In my humble opinion, Ms. Wright is the reigning queen for dual-time suspense. I was totally enthralled in this story filled with just the right amount of gothic creepiness. I do not care for horror books or movies and find this has just the right amount to give spine-tingling thrills, but not enough to keep me up at night.

Readers will be intrigued by the mysteries from three different time periods that surround Castle Moreau. Ms. Wright masterfully parcels out the clues of the secrets hidden within the castle, skillfully building the suspense in each storyline, with several twists and turns. With beautifully haunting prose, I could imagine myself walking the dark hallways, searching for clues for the women who were said to have disappeared over the years. I did not suspect the link between the storylines until the end.

Ms. Wright pens characters that are real, flawed and broken, running from the past. Readers will find hidden within the darkness of the tale is a strong message of hope.

"yet the castle called....Beckoning. It reached into the deep places in one's soul and began to expose them for what they were. Broken pieces. Pieces only God could heal...."

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

4.5 ⭐️ this is the first of Jaime Jo Wright’s novels that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last!

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau follows dual timelines of two women who find themselves investigating secrets surrounding the castle and the Moreau/Tremblay family members who live there.

I found the writing to be excellent. I really enjoyed the author’s style. She did a great job of heightening the intrigue without making it too scary (in my opinion). It took a little while for me to get invested, but once I did, I was hooked.

The character development was also well done. With only one exception (one of the romantic relationships), the relationships between characters and their individual personalities felt realistic and engaging.

Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for the ARC!

Having loved another book by this author, I approached this with equal parts hope and fear. It’s so disappointing to find that recent writing is either not as good, or simply cookie-cutter writing. What a pleasure to read this wholly unique, thoroughly gothic tale, told across generations/viewpoints. I’m now committed to reading all of this author’s work.

Jaime Jo Wright is one of my favorite authors when it comes to atmospheric, paranormal, amazingness. She makes chills run down my spine, my heart pound, I will feel eyes on me, the hairs on the back of my neck will rise, and I know just know something is waiting for me. The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is exactly this. It is set in a castle in Wisconsin that has seen better days. It is told in a dual timeline between 1870 and the present day. There have been strange disappearances since the castle was first built. Women just seemingly disappear into the depths of the castle or the forest surrounding it, never to be seen or heard from again. Is this just tales told by the locals or is there something more to these terrifying stories? It does not help that the daughter of the man who built the castle is an author of the most terrifying of tales. How can she write such gore without having some firsthand experience with it? This settles the debate, there is no question, there is something occurring, something sinister, and it all leads back to the missing women.

Cleo is running from her own past, a new name, living with her cat in her car. She responds to an ad asking for help organizing the castle. What she finds is so much more. An eccentric old lady who lives among the boxes of treasure she hordes. Not wanting to let go or let anyone close to her. Cleo begins to experience weird occurrences in the house, the turning of doorknobs, scraping coming from the walls, not knowing where to turn she is ready to flee. But she has nowhere to go. Let us go back to 1870 when Daisy accepts a position as a housemaid at the castle. She is to help take care of Ora, the horror author. When she finds a women wounded in a bear trap, she brings her back to the castle, only to have her disappear. Daisy is determined to find out what is going on behind these stone walls. Before anyone else vanishes.

I purposely slowed down my reading so I could enjoy this book for two days. I knew the ending was coming up and I was not prepared for the truth. It is so much better than I could ever have envisioned. Wright is a master of deception and suspense. I loved every single word that was written, transporting me to Castle Moreau and all its secrets. The characters are all lovingly created. They add their own stories and depth to the book. Thank you to Jaime Jo Wright and Bethany House Fiction for my gifted copy of this

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

Castle Moreau is a haunted creepy old manor. " Women have been known to visit Castle Moreau ...They do not return." A triple-timeline story with many mysterious twists and turns. Every timeline is suspenseful. All the 3 heroines are running from the past, they are dealing with some elements of emotional wounds, and you can feel their pain, their hopes, and also their horrors. I felt hopeless when I heard their stories, heartbreaking. there was so much sadness that I felt reading this, but the ending was heartwarming.

Her descriptions were wonderfully written, the atmosphere was dark and creepy, and sense of not hope. The characters are well-defined, there are complex, and deeply flawed.

The spooks drew me in and kept me going. I loved the twists and couldn't wait to see what the big reveal would be at the end, just a little creepy but not much just enough, there are so many layers here, if you enjoy any type of gothic mystery tale, you will love this book. it's a clean read, with no foul language, there is some romance, but not too much. Overall, I did enjoy reading it, and the secrets behind the walls.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Jaime Jo Wright can always be counted on to tell a fascinating and suspenseful story. Told in three different time periods, we meet three women who all live in Castle Moreau. And each must deal with a pretty disturbing mystery. I was completely captivated. And the ending was a total surprise. Loved it. My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via the Net Galley platform.

"Beauty exists where love begins."

Jaime Jo Wright's beautiful craftmanship never fails to amaze me. She has a magical touch that seamlessly weaves threads of Gothic suspense with faith and just the right amount of romance to create a stunning tapestry of redemption and belonging. Fear and grief play big roles in the plot but truth, kindness, steadfast love, purpose and faith overcome the hopelessness that lingers in fear and regret. Dual timeline that alternates between 1870 and present time, with interjections from 1801, is cleverly and masterfully stitched together without any gaps or confusion.

Cleo and Deacon from the present time are such a delightful match. Though they come from very different backgrounds, they share grief, addictions, regrets, loyalty, and faith. Daisy and Lincoln mirror their present time counterparts in 1870 - they are the forgotten ones, deemed useless by society yet so capable of love and longing for acceptance and purpose. And then there is the grandmother who writes horror fiction, the grandmother who hoards everything, the wandering phantom woman, and battles against grief and alcohol and human depravity that add deep layers to the characters and plot.

It's a Jaime Jo Wright book you don't want to miss. I received the book from Bethany House via Interviews and Reviews and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.

A Gripping Haunting story, Gothic, Cursed, Split time set in Wisconsin.

The Girl May 1801- Alone in her room ,a phantom woman with a crooked hand comes to Haunt her every night.

Daisy 1870 orphaned and escaped an abusive foster home . She finds a job at Castle Moreau. There she meets the mysterious Festus. The Horror writer Madame Ora Tremblay and the Grandson Lincoln Tremblay. In town she hears rumors about women vanishing at Castle Moreau.
At night she hears scratching coming from inside of the wall and seeing a phantom woman. Everyone she questions has secrets. Daisy starts inspecting to find clues and finds more than she can bargain for.

Present day-Cleo
Escaping from her past Cleo accepts a job at Castle Moreau from the Heir Deacon Tremblay to help get rid of clutter inside the castle and Help his Grandmother Virgie. Once there, she hears rumors about women vanishing from Castle Moreau and nobody at the castle wants to talk about it. While in the house she finds some bones in a wall and starts to believe the rumor. But what she finds out is not what she expected.

This was another hauntingly good tale from Jaime Jo Wright, one of the masters of Gothic fiction. This story pulled me in right from the very first page. The real world faded away, and I found myself completely enveloped in the chillingly creepy pages. There were some spooky moments. I got goosebumps several times. But one of the things I love most about Wright's books is how she weaves a powerful message of faith and hope into them. Despite the darkness of the world, God's light shines bright!

I was equally invested in both timelines. I've said this before, but I'm usually drawn to one timeline over the other in books like this. Not here, though. I loved how they both connected. It was really interesting seeing all the parallels. And I loved how the Castle seemed to become a character too. I liked both Cleo and Daisy. They were interesting characters with complicated histories. I enjoyed watching their growth. The grandmothers from both timelines were my favorite characters, though. They were both so intriguing. They held many secrets and were more than what first met the eye.

I can't say enough good things about this book. The mystery was superb. And the ending? What a complete surprise! It wasn't what I was expecting, but wow! So powerful and poignant. I might've even shed a tear or two.

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

What can I say about the Vanishing at Castle Moreau that would do it justice? I believe this is Jaime Jo Wright's best work yet!

Told in three periods, we meet a young girl who has just lost her mother. At night she is haunted by a hooded figure with a crooked hand, who tells her things no child should hear. At another time, we meet Daisy, an orphan who takes a position at the castle as a housemaid. She has heard the horror stories of the gothic castle but feels she has no alternative but to stay, even when some of those stories seem to be coming true.

And lastly, we meet Cleo. She has a secret we don't discover until later in the book. She is hired to help restore order to the castle after its lone occupant (Virgie) has become a hoarder. But as she begins to go through Virgie's things, the victims of the past seem to be reaching from beyond the grave for answers to their disappearances. And someone is keen to make sure she figures them out.

While the book concentrates mainly on Daisy and Cleo's stories, the thread that weaves them all together begins with the young child at the beginning of the story. Making this book hard to put down.

Wright masterfully sets her characters, plot twists and secrets in a brilliant story that transports you inside a gothic castle with so many mysteries that I long to see this book turned into a movie.

I loved everything about it! And the twist at the end was something I never saw coming. Kudos to the author. This one is a keeper!

​I received a copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley for my honest review.

Jaime Jo Wright is a master at thriller/mystery writing. The Vanishing at Castle Moreau was no exception. Without revealing anything that would spoil the plot, I was absolutely amazed at this story, thinking that I knew what was going to be the final outcome. I love a good who-dun-it and she crafted this tale in a way that far outstretched my imagination. A tale of escape, healing and God’s redemption, Jaime Jo penned so marvelously, and I highly recommend this book!!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher. The opinions expressed are my own.

"In 1865, orphaned Daisy Francois takes a position as housemaid at a midwestern Wisconsin castle and finds that the reclusive and eccentric Gothic authoress inside hides more than the harrowing tales in her novels. With women disappearing from the area and a legend that seems to parallel these eerie circumstances, Daisy is thrust into a web that may threaten to steal her sanity, if not her life.

In the present day, Cleo Clemmons is hired by the grandson of American aristocratic family the Tremblays to help his matriarchal grandmother face her hoarding in the dilapidated Castle Moreau. But when Cleo uncovers more than just the woman's stashes of collectibles, a century-old mystery of disappearance, insanity, and the dust of the old castle's curse threaten to rise again, and this time, leave no one alive to tell the sordid tale.

Fan-favorite Jaime Jo Wright draws readers into a seamlessly woven dual-time tale of suspense, mystery, romance, and redemption."

What's this about a castle in Wisconsin!?! Even if it's fictional I NEED TO KNOW!

Jaime Jo Wright does it again! If you like creepy gothic elements with "ghostly" but explainable characters, her writing is for you. I love how she brings light forth even in the dark and difficult situations she writes about.

Thank you to Bethany House & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

DNF @ 25%

After almost 100 pages, I just didn't care enough to pick this back up. I think the pacing in this one really didn't work for me, which is a bummer because the premise sounded really interesting.

Jaime Jo Wright is the queen of creepy suspense! Every book she writes is so good. This kept me guessing until the very end, and the ending is one of my favorites from her yet.

Readers who like a good romance with their mystery will enjoy this one. A little preachy, but a good story.

Cleo Clemmons wonders why anyone would hire her—a woman without a proper identity and a past she wants to hide. But when she arrives in the small town near her new place of employment, she wonders why she took the job.

Sinister rumors of women mysteriously disappearing at Castle Moreau swirl around town. Someone leaves an old cassette tape with a mysterious interview on the hood of her car. And the elderly lady she was hired to assist acts normal at times and borderline violent at others.

Cleo needs the money and a place to stay. When her handsome, enigmatic, and very wealthy employer shows up, Cleo wants to flee even more. But then she discovers the key to a century-old mystery.

In 1865, orphan Daisy Francois escapes her foster parents in answer to an advertisement for a housemaid. When she arrives, no one seems to know what to do with her, and no one seems willing to direct her duties in the understaffed Castle Moreau.

But the people of the nearby village have plenty to say about the women who enter the castle and never come out. They warn Daisy she’ll meet the same fate. But Daisy would rather face the terror of the unknown than the horror of her past.

The reclusive mistress of the castle writes horrific tales of suspense and murder. Daisy starts to wonder if the author plucked her graphic gothic tales from experience. But as Daisy and her mistress’s grandson develop an unlikely friendship, Daisy chooses to stay on. Despite the rumors and macabre discoveries.

What I Loved About This Book

Wright masterfully weaves a gothic tale of her own in this dual-time suspense story. Readers will relate to the protagonists’ desire to escape their pasts and forge a future based on love and hope. Unconditional love from a heavenly father and hope for promised forgiveness and growth. Readers will have a difficult time setting the book aside for quotidian things like eating and sleeping.

Quite the story! Readers who enjoy a gothic tale will relish this intriguing story. Set in past and present day, the details and reasons of why the girls vanished are quite surprising. Recommended!

What an excellent mystery, I had no idea how it would end and it was perfect.

Both timelines were suspenseful and I found myself unable to stop turning pages. I had to know what was going on! Bravo to Author Jaime Jo Wright for a brilliant, page-turning whopper of a mystery!

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery, you will not see the ending coming!

Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. I am looking forward to my pre-ordered copy for my keeper shelf.

Wow! This haunting novel has all the Gothic feels, descriptive imagery, sheer visual poetry, and enthralling, enigmatic characters that fans of Jaime Jo Wright have come to expect. Of course, it has its heebie-jeebie and "things that go bump in the night" moments (it wouldn't be a Wright novel without that), but is also filled with hope, light, and just a smidgen of romance.

A dual-timeline set predominantly in a prodigious, creepy old manor, The Vanishing at Castle Moreau lends truth to the idiom "things are not always what they seem" as the reader is met with many a mysterious twist and turn—some quite fanciful! I found some things a bit far-fetched, but it's fiction meant for entertainment, and the rich message within its pages as relevant today as it was a century ago. An unputdownable novel guaranteed to keep you up past your bedtime!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a positive review.*