What is it about Jaime Jo Wright’s books that are so entrancing? Is it the characters? The paranormal? The danger and the crime? All of the above, I tell you. Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright is enthralling. It is a book that will make you question what you think you know about ghosts and legends. Wright makes every instance of ghostly interference fully believable. With unsolved murders, attempted murders, and a splash of romance, Wright’s newest work is one I wholeheartedly recommend to any reader—historical fiction, romance, paranormal, mystery. Wright touches almost every genre besides fantasy and science fiction.

In 1910, Effie James is the “goody two shoes” of her family. She’s the one about whom her parents need not worry. Her younger sister, however, convinces her to step away from that persona for a night to visit the mostly abandoned house on Predicament Avenue. When Polly goes to kiss the doorknocker—a dare well established among the town’s youth—she sees a murder occur inside the home. Polly, however, is unable to answer any questions about what she saw, and Effie can only say she heard the screams. A British gentleman arrives in town, claiming someone had murdered his wife inside the house. Despite the risk to her reputation, Effie is determined to prove what her sister saw, as well as help Lewis Anderson discover what happened to Isabelle Addington.

Norah Richman now owns the Predicament Avenue home a hundred years later. It was her murdered sister’s dream to turn it into a bed-and-breakfast, and Norah wants to continue her legacy. Her social anxiety does everything it can to interfere with her life, even more so when true crime podcaster Sebastian Blaine stays at the establishment. Why? To investigate the unsolved murder of Isabelle Addington. Norah doesn’t expect him to dig into her sister’s murder, as well. Facing all of her fears, Norah helps him search for the truth about Isabelle, though she soon sees truths about other things, instead—herself and her past.

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright is more than a ghost story. I, for one, know of few other books with a character like Norah in the spotlight: a woman who sometimes wishes she’d never left treatment. The novel provides valuable lessons on grief and death, as well as the value of companionship during despair. While the book is at its heart a haunted house story, there is so much more depth to it. What I appreciate most about Wright is her ability to put into words feelings my heart has experienced but cannot describe. Grief is more than sadness. Joy is more than happiness. Jaime Jo Wright shines with this novel, and I wish I could read it again for the first time.

What a story!! I don't know how Jaime Jo Wright keeps doing! The way that she marries the creepy and dark with hope and light amazes me. Effie was my favorite as was that timeline, but I enjoyed the chemistry and relationship between the characters in the present day timeline. The Author's Note and Acknowledgements were especially moving to me. Highly highly highly recommend!!

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

Night Falls On Predicament Avenue was a very entertaining read! I devoured this one in two sittings. Partly because I was creeped out and knew I wouldn’t be sleeping until I finished the book and the mystery became clear😂 This book was full of suspense, mystery, twists and turns, interesting characters, and the perfect amount of creepiness.
That being said, not everything felt very wrapped up by the ending and I still had questions about things. I needed a few more answers!! 😂
That being said, I still enjoyed this one and it was a great use of an evening!
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*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts expressed are strictly my own.*

This was my first Jamie Jo Wright novel and it did not disappoint. It’s been a long time since I read a book I truly did not want to put down, but Wright wrote in such a way that I just needed to keep reading, no matter what.

I absolutely loved this book. From the mysteries to the setting to the characters, it was all interesting. I just needed to know what happened. But with so many twists and turns, there was no way I could have predicted what would happen in either mystery!

Let’s start with 1910. From the moment I read the first line, I was hooked. I needed to know what Effie’s sister saw that night when she and Effie were sneaking around 322 Predicament Avenue. I needed to know who the woman who died that night was, why she was in small-town Iowa if she was from Britain, and why a mysterious man from England was asking questions about her. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of Effie, the mystery itself is what fascinated me.

The present timeline was just as intriguing, if not more. A potential haunted bed-and-breakfast with a famous true crime podcaster staying and investigating a century-old murder? Sounds like my cup of tea! And then there is the owner of the bed-and-breakfast, Norah, who is holding onto her own painful past and the loss of her sister. And the more that the secrets came out, the further I was on the edge of my seat.

I loved how the mysteries stayed at the center of the novel. While the author did interweave some romance, it was incredibly subtle, which I genuinely appreciated. It did add to the story but not in a way that it would take from it, as well. I also appreciated the small elements of faith that were in there, too.

Overall, I would recommend this book. A little creepy, so I would only recommend it if you are a fan of suspense and mystery. But it is a page-turning, edge-of-your-seat type novel.

I had received a copy of the book as part of the Celebrate Lit Blogging Team and was required to give an honest review.

Jaime Jo Wright has become a must read author for me. As she has for many of her peeps. The time slip, two time periods, genre works so well with her clever story crafting. The mystery and suspense always keeps you on your toes and draws you back to the story until you've finished it. And there's always a bit of creepiness in them and this one is no exception.

One wonders if we've stepped into a ghost story of sorts on reading the first pages of 'Predicament.' We have a mysterious "Her" who starts the story with a short half page introduction. Who the heck is 'Her'?

And then we meet Effie James. She's a wonderful character who is challenged throughout this story to step away from her fear. Fear fills her mind, it makes her irritate her loved ones as she always needs continuous reassurance. But there is also real sadness and reason for her fear. Her dearest sister, Polly, has an incurable disease and will die soon. Effie can't fathom life without her younger sister. Polly is the brave one, the one who helps Effie live life. How will she move forward?

But Polly has been struck down by trauma. Trauma from seeing something horrible, but is so traumatised is unable to share what it was. But Effie suspects. As does the mysterious Englishman Mr Anderson, who is searching for his wife who apparently has disappeared in this tiny Iowa town of Shepherd. Anderson has a story but he's afraid to admit to its reality. Is his wife dead?

We then meet Norah Richman in the present. She lives in the same house on 322 Predicament Avenue where Polly James saw something that led to her trauma, 100 years earlier. Norah runs a boarding house of sorts and some strange things are happening including one of her guests being a podcast creator who investigates mysterious deaths. He's here investigating the death that Polly witnessed all those years ago.

Norah's younger sister, Naomi, recently passed away. Seemingly murdered but the case was closed with no definitive evidence of a murder. Sebastian, the podcaster, stumbles across Naomi's mysterious death. Two mysteries, still unsolved, in the same house, 100 years apart. An investigator's dream, I guess.

Wright marvellously weaves the two stories together, as is her skill. Two grieving women, two recently arrived men searching for answers. Together, the two women and men discover something more important than answers. They discover hope and life after death and after the grief.

It's really powerful. Knowing that Jamie Jo has been walking a journey of deep grief herself made this story even more impactful. It's almost the second anniversary of my mum passing and I miss her everyday but I know there is life after the grief, even when it spins me around every once in awhile, which is grief's way.

I loved Polly's words about imagining eternity - "God is mysterious. It will take an eternity to discover Him."

Effie James and Norah Richman are great characters ... so vulnerable, so brave, to challenge the fear, the grief and uncertainty to believe in hope and a future, even if that future is uncertain.

As always with a Jaime Jo Wright story I feel tremendously blessed to have received an early ebook copy from Bethany House via Net Galley. This has had no impact on my review. Very excitedly, this book ends with a snippet of Wright's next story which comes out later in 2024. How marvellous. Can't wait.

I just love Jaime Jo Wright's books! The way she writes just pulls you in to the story and mystery! The two timelines switch between Effie in 1910 and present day Norah who have the house on Predicament Avenue in common. I loved the "spookiness" of it all but Jaime also weaves faith within her books. Everything comes together in the end and gives you a tidy, happy ending.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 9 April 2024

Jaime Jo Wright proves with this release why she continues to be on my auto-buy (or auto-request-from-NetGalley!) list!

_Night Falls on Predicament Avenue_ is suitably creepy; only a handful of scenes were "too creepy for Meagan to read at night"--fewer instances than other books of hers, haha. Thankfully I've learned that lesson sufficiently/the hard way prior to diving into this read, and it validated my decision to while away a lazy Saturday on my porch with the book. "I cannot read this at night," she said--so she didn't. ;)

As with her other books, Wright weaves faith and theology throughout this release, and boy, were there some humdingers. Ha! I feel suitably convicted now. And it took quite a few twists and turns; I figured out a couple, but more often than not, I was pleasantly surprised. A very good read, and one with a beautiful cover to boot.

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

These mysteries span centuries and continents...

If Agatha Christie was the Queen of Crime then Jaime Jo Wright is the Queen of Christian Creepy Split Time. Night Falls On Predicament Avenue was every bit as eerie and as good as I had anticipated and maybe just a touch more....

Jaime Jo Wright really had me going with this story. From start to finish was I invested in Norah and Effie's lives and the mysteries surrounding both women. I was also kept guessing as tried to unwind the motives for each possible suspect and I was definitely in for a few surprises here and there.

Night Falls On Predicament Avenue was a very good read. It was hard to put down and it packed a pretty powerful punch on the topic of grief as several main characters struggle with different facets of it. Each has to find their own path to take the next step forward...and the next...

I am a diehard Jaime Jo Wright fan and it is the spookiness of her stories such as Night Falls On Predicament Avenue and the slightly gritty reality of them that keeps me coming back each time. Trust me, I will definitely be anxiously awaiting her next chillingly delightful release....

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

Jaime Jo Wright's latest book, Night Falls on Predicament Avenue, was another page-turner that had me guessing until the last pages. One thing I greatly admire about Wright's stories is that her time-slip characters both hook me into their worlds, and I want to know what happens with both. Sometimes in a time-slip novel, one character will bore me so much I can hardly refrain from skipping their chapters, but with Wright, I always find I enjoy both character prospectives. I don't read a lot of suspense or thriller novels, but I recently discovered Wright's books and have been enjoying the change; her books aren't too gory or creepy for me, but they still give that mysterious and intense feel. I love the way Wright builds the character tension in this book, and the ways Effie and Norah have to come to terms with their past and accept the sovereignty of God even when it seems like things are completely out of control.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

BOOK REVIEW - Night Falls on Predicament Avenue - Jaime Jo Wright - 5/5 Stars

THE STORY
I have no idea how Jaime Jo Wright comes up with these stories but each one is just soooo good (hint they're all favourites) but this one is my current favouritest! The mystery, the suspense, she knows just when to end a chapter leaving you hungry for more. I've read every single one of her books in less than 3 days as I just can't put them down. The problem with mysteries is I can't talk much about the storyline without spoilers. I'll just say this one is more spine-tingling than usual. And also as a fan of true crime, I can oft forget these are not just entertaining stories but real life with real people suffering trauma from the aftermath, so I found reading from the perspective of the victim's family a good reminder.

THE ROMANCE
Jamie Jo Wright's books are not romances but they always have just enough in them to satisfy romance lovers like myself. I liked both couples but especially loved Effie and Mr Anderson, the last chapter makes their slow burn worth it!

THE TRUTHS
Fear is a big theme in this story. While the fear I've felt may not quite to the same degree as the MCs, what we can both agree on is that fear steals our hope and eternal perspective. It makes us focus on our current seemingly hopeless circumstances and tells us they will never change so why move forward. It makes us forget this life isn't all that there is, that we have an eternal one ahead us. One without fear, pain or sadness, a life where we will be free from the burdens of this world. Fear freezes us, hope keeps us moving toward the better future God has promised us.

I think the reason this author’s books are so popular are because they are based on fear. A childhood fear, that we still have a fascination with though we may not admit it to ourselves. In reading these books we can explore this fear in a way but through a safe medium, a book. It’s a book we can completely get lost in as we enter this world of creepiness and whatever the author wants to convey to us but safely at any time, we can leave it.
With a dual timeline we find ourselves volleying between 1910 and modern times. Rumors can destroy or accentuate something. With rumors still running amuck about the house on Predicament Avenue that started over one hundred years ago the curious among us still gather. Rumors are usually started by something being true and adding on to it, an embellishment of sorts until it gets out of hand and can become dangerous. A purported murder of a woman taking place long ago has the curious gathering. Is Predicament Avenue haunted or is it just the eerie descriptions messing with our mind? The characters were exactly as the author wanted them set up to be, The unknown is in full force in this book and if you listen closely, you will hear the dead whispering a message to you.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright is the perfect creepy and mysterious suspense novel. It is filled with gothic elements that keep you captivated and on the edge of your seat waiting to see what will happen next.
The story unfolds in two timelines while one is Contemporary Christian fiction and the other is Historical Christian fiction. Both are spooky while dealing with overcoming fear and moving on.
1910, Effie James' sister witnesses a crime that rocks their lives along with the small town in Iowa that they all call home.
A century later Norah Richman is running her great aunt's bed-and-breakfast on Predicament Avenue when tragedy strikes again and a guest is found dead. What evil lurks in this small town and will if be found before something far greater than death rears its ugly head?
I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue was unfortunately a disappointment for me. I was really hoping to love it, as I read one of this author’s previous books and really loved it. However, this one was not for me. I personally found it to lack excitement and suspense. While it started off with a great amount of creepy vibes and great plot, I found it dragged on without any substantial plot advances. I found it repetitive. These thoughts are based up until 50% when I choose to not finish it. I do look forward to this author’s other works. I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in trade for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.

YouTube Review: 05/01/24
YouTube Handle: KeenCat

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue, a creepy, ghostly mystery filled with suspense and gothic elements, by Jaime Jo Wright, who is the best of the best when it comes to writing bone-chilling stories.

This duel timeline has the perfect balance of mystery, suspense, and faith, with a sprinkling of romance to keep one enthralled from beginning to end. The heroines from both periods struggle with grief, fear, and anxiety. Wright masterfully guides them through these life-altering issues, with her superlative prose adding to the overall emotional experience of the story.

Wright’s suspenseful plot will keep you enthusiastically turning the pages to uncover the truth behind one chilling incident after another. I used to read these types of stories at night underneath the bed covers with a flashlight when I was young, and I have to admit, I still do so when reading a story by Wright. I highly recommend this bump-in-the-night, whodunnit Christian gothic suspense mystery, and I definitely recommend taking the time to read the author’s note.

A complimentary copy was provided by Bethany House via NetGalley through Interviews & Reviews. I was not obligated to write a favorable review, and all opinions are my own.

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue is a wonderful historical fiction novel with dual timelines and loads of suspense! I can’t decide which timeline is my favorite. They’re both amazing.

In the modern day, we have a set of twins. One was abducted and killed while the other survived. But she’s got some severe anxiety and she is determined to figure out what happened to her sister. She feels somehow guilty. And to make up for it she’s determined to make her sister’s dream a success.

But her dream involved making this old house a bed and breakfast. And now there are two murders associated with it. Two unsolved murders that is.

When a true crime podcaster comes to stay at Norah’s place will he discover the truth about the ages-old murder? Or will the present-day one swallow them all up? Wonderful suspense novel! I hope you get a chance to read this one. It’s also part of a series and I love it so much! These books are such great reads. They read fast and furious and leave you guessing and hanging on every word.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

Do you have any “haunted” houses near where you live? In Kewaunee where I live, we have a haunted hotel and jail. I’ve picked up a haunted houses of Wisconsin book and found them in there and they’ve also been featured on TV.
In 1910, Effie James and her sister, Polly, stumble across a murder at 323 Predicament Avenue. Polly stays silent on what she saw, and Effie must piece it together from what she heard. When a mysterious British gentleman comes to town claiming the victim was his wife, will they together be able to discover the murderer?

In the present day, Norah runs 323 Predicament Avenue as a B&B. Sebastian is a guest and a true crime cold case podcaster. When another guest dies of a heart attack after seeing a ghost, Norah must face her demons and investigate not only the mystery from a century ago, but the murder of her beloved sister. Will Norah be able to face her anxiety and solve her sister’s cold case?

My thoughts on this novel:

• This novel was very atmospheric and Gothic. I loved how it started with a bang. It would make an excellent Halloween read.

• This is a dual timeline novel. The link is that the only two people that have been murdered in Shephard, Iowa, were both connected to the home at 322 Predicament Avenue.

• I had a hard time putting this book down as I got towards the end. It was a great suspense novel. I did not guess the ending in either timeline.

• I liked the look into anxiety with Norah trying to deal with her anxiety throughout the novel.

• The novel also looked at fear and working through it through faith.

• This book was a clean read.

• I enjoyed the teaser at the end for her fall 2024 novel, Specters in the Glass House which will be set near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Favorite Quotes:
“Death had been a guest here at Predicament Avenue for decades, and it was clear that Death wasn’t ready to check out yet.”

“Yet that was what fear was after all. When a person lived afraid of death, when they could feel death’s cold breath on their neck every moment of the day, there was no courage left to be had. No anticipation. No hope. Only the force of one’s own will to try to outrun the fear before they were eaten alive by it. Before their greatest fear became their greatest reality.”

Overall, Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright is a delightfully Gothic historical mystery that will have you guessing right up until the end.

This was a split time novel with over a hundred years separating events in the small town of Shepherd. In 1901, Effie is navigating life with her adventurous sister Polly. Because of a decision made on the spur of the moment, the lives of Effie and Polly will never be the same.
In present day, Norah runs a Bed and Breakfast at 322 Predicament Avenue. This old residence holds much mystery, including a murder and ghosts(?). Even in the backyard you’ll find an historic graveyard with markers of long forgotten lives.
Each character from both time periods had a significant part to play in the grand scheme of things. Never knowing what might happen next, I was held to the edge of my seat with my heart pounding with each turn of the pages. I am always amazed with each book I read, how the authors come up with the stories they tell. Jaime Jo Wright has a special talent for plots that lean toward the macabre and other worldly. I appreciate how she brings God into the stories full of grace and forgiveness. I enjoyed the split time and all the characters woven into a tale that I’ll not soon forget.
I received a complimentary ebook from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review.

This was an interesting read and it keeps you wondering about two mystery’s at 322 Predicament Avenue. It is told from two time periods, so it keep you on your toes! It is more haunty creepy than I thought it would be as you read on and may be your kind of thing. But for me it isn’t very much, but it isn’t a boring book at all. The author tackles anxiety and recovering as Norah struggles to let go of the past. She comes upon a renter named, Noah and it was nice to read how these two connected after awhile. I believe you will enjoy this book over a nice cup of Joe. I received this book for free from Celebrate Lit Tour and the opinions I express are honest and my own.

I really enjoyed "The Curse of Misty Wayfair" when I read it last year, so I was very much looking forward to this release and I'm happy to report that I absolutely ate it up. It's a story about grief and fear and life and death, but at its heart are Effie and Norah, two women both dealing with different facets of losing a sister. The split-time aspect had me pinning imaginary string to an imaginary corkboard, trying to piece together the puzzle of Isabelle Addington and 322 Predicament Avenue. The faith aspect was so well done. And credit where credit is due, I was genuinely spooked a few times, and the ending caught me totally by surprise (I mean, I kinda called it, but I was suspicious of EVERYBODY so I don't think I can really say I guessed 🤣)

It easily gets 5 stars from me, and I can't wait to read more from this author!

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**

I must admit I had trouble getting into this slow-developing mysterious story with all the jumping between time periods and trying to keep track of the many characters, each in their setting yet somehow connected. It would help to have a cast of characters and where they fit listed in the front. The book didn’t grab me the way I expected it to, as many suspenseful novels do. I think the “Somewhere in the Past” parts accomplished this, but the rest fell a bit flat for me. Also, I didn’t find the characters very emotionally engaging. It seemed too surface-level, like reciting what occurred rather than plumbing the depth of the terror and the emotions I would expect in a story that deals with two murders occurring in the same location decades apart. Yet, the suspense novel has plenty of twists that both throw off the reader and increase the intrigue, with unexpected surprises in the latter part. The drama does give readers plenty to ponder, and you may relate to the mystery better than I did. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. #NightFallsonPredicamentAvenue #NetGalley