I love a good Gothic Fiction story. This story takes place in duel timelines, along with The Girl. This was a page turner and had so many creepy suspenseful elements to it - like the woman with the crooked hand. The ending was unexpected and so beautiful done. I wished it would have been a spookier ending 👻
If you haven’t tried one of Jaime’s books, I would highly recommending picking one up.

I cannot get enough Jaime Jo Wright books. As soon as I finish one, I wait impatiently anticipating and wondering what terrifying story she’ll come up with next. But these aren’t just scary stories. She always adds the message of faith in Christ and how He sees us as we are and loves us anyway.

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau’s description tells you everything you need to know about the plot since adding anything would spoil the book for you! I had to make myself quit reading because I didn’t want to be done with it too quickly! The dual-time element makes it really hard to stop reading. Wright knows how to keep you hanging and eager for more!

I absolutely loved the wide variety of characters. Some are quirky, others are timid and some are not what they seem. And they all have flaws and fears. Though their flaws and fears may not be ones we’ve ever faced, we can see ourselves in them, and if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll admit we’re messed up people who need a Savior.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical, scary, inspirational fiction with amazing characters. I can’t wait for Wright’s next book!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Jaime Jo keeps doing it again and again. She is an amazing author who keeps you wondering what will happen next. She does split time novels really well and I was in awe how she weaved in another time line into this story. And how she tied everything together in the end, was something else. You definitely won't be disappointed with this book! Already counting down the days until the next book releases.

This dual-timeline mystery novel is the genre at its finest. The novel toggles between the life of Daisy Francois in 1865 and Cleo Clemmons in the present. Both young women have been drawn to Castle Moreau, an ostentious house built in the woods of Wisconsin, by offers of employment. Both are trying to live behind past lives full of hurt. However, the castle seems to bring more complications than opportunities through the stories of girls mysteriously disappearing from the castle and an authoress whose gothic horror novels fuel the suspicion. Unraveling the mystery of the castle is the only path forward but is fraught with peril.

The suspense of this book kept moving me forward. The twists and turns were ones I never anticipated, and the book was a thrilling ride. The ending story of redemption was absolutely breathtaking. The novel leaves me anticipating the suthor's next book. I received an advanced reader's copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jaime Jo Wright has carved out an original niche in the genre landscape. Her award-winning novels are multi-period Midwestern horror with a twist of inspirational romance; how’s that for an intriguing amalgamation?

True to the gothic tradition, The Vanishing at Castle Moreau takes place at an isolated stone monstrosity – one built by an early 19th-century French émigré in small-town Wisconsin. Numerous women have vanished behind its walls over the years, so the stories go. Some generations of the Moreau-Tremblay family have capitalized on their home’s horrific legend, but its present-day owners have grown weary of the bad publicity.

Fleeing a guilty conscience over past troubles, Cleo Clemmons, who adopts a new surname to hide her identity, takes a last-chance job at Castle Moreau that requires her to organize and clear out an elderly widow’s belongings. Virgie Tremblay is a hoarder, and her loving grandson, Deacon, a sexy celebrity, is wealthy enough to pay for Cleo’s employment – and secretive enough to want his grandmother’s condition kept quiet.

Problem is, someone’s alert to Cleo’s presence. When she finds a mysterious cassette recording on her parked car, one relating to a young woman’s disappearance forty years earlier, she checks it out – and other townies get agitated once they hear it. Plus, eerie nighttime happenings have Cleo believing that the castle’s hauntings are real. (Which they are.)

Cleo’s story has a smart contemporary vibe, a contrast that plays well against the more formal Victorian style of the earlier-set tale. In 1870, Daisy François, an orphan who escaped abusive foster parents, takes a housemaid’s job at Castle Moreau out of desperation. Here, too, an elderly matriarch rules the roost: Ora (Moreau) Tremblay is a bestselling authoress of horror fiction à la Poe, and she revels in (and lives surrounded by) the atmosphere she evokes. Looking even further back, a few chapters set in 1801 introduce the chateau’s ghost, a woman with a crooked hand.

The opening chapters at Castle Moreau pull out all the stops in Gothic-ness – an eccentric male servant, beds drenched in spiderwebs, a maze of abandoned rooms, just to start – and I kept reading to see where this was all going. The mystery in the modern section is cleverly arranged with a neat twist at the end, and the story’s paranormal happenings will have you avoiding dark corners and empty hallways. The romances in Daisy’s and Cleo’s timelines are a bit sudden, but for those seeking out paranormal creepiness and mystery, this novel has both in spades.

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau
Jaime Jo Wright

I read this book in 48 hours. I love all of Jaime's books but this I think is my very favorite! You know a book is good when right after you end it you want to read it all again.
Spooky castle in a deep forest? Hunky mysterious men in each time frames? Themes of redemption and forgiveness? Check! check check!

In 1865, Daisy becomes the housemaid at a Wisconsin castle and finds her mistress is an authoress who writes harrowing novels. Women are disappearing and Castle Moreau is to blame and things that go bump in the night brings Daisy right into the midst of things.

In the present day, Cleo is hired by a grandson to help his grandmother with her hoarding in the centuries old Castle Moreau. Cleo discovers the mystery of disappearances and experiences similar things that Daisy does and wonders if she's losing her mind, or if its the ghosts of the past coming to her.

As all her books , everything is always explained in the end. Faith outweighs anything that spooky happens.

5 stars! Highly recommend!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.

I have yet to meet a novel by Jaime Jo Wright that I didn’t absolutely love. The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is no exception, in fact, I daresay it might just be my favorite thus far!

This deliciously thrilling new release immediately captivated me as Wright’s powerful, evocative narrative enticed me into her magnificent story-worlds, both present day and in the past. These intertwined stories offered an enchanting read that I could not put down, nor wanted to put down!

With an exciting ambiance of intrigue, horror and Gothic fiction, Wright delivered a setting that was both alluring and delightfully mysterious. I adored her fresh, authentic, relatable characters who brought stories of brokenness and pain, making the hope and healing they found through faith that much more rewarding in the end.

The novel was suspenseful and emotionally turbulent at times (in the very best way, of course!) and well-balanced, making it a highly entertaining read that moved along at a great pace. I adored the extra dose of swoon she added to the story in the form of romance and loved the chemistry and tension found there.

A master at her craft and the unique niche she’s cultivated, Wright wrapped up this story in a way that both left me deeply satisfied and encouraged. Nothing about this story was overdone, it was absolutely perfect. If you love a fantastic, spine-tingling read with a dash of romance, history and a strong energy, this is a must-read!

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau was the 1st book I have read by Jaime Jo Wright. It had chills and mystery to keep you guessing.

Cleo is running from something in her past, as is Daisy, they happen to live over 100 years apart and both end up at the mysterious Castle Moreau. Daisy comes to the castle in 1870 to be a housemaid, when she gets there she is in the employ of the mysterious authoress Ora Trembley and her grandson Lincoln. Daisy finds out that she is the only servant besides Festus and is expected to keep the castle clean. Then there are the sightings of a mysterious cloaked woman, is the castle haunted and if so by whom?

Cleo in the present day is hired by Deacon Trembley to help his grandmother. She is a hoarder and recluse who does not relish any outside help. Oh and did we mention the different women who have disappeared from Castle Moreau since it was built? Cleo also starts to see a mysterious woman and strange incidents keep happening. Is the castle haunted? Two women over a 100 years apart will learn the secrets of Castle Moreau. Will they survive that knowledge?

The characters were interesting and I am including the castle as a character. The mystery was chilling but the resolution was poignant,. I really thought this was a thoughtful book about an issue that is faced too many times. I will not say more so as to not give away the ending.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Bethany House and the author for the chance to read and review this book,

The Vanishing of Castle Moreau is like the castle itself, more than it seems.

This is a split time mystery that is more than meets the eye on the surface and done as only Jamie Jo Wright can do. Cleo is hired to take care of the clutter that has overtaken the castle. Daisy is hired to clean it over 100 years before, The story is split between the two perspectives, with insight offered by the little girl who originally occupied the castle.

Without giving away details, this is an important story. One that needed to be told and one that should continue to be told.

The mystery surrounding Castle Moreau and its occupants is well-written and enthralling, It captured me from beginning to end and left me almost believing in the supernatural. It wouldn't be a Christian fiction without a basis in faith which was also well-written and felt like it could have belonged to me. The characters were exquisite and the story was everything I could have hoped for.

I want to thank Jamie Joe Wright, the publisher, and Austenprose for the opportunity to read and share this book with the world. I received an early copy through the publisher and this is my honest review.

I heard a lot of people raving about this book and how great the creepy suspense was, and I love dual timeline books so I thought I'd give it a shot. Unfortunately it wasn't the book for me. I struggled becoming invested in the storyline and the characters. Although, so many people enjoyed it, so I still recommend giving it a try.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

Set in midwestern Wisconsin, The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is a gothic Christian romance that spans more than 100 years. It’s the multiple-time, multiple-perspective story of a Daisy, living in 1870, and Cleo, living in present day, with a few chapters set in 1801 featuring Ora, the first woman to live in the Castle. It’s an elderly Ora that Daisy comes to work for. Cleo works for Virgie Tremblay, one of Ora’s descendants.

Author Jamie Jo Wright does an excellent job setting the scene. The creepiness factor is high from the very first chapter. It’s not hard to imagine yourself walking through the castle halls beside her main characters.

Daisy, Cleo and Ora are well-defined, complex characters that aren’t always likeable, but remain compelling.

Even with all its positives, it did take me a while to get into The Vanishing at Castle Moreau. Everything moved a bit too languidly for me at first. Things do pick up later, though, so it’s worth sticking with it.

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is published by Bethany House, one of the largest independent Christian book publishers. As such, readers should go into the book with the understanding that Christian themes — specifically that of faith — are present throughout.

Though not written specifically for a young adult audience, The Vanishing at Castle Moreau, doesn’t feature anything objectionable, and it’s main characters are young enough to resonate with older YA readers.

H
Castle Moreau is the story of a haunted castle in Wisconsin. Built around 1800 on the Mississippi River, a legend has grown up around it that women disappear in the castle never to be seen again. In 1870, an orphan girl named Daisy takes up a position at the castle. She is not sure of her role, but finds the castle mostly abandoned. Madame Ora Moreau is a famous Gothic authoress who lives in the castle. Her Grandson Lincoln believes that Daisy should be there to look after her and do some light cleaning. As Daisy settles in, she starts to notice many mysterious happenings at the castle. As she starts to investigate, will she be able to discover the secrets the castle holds?

The other timeline is present day. Cleo has been hired by the mysterious rich son, of a famous American family, Deacon, to help his Grandmother, Virgie, sort through her hoarded junk that has filled up the Castle Moreau. When she arrives, Cleo quickly gets wrapped up in the mystery of the castle as the townspeople fill her in on the disappearances that have happened over the centuries. Will Cleo finally be able to solve the mystery of the disappearances?

I really loved the dual timelines in this novel. I thought the two stories really parallel and also built on each other. I also really liked the light romance in both stories. In the modern story, Deacon is a reformed rake who has turned his life around. I enjoyed the characters and learning more about them. I loved how the stories were very Gothic and mysterious. Wright really built a creepy atmosphere that pulled me into the book. I really wanted to know how it ended! I did really enjoy the ending. I did not guess it at all and it was a very satisfying ending.

I also loved that it was a castle in Wisconsin. It made me wish it were real and I could visit it! I loved the suspense of this story and think it would be a great book to read for Halloween.

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright as a riveting Christian Gothic romance novel and I highly recommend it!

Review Copy from author Bethany House Publishing. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is one of the best books that I've read in my entire life, and I need everyone to read it PRONTO. Jamie Jo Wright is a new-to-me author, but I will absolutely be going to read her entire backlist and she will now be an automatic will-read author.
The hope, the light that she weaves within a haunting castle, within a past of abuse and mistakes that torture the characters, I found myself in tears several times, and by the end of the story, all I wanted was to go back to the beginning and start again.
The romance between Cleo and Deacon was amazing, and I loved how their two broken stories became intertwined. I will say that Lincoln and Daisy's relationship was a little off-putting to me as Lincoln came across as very controlling and almost emotionally abusive at times (even though it was very clear in the story that that was not the intent at all).
But still, even with that, the mystery and the writing and the ideas of one facing the past that has haunted them was absolutely beautiful and I will be re-reading this book in the near future!

Dual Timeline, Mystery, Suspense… Yep!

If you are looking for a story that will make you forget all else until you finish this book is it! That is what happened with me. I did not want to stop reading!

The dual timeline will further your enjoyment as it moves this story in ways you can’t imagine. This had me jumping at sounds and my imagination took off. I look forward to reading many more of Jaime Jo Wright’s books!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

Absolutely loved this latest book from Jaime Jo Wright! Her thrilling gothic Christian romances are in a pioneering category all their own. She takes spooky, unexplainable bumps in the night & provides a faith filled message ultimately offering hope with relatable characters & swoony romance.

In two different centuries, two young women trying to escape their pasts end up at the Castle Moreau in midwestern Wisconsin. It’s a place filled with secrets where women enter but vanish into thin air.

In 1865, Daisy Francois accepts a housemaid position at the castle for a gothic, reclusive Edgar Allen Poe like authoress. There are certain rooms Daisy isn’t supposed to enter, but when she hears strange noises she can’t help herself. She discovers the proprietress’ mysterious, handsome grandson. But what secrets is he hiding? When several young woman go missing, Daisy must decide whether to solve the mystery or flee.

In modern times, Cleo Clemmons has secrets she’s running from. Determined to protect her sister, she changes her name & accepts a position at the creepy, old Castle Moreau helping an elderly woman with a hoarding problem. Her grandson is a famous gorgeous playboy prominently featured in the tabloids. But when Cleo mysteriously finds an old cassette tape giving clues to the disappearance of a woman who went missing near Castle Moreau, she discovers the past has a way of coming back and threatening the present.

I loved the premise of this book. Old castles are the perfect gothic setting. I loved both Daisy’s & Cleo’s stories. It was intriguing figuring out their pasts & why they came to Castle Moreau. I loved the romances in both time periods. Daisy and Lincoln both helped each other overcome their pasts as well as Cleo and Deacon. Both couples grew in faith and overcoming their difficulties and found new hope in their love.

The explanation for the vanishings was one I didn’t see coming. Definitely kept me guessing! There were some creepy moments that would have made me want to cringe and hide my eyes if this was a movie. It’s a haunting story with an ultimately happy ending, if you can survive the creepy Poe like vibes of the authoress & the ghost like woman with the crooked hand! Highly recommend to suspense and gothic mystery fans!

I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

Castle Moreau was built in Midwestern Wisconsin by a wealthy fur trapper in the 1800's.  A young Ora Moreau was it's first inhabitant. Shortly after the Castle is completed, Ora is visited by a ghostly woman who tells her stories at night.  Years later, Ora is a famous author of Gothic stories.  A young orphaned woman, Daisy, answers a posting for a housemaid at the mysterious Castle.  .  When she arrives at Castle Moreau, Daisy hears stories of vanished women and meets the fierce Ora herself.  Daisy soon finds herself part of the mystery of Castle Moreau.  In the present day, Castle Moreau still carries the mystery of vanished women, most recently in the 80's.  Cleo Clemmons is another woman escaping a tortured past and answers an advertisement for a house organizer for the aging Virgie Tremblay, the ancestor of Ora.  Cleo arrives to a much larger task than she ever imagined and is almost immediately wrapped into the last known disappearance at the Castle.  


The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is a surprising Gothic mystery.  Told in three time periods, from the views of a young Ora in 1801, Daisy in the 1870's and Cleo in the present day, each woman's story shared a common thread of escape. I was immediately pulled in from the first chapter where Ora first meets the phantom woman.  I was equally as entranced with Daisy's story, working for an aging Ora while figuring out the mysteries of the missing Hester May and Elsie and Cleo's story of finding Anne and helping Virgie.  The writing of The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is masterful, creating a mysterious atmosphere, but not necessarily one of danger.  The women's stories pulled me deeper into the Castle, exposing little bits of the truth at a time and weaving a story of defiance through time.  I was equally impressed by the male characters in the story, carrying on the legacy, even when it was a detriment to themselves.  Castle Moreau seems to give people what they didn't know they needed without them knowing.  Overall, The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is a  thoughtful, women-centered,  and surprising Gothic mystery. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Where to begin…. when I first started reading this book I was unsure if I was going to be able to finish it. I am not one for things that go bump in the night. However, I have learned that with Jamie’s storytelling there is always a reason for the uneasiness I get. I can now see the spiritual battle that wages within the pages of each story. In this story, is one that is personal to me and I am so glad I stayed until the end. There is a rumor about Castle Moreau young women go in but they never come out. In this split-time story we learn of the beginning of this Castle, the middle and the present history behind the rumor.


**I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this opportunity.

Jaime Jo Wright is at her best with this read! WOW!!!

For once, I took my own advice and read it in broad daylight. I've read one too many of Wright's books at bedtime, each time saying, "Oh, it'll be fine..."--and barely living to tell about it! LOL! It will not be fine. :D I either get so creeped out by the book and the dark shadows, or stay up way too late reading. Or both. :D "It will not be fine," she said, and this proved accurate yet again. ;) Pardon me while I self-five. I have temporarily matured as a reader and will likely proceed to regress in short order. Ha!

Sooo yeahhh, this is not one to read at night. :D Creepy, par for the course with Wright--and gripping, also par for the course. I was really thankful to already have a good chunk of time to read--no effort required to first clear the calendar!

I was incredibly impressed with how the book panned out. I've read all (or a majority) of Wright's books to date, and truly am mind-boggled with the level of skill she exhibits here. (I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was! Happy day!) I never saw the climax/denouement coming...and I loved it. I also felt the read a refreshing change from earlier books, which I'd felt to follow similar plot structures/tropes. They were great, don't get me wrong--but the change was welcome and kept me guessing here to the end. Wright dealt admirably with some really hard topics and kept me as a reader engaged and connected with the characters. Loved this read.

5/5 stars.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

CASTLE MOREAU: a refuge or a terror? Two girls, fleeing their pasts, boldly place their lives within its clutches. Will they become just two more victims on a list of many, or will they uncover the secrets hidden with the depths of Castle Moreau?

Daisy’s story takes place in 1870. She, an orphan, was on the run from her previous abusive home and decided to take up a housekeeping position at Castle Moreau. What she found instead of the bustling household one would expect, was a mostly empty castle filled with cobwebs and secrets. The legendary Madame Ora Moreau, author of horror stories, was the prime resident of the castle and not to be trifled with. When Daisy happened upon an injured girl, Elsie, in the woods, she brought her into the castle in hopes of helping her. Madame Tremblay herself decided to doctor the girl. Shortly thereafter, Elsie disappeared without a trace. Would either girl make it out of the castle alive?

“𝒜 𝓌ℴ𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝒾𝓈 𝒶 𝓅ℴ𝓌ℯ𝓇𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝒸𝓇ℯ𝒶𝓉𝓊𝓇ℯ, 𝒟𝒶𝒾𝓈𝓎 ℱ𝓇𝒶𝓃çℴ𝒾𝓈. 𝒟ℴ 𝓃ℴ𝓉 𝓊𝓃𝒹ℯ𝓇ℯ𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓂𝒶𝓉ℯ 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓅ℴ𝓌ℯ𝓇 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓌𝒾ℯ𝓁𝒹.”

Cleo’s story takes place in the present day. Leaving her grandma and little sister, Riley, behind, she flees from the ghosts of her past in hopes of keeping Riley safe. Cleo takes up a position at Castle Moreau sorting through Virgie Tremblay’s hoards of possessions. When things seem to be getting out of hand, Deacon Tremblay takes it upon himself to show up and help Cleo with his deranged grandmother. A mysterious tape appears on the hood of Cleo’s vehicle one day in town, pulling her into the mystery of Anne, a girl who had gone missing 40 years ago in the woods surrounding Castle Moreau. Questions begin to pile up, with very little answers. What had happened to make Cleo flee her past and would they discover the castle’s secrets before it was too late?

𝙱𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚎, 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚜.

Sadly, this book did not grab my interest like I had hoped it would. The pacing was just a bit too slow to hold my attention for long. Because of this, it took me longer to read than most. I did appreciate the short chapters, though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for the chance to read the ARC of this book. All opinions listed are my own.

Jaime Jo Wright is the queen of dark stories laced with hope. Her writing gives you enough shivers, angst, and twisty suspense to keep you up all night. If you dare. Yet each book has a redemptive factor which takes you in a direction you never anticipate. This is what makes her stand above the crowd.
The Vanishing At Castle Moreau grabbed me right from the start and I was hooked. The lives of three women in three time lines with choices to make are entwined with the castle itself, written in a way that gives it a life of its own. The girl alone with her nightmares, Daisy trapped by her circumstances and surrounded by secrets, and Cleo hiding at the castle with secrets of her own.
Questions abound as you read through the book. Who is the woman with the crooked hand? Are the rumors about the castle true? Will Daisy and Cleo be consumed by the secrets or freed by the truth? And for those romantics out there, will they connect with the handsome brooding men who are part of the Moreau legacy?
Each character in the book is unique in their own way, even the side characters adding color and depth to the overall story. I loved this book and highly recommend it.
I was given a copy of this book through NetGalley courtesy of Bethany House Publishers. This is my honest opinion of the book.