the-top whiny and insecure in my opinion – and there really wasn’t a good reason for it other than situations she created in her own head. I couldn’t take it. Plus, every new present day chapter seemed to rehash her whining and insecurity. Ultimately I didn’t feel like her level of insecurity and self-doubt was even pertinent to the story and I wish it had been lessened or left out entirely.
2. The present day narrative was quite boring to me. Everything about Chandler set my nerves on edge – her dialogue, her insecurities (as I mentioned above), her interactions with other people. I found myself skimming quite a bit during the present day sections.
3. The supernatural aspect of the story felt incomplete, or perhaps inconsistent is a better word. Either way, the attempt to bring supernatural elements into the story felt out of place. I would have preferred the murder mystery without even the hint of supernatural.
4. Nothing happens until about the 70% mark in the book. Past 70% the story finally piqued my interest. I’m glad I finished the book, but it was touch a go there for a bit on whether I would DNF or not.

Summary
I know I am in a minority here for not loving this book, and that is okay. Not every book is for every person. For me, I think I would have enjoyed this more if it was simply a murder mystery back in 1928. That part of the story was phenomenal, but the present day narrative just didn’t interest me as much as the past narrative. As a matter of fact, I think the present story weakened the book overall.

I would still recommend this book to people that enjoy historical fiction or Christian fiction, or if you particularly like murder mysteries and circuses! Many people have loved this book, so if it interests you at all, give it a shot.

Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House for a free eARC of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

In her newest release, Jaime Jo Wright will blow readers away with this thrilling, mysterious, and moving tale of brokenness, revenge, love and a yearning to belong.

Split between 1928 and present day in the fictional town of Bluff River, Wisconsin. In 1928, readers meet Pippa Ripley, whose father is the owner of Bonaventure circus. Pippa was rejected from the circus as a baby and left on the doorstep of the owners who raised her as their own. Pippa receives mysterious packages and messages from someone called the Watchman, which lead her to look for clues to her birth. Pippa joins forces with a man trying to find answers to who murdered his sister and leads them both to evidence of a serial killer associated with the circus. Fast forward to present day and the old circus is in jeopardy of being torn down. Chandler Faulk works for her uncle at his real estate firm and has been tasked with seeing if it is worth, preserving for history or tearing it down. She moves to the small town with her young son to dive into the history of the circus depot all while trying to balance living with her newly diagnosed autoimmune disease and being a single mother. As she researches, she finds clues to unsolved murders of the past and newer murders. The more she digs into the past, the darker things seem, and Chandler must determine if saving the depot is worth her safety.

Jaime Jo Wright has done it again! The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is a stunning, thrilling tale that is hard to put down. Any time you pick up a book by Wright, you know you are going to be in for an adventure. It is hard to do a dual timeline and keep the reader engaged and not confused. The set up for this one does take a little bit longer but is worth it in the end. She developed such a great backstory for the characters that helped me connect with them on a deep level. Pippa and Chandler both have very different stories and each of them is unique but ties in by the end in such a beautiful way. I loved the way Wright brought it all full circle. This book tackles a lot of tough issues, a character with a physical deformity and one with a chronic illness, not something that is written about enough these days considering how common it is becoming in our world. She does this in a way that doesn’t make the character seem weak, instead readers are able to see her as one of us and connect; if it were a character that had nothing wrong they would seem too perfect and be a turn off. I am thankful for the authors that tackle these difficult subjects in such a way that will leave readers thinking about it but not turned off either. If you have never picked up a Jaime Jo Wright book, I would say run, don’t walk, to your bookstore and grab a copy of this one today, you won’t regret it. Readers that enjoy stories full of mystery, adventure, a little romance and a whole lot of hope will not want to miss this one.

I am definitely in the vast vast minority on this one, but frankly I do not see how everyone has given this 5 Stars... I simply could not find my way into the story. The characters did not engage me, the plot did not grab me, the mystery did not intrigue me - I simply didn't find it interesting from the opening pages on... It's weird, because historical fiction in dual time frames, with a contemporary character exploring the mystery of an earlier time period, is usually right up my alley, but I just never connected with anything about this book and wasn't able to finish it, This one just must not be for me.

A fascinating story set in two timelines with one mystery to intersect and be solved but getting there is all the fun. In the 1920's Pippa Ripley is trying to find who she is. A crippled infant abandoned on the doorstep of Richard Ripley, owner of the Bonaventure Circus, she is taken in and raised by the childless couple. In the present day Chandler works for her Uncle restoring historical buildings and has come to Bluff River, winter home of the Bonaventure Circus, to restore the abandoned train depot. A mysterious light in the depot at night ,a possible break-in, talk of ghosts, and a serial killer all linked to the circus make for a fast moving read. The characterizations are so true to life that the reader gets involved in the outcome of the story. There are numerous twists and an ending that you don't see coming. This was an enjoyable read.

I really liked this story, but at the same time I had real issues with some of the plot points. These are items given to the reader pretty early on, no spoilers in sharing these. Main character Chandler is responsible for renovation plans for two historical and haunted properties. The ghost is said to be tied to the Bonaventure Circus that had offices and wintering grounds on these properties. The premise is that no one present-day knows where the body was actually found. But it was the 1920s - there would be police reports and records and news articles - it would be easy to ascertain where the body was found.
The second issue is with the idea the historical killer was purported to have strangled women with their necklaces. The idea that 1920s costume jewelry would not have just broken before it could have strangled someone is also a little hard for me to overlook. That just doesn't seem realistic.
I also felt like a lot of things went unanswered, even some of the characters struggles with their faith didn't get a resolution.
I liked the atmosphere of the story, I loved Pippa and the relationship between Chandler and Hank, and the pace of the plot. The author clearly did quite a bit of historical research for the Circus aspects and for putting the characters together. I just had issues with some of the major plot points.

Jamie Jo Wright has an incredible talent for writing realistic mysteries that suck me in every time, and The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus was no exception.

The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus uses a dual-timeline to tell the stories of Pippa Riley and Chandler Faulk. Abandoned at birth, Pippa was raised by the wealthy owners of the Bonaventure Circus but has never felt like she truly belonged. She longs for a father who truly loves her and friends and family who accept her for who she is. Single mom Chandler is struggling to juggle chronic health problems, her job, and life in yet another new town far from home.

Mysteries surround the small town of Bluff River. In times past, the man known only as The Watchman haunted the town and the cities along the circus route. In present times, odd sounds, strange occurrences, and the mystery of a long-missing woman have kept the townspeople on edge for years. Who is the Watchman? Is he truly guilty of the crimes he has been accused of? Can Chandler uncover the truth of what really happened so long ago?

I really enjoyed this fast-paced exciting story. Unfortunately, I didn't feel that the supernatural aspect was as well explained in this book as in Wright's other novels. Instead of showing that the "ghosts" were mere superstition and a lack of knowledge of the war between good and evil, the conclusion left it open-ended. Although I'm sure it wasn't Wright's intent, it almost seemed as though a belief in the dark side was permissible as long as the person who believed in it was still good at heart. As Christians, we need to stand firm against the power of darkness.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.

I was hesitant to read this book because I'm not really a fan of time slip stores, but I kept seeing rave reviews for this book so I had to give it a shot. I'm so glad I did.
This book hooked me from the first page and I couldn't put it down until the final page. The plot twists kept me guessing the whole time.
I would recommend this book to anyone.

*I recieved a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to netgalley.co.uk for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I'm not sure what drew me into getting this book but I am glad I got it. The characters were very interesting, I wanted to learn more about them. I don't really like books with dual timelines but the writing was done so well in this novel, it was really easy to understand. I look forward to seeing more from this wonderful author.Thank you to netgalley.co.uk for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I'm not sure what drew me into getting this book but I am glad I got it. The characters were very interesting, I wanted to learn more about them. I don't really like books with dual timelines but the writing was done so well in this novel, it was really easy to understand. I look forward to seeing more from this wonderful author.

Hauntingly beautiful!

Jaime Jo Wright continues to mix the perfect blend of past and present. This story is a thrill ride from start to finish. The past story has the famous circus train setting, but with a gruesome serial killer stalking the scene. Present day finds a real estate project looking to restore the old circus train depot. However, when circus stories of the past are revealed, they just might shut the project down.

The twists and turns will definitely keep you guessing how the two stories are connected. I loved the setting and characters, both past and present. I love the author's beautiful way with words, and her stories will always be among my favorites.

*I received an ARC of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are my own.

Jaime Jo Wright books are always entertaining with mystery and a bit of romance all set in an interesting time period and setting. At first, The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus felt a little like the Phantom of the Opera. A mysterious killer, The Watchman, lurks about the circus, yet seems to keep a protective eye on Pippa, our main heroine from the past.
As typical of her stories, Jaime easily weaves the past with the present, stretching the mystery across decades. But she never leaves the reader with an unresolved ending! The characters are well written. They are realistic and often flawed, but most are very loveable. I found the character Hank reminded me of a friend that has helped with fixing things around my house.
Do you like mysteries? Do you like hints of romance? Do you enjoy stories with legends of ghosts and killers? You'll enjoy this book. This is Jaime's fifth stand alone book. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. The opinions in this review are my own. This book is well worth the time to read and provides a suitable escape from 2020!

***Unpopular opinion alert!***

Circus and haunting story?! Oh yes, this is definitely right up my alley! I was thrilled and looking forward to read this book, after seeing so many glowing reviews on this book! Unfortunately, I am the outlier here. After reading two chapters, I knew this book wasn't for me. The writing felt a bit odd and jumpy. The dialogues were unnatural and I just couldn't connect with the characters or get into the book. It was a struggle.

***Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.***

I had been looking forward to reading The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus with increasing anticipation as I saw more and more publicity and reviews of the book prior to publication. Was it everything I expected and did it live up to the hype? Perhaps not but I did thoroughly enjoy the story and was definitely not disappointed by it.

Jaime Jo Wright has a marvelous way with words as evidenced by the opening page of the novel. It immediately sets the tone for the entire story. I tend to love the Gothic type atmosphere of her novels. This split time tale alternates between 1928 and present time and features the historic mystery of a serial murderer known as the Watchman. Readers are allowed to experience with Pippa as the tale plays out in real time and nearly a century later as Chandler’s life is affected by it.

I loved this mysterious tale with its meandering trails that do not always lead where expected. In fact, more than one mystery is woven into a tangled thread that often makes it a bit difficult to discern exactly what is what. But that is part of what makes the story such fun to read. Just a touch of romance for both Pippa and Chandler adds another layer to the story but not enough to interfere with the main plot.

If I seem a bit vague about The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus it is because it is so difficult to avoid spoilers. If you are a lover of Gothic or split time mysteries, this book should probably be added too your To Be Read stack but be sure to place it at the very top.