This audiobook was suspenseful and kept me on my toes. Even though this is a series book, you can read this as a stand alone. The beginning is a bit slow but keep with it because how the story breaks down, this is wonderful.

This book kept me in suspense as to what was happening and where was her brothers baby. I liked the different things that were going on and it made the book exciting and me wanting to keep reading it to see what the ending had in store for us.

4 STARS
2022; Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press/Macmillan Audio

We are back in Kinship, and things are busy with drama. We move through the story with Lily and Beulah's point of view. The book opens with Chalmer Fitzpatrick, former war vet and Lily's brother, Roger's friend, opening a new park in Kinship. The opening day sets off incidents that lead to a young woman being found murdered, and a baby left without a home. Beulah's been hiding a secret from Lily and the family, Roger had a daughter in France. Esme is now nine years old, and about to lose her maternal grandmother, the only family she has known. Beulah's been corresponding with Esme's grandmother, Charlotte and has decided to take on Esme. When she goes to pick her up from the train the young girl and her hired escort are no where to be found. Lily finds herself pulled between the the mysteries and having her job as Sheriff tested all throughout.

There is a lot happening in this one, and with the alternating POV, I was kept on my toes. It's not difficult to keep straight though, and a bit filled with anxious tension. One thing I love about the kinship novels is the cast of characters. Each book we see how they grow and are trying to get through hard times. It is interesting to see a woman sheriff during this time, and at times it reminds me of the Kopp Sisters, with less humour. Any of the novels in the series could probably read on their own, but if you are full immersive reader you will want to start at the beginning and see the growth and arcs move.

***I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook/ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

While requesting this book I didn’t know it was a series and while it works as a stand alone I was annoyed I would have loved to start everything from the start. This book has a mystery I was looking fore while based on a true story of the first female sheriff, I loved it! The women empowerment was fantastic the story kept me intrigued and I was heartbroken too!

Thanks NetGalley for ARC for my honest review

This started out quite slow but as it went on, I really enjoyed the storytelling. The depth of the story was believable and felt like I was part of this strange family.

Setting is 1928 when the loss of loved ones who didn’t come back from the great was still sharply felt. We see that with time people are getting slowly overcome their loss and start forming new relationships.
I did not read the previous books in the series and I have to admit that I fell a little bit lost at the beginning trying to figure who was who but it became clearer as I got a bit more involved in the story. Family relationships are complicated. Old grudges are kept heated up ready to create an explosive situation. The story had a lot of twist and unusual happenings. There are so many different occurrences that keep you turning the pages that I highly can recommend reading this book. The narrator did a marvelous job in presenting the book which added to the enjoyment.

I did not finish The Echoes. The narration from Susan Bennett was excellent. Jess Montgomery prose is lovely, however I prefer mysteries with less flowery prose.

I listened to this book and the narrator did an excellent job. This is the first of this series I've encountered. The depth of detail and passion and the mystery and history is beautiful. I felt for the strong female characters in this book. I didn't want it to end, and I keep thinking about it like these people have become part of my family. Bravo Jess Montgomery!

I am so impressed with the writing style of Jess Montgomery. The Echoes was a beautifully written novel with amazing character development. I listened to the audiobook which had an amazing narrator, by the way, so the beginning was hard for me to sort out all the names and relations of people. But once I got in my head who everyone was… I couldn’t stop listening! Action packed without being an “Action” book. Masterful tale. Highly recommend.

Lily, the local sheriff, has her hands full. There is a brand new amusement park about to open in her home town. Then, there is a murder and family disputes over the land where the park is located. On top of that, she has her own family drama when her niece never makes it to Kinship and she has possibly been kidnapped

Well! This is my first Jess Montgomery book…where have I been! Geez! I actually won a copy of one of her books last year and never read it. HEAD SLAP!

This is a story I am still thinking about. I loved Lily. Now, I will be honest, I figured this just could not happen in the 1920s. I thought, there is no way there was a female sheriff. Thanks to google…there were a few, very few, but it was not unheard of. So, give me a book with a strong female character and a book which has me looking up stuff and I am hooked.

I loved the twists and turns in this mystery. I did figure some of it out, or I thought I did…and low and behold…NOT! The story twisted. I also fell for little Esme. I really want a whole book devoted to her and her story.

This is also part of a series, book 4. And no, I have not read any of the others. I did not feel lost or confused at all. So this could be a stand alone.

Susan Bennett is the narrator and she did a fabulous job. I have added her to my narrator list.

Need a good historical mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

3.5⭐️ The Echoes by Jess Montgomery was a historical mystery fiction that was narrated by Susan Bennett. SB did an excellent job. I liked her voice a lot.
This novel confused me at first but I started successfully tracking at chapter 3.
This novel is full of colorful characters and secrets. I love a strong protagonist and Lily was just that.
I didn’t realize this is the fourth book of a series but it can be read as a stand-alone. A small town folks with lots of history between them. I enjoyed this and I’ll probably read another from this author.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
I’m leaving my review on Instagram, FB, BB, Amazon, Goodreads and B&N

THE ECHOES is part of series called The Kinship Mystery Series, which I didn’t realize when I picked this up, but it can read as a stand-alone too.

The Echoes mixes history with mystery, creating a gothic story around Sheriff Lily Roth, the first female detective in Ohio, and plenty of secrets.

This was the story of a family who experienced trauma and loss, including Lily’s brother Roger who died during the Great War, and now more secrets are being uncovered as Lily tries to find answers to who killed the girl in the pond.

I listened to this as an audiobook ALC and love the narrator, Susan Bennett, who has narrated many books I also enjoyed, becoming another favorite voice for me.

*many thanks to Minotaur and Macmillan Audio/Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I didn't realize when I requested this audio book that it was part of a series, but it seems like it can be read as a standalone! I of course had to go back and read the others, and I'm very glad I did. This isn't my usual genre but I enjoyed getting to know these characters and feeling their happiness and heart break. The narrator was great as well.

Inspired by Ohio's first female sheriff in 1925, each Kinship Mystery Series written by the talented storyteller—Jess Montgomery includes co-narrators with Sheriff Lily Ross, the protagonist. Smartly written each co-narrator may have a different perspective on Lily and her case.

THE ECHOES is a powerful story, a mix of historical mystery, rural and Gothic. Fans and newcomers will enjoy the tenacious Sheriff Lily Ross. The fourth in the Kinship mystery series.

In the Echoes, her mom is one of the co-narrators, Beulah McArthur—and she has plenty of SECRETS. She has not always been comfortable with her daughter Lily having such a dangerous job. (can you imagine back in this period).

The plot revolves around Roger, Lily's brother and Beulah's son Roger and his time in the Great War, deceased. Both Lily and Beulah work together to resolve the numerous issues in The Echoes, which also helps connect them.

The other co-narrator is Esmé, the secret daughter Roger fathered in France, and now her mother's family can no longer care for her due to health reasons, she is sent to them. However, things do not go as planned.

The novel starts on July 4, 1928, at the opening of an amusement park named after Lily's brother, who died during the war. Chalmer Fitzpatrick is the owner. However, a dark shadow falls on the town with more than one tragedy. Pearl Riley is found murdered in the park's pond.

Chalmer's wife, Sophia, finds a month-old infant by their side door. Was the baby an affair with Chalmer and Pearl? However, Sophia has secrets of her own, among many others.

Lily does not know about her brother Roger's daughter that her mom had kept a secret. Beulah now has arranged to have Esmé come from France to America, and she is only 9 yrs old, with a chaperone. However, along the way, Esmé goes missing. Was she kidnapped? If so, the motive?

Many secrets keep the drama and suspense high from the baby, the affairs, and then more murders. There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle, and Lily and her family have their work cut out for them. How are all the components connected?

Everyone involved in the novel is trying to protect their family, but how far will they go?

A story of family, love, loss, and traumas— PTSD from the war to those who have experienced traumatic events. How do we deal with traumas as it echoes through families and personal lives? A fitting title. Asks several questions: what war does do to soldiers' minds and how does trauma trickle through generations of families, communities, and countries.

You will enjoy this Kinship series if you love strong women and historical fiction. I really enjoyed this author's writing. While this was the first book in the series I have had the opportunity to read, I would recommend reading the prior ones, even though it can be read as a standalone. I look forward to reading THE WIDOWS, THE HOLLOWS, and THE STILLS.

I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by the fabulous Susan Bennett for an entertaining listening experience. Highly recommend the audiobook.

Thank you to #StMartinsPress, #MacmillianAudio, and #NetGalley for an ARC to read, enjoy, and review.

@JudithDCollins |#JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Pub Date: March 29, 2022

The Disappearance of Esmee

July 4, 1928 , Kinston, Ohio, as a celebration is going on at an newly opened amusement park, Lily the sheriff is made aware of a possible drowning in a pond on a disputed piece of land.

Meanwhile, Lily's mom is agonizing over how to tell Lily and the family about a child named Esmee that her brother fathered while in the Army in France. He was killed in battle and the child's mother died in childbirth, the grandmother had been caring for her, but she was ill and could not longer care for her. She needed Esmee to come to America and live with her father's relatives.

Lily is told about Esmee when she does not arrive in Kinship, Ohio as she is supposed to do . They fear that she has been kidnapped and perhaps her chaperone is in on the kidnapping. Now Lily has two crimes to solve.

Lily wonders if there is any connection and can she find Esmee before harm comes to her. She is not happy that she was not told about Esmee before and even less when she finds out her steady boyfriend knew about it but kept it from her.

This is a story of a town of secrets and Lily doesn't know who to trust. Who is telling the truth and who is lying? She is not even sure she can trust family and just when she thinks she has it solved, it isn't.

This was a great mystery story and I enjoyed listening to the audio book. The narrator did a wonderful job with the narration, it was very clear and the dramatic parts were done very well. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Jess Montgomery for a great mystery story, to Susan Bennett for doing an excellent narration, to Macmillan Audio for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.

This review is for the audio book version so let;s start there. The narrator of this title does a good job of telling this story. She speaks so clearly that readers are easily able to follow and become involved with the characters and plot. I had read the other books so it was a treat to listen and hear the voices of characters who had previously existed in my mind.

The books that Ms. Montgomery writes about in this historical mystery series follow a number of characters, many of whom are women of principle living in a town where they are continually challenged. Lily became Sheriff after the death of her husband. She has subsequently faced many challenges. Lily’s friend Marvena has a strong presence on the page (or narration) as does Hildy. These are characters for whom readers will care. Each novel seems to bind them more closely together. In this entry, there is a new person in Esme. Readers will learn how she is connected to Lily and will hope that she is able to survive her challenges.

At the same time, there is a local situation calling for Lily’s skills in investigation. An amusement park opening that should be fun leads to complex doings that span generations.

The books in this series are best read in order. They can be both bleak and life affirming. These are small town stories that are anything but cozies. I recommend them all.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio. All opinions are my own..

It is now 1928 and Sheriff Lily Ross has a lot on her plate. An amusement park is being built in the small town of Kinship, she deals with a possible murder, the fact that her now-deceased brother fathered a child while serving in the war in France, and is navigating her relationship with Benjamen.

For my thoughts on this intriguing fourth book in the Kinship series, please see my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/BFVF9T8_b3w

Chalmer Fitzpatrick, veteran and lumber mill owner, is dedicating a new amusement park in his hometown in rural Ohio, and he wants to make sure local sheriff Lily Ross is present to keep the peace. When elderly Maybelle insists she has seen a drowned girl in the new pond in a vision, Lily goes to investigate her claims.

This first premonition proves to be true, and it is not the first death Lily will encounter over the 4th of July holiday weekend. With the help of her friend Hildy and her deputy Marvena, Lily gets to the bottom of a long running family feud and solves multiple homicides.

While Lily keeps up with the demands of her job, her mother Buella tries to find the right moment to tell her daughter that her deceased brother had a child with a woman in France while serving in the Great War. Young Esme is bound for Ohio after her mother passes to live with her father’s family. When she doesn’t arrive as scheduled, Buella becomes frantic and another mystery is added to Lily’s already full plate.

As the local murder investigations collide with the search for her missing niece, it is up to Lily to bring justice to Kinship, Ohio and find Esme.

I didn’t realize this was the fourth book in a series. It stands alone find on its own. I struggled to keep up with all the characters at the start, and I am sure that has to do with the fact that they have been previously introduced. As with any mystery, it starts slow and the pace picks up at the end. Overall, I liked it, but I prefer more contemporary storylines with mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and of course Jess Montgomery for the advanced copy. The Echoes is comes out tomorrow! All opinions are my own.

Book 4 in the Kinship series

Sheriff Lily Ross has a new case to investigate. A girl was found floating in a pond. The case seems simple- someone confessed- but as she talks to people, she realizes things are not what they seem on the surface.

I have enjoyed the Kinship series, but there were a few issues in this book for me. First of all, I do not think Esme and her arc were developed enough. The book started out with a lot of focus on Esme, then she became an afterthought.

My real problem- and the reason for the two stars- is the way Lily treats Benjamin. She is awful to him. By this book, we are now three years past her husband's death and she and Benjamin have been semi-"courting" for two years. Her rudeness was understandable back in book 2, but I feel like it has gotten worse and it just really bothered me. It also makes me like her less as a character.

The audio is consistent- the same narrator has been used for the entire series and it is clear and easy to follow, just like the previous three.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Echos by Jess Montgomery is an incredible listen with many heartwarming and heartwretching details. The setting of the book is 1928, and remnants of the Great War are still around. The book is part of a series and a standalone listen. I was immediately pulled into the book with the fantastic narration by Susan Bennett. She really brought the characters to life with her voice, and added the right emotions to the scenes. I loved how family was interpreted in this book! It added so many feels to the story. The Kinship Tree was also a poignant image. Thank you #NetGalley and #Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this pre-release! I loved it!