Cover Image: The Curse of Misty Wayfair

The Curse of Misty Wayfair

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Member Reviews

Gothic and slightly creepy thriller of a story...Even though the cover looks a bit creepy, I was not expecting the actual creep factor to be quite so strong! :)

I suggest that this book is not read at bedtime! (or if you do, prepare yourself to read until you finish it!!)

No, there are no ghosts to be found anywhere. But I wondered for awhile....

What you do find is mysterious sightings in the evening....one person sees someone that nobody else is able to see. There are weird messages being left.

And what about an eerie building hidden deep in the woods....one that just happened to be an insane asylum, once upon a time...?

The suspense keeps building...and you keep on wondering....wondering just what is going on!

As in her earlier books, there are two time lines going on. Heidi in the modern day one, and Thea in the historical one.

They are both on a journey. To find themselves, literally, and also in other ways. It's quite intriguing. It was interesting to see how both characters' lives played out. Many similarities, and yet so very different.

And Ms Wright did such a fabulous job at tying everything together in the end.

This book addresses a very relevant subject of mental health. One that I enjoyed (well, that's not really the word I want, but I guess it works...) being more informed about. Specifically in how those issues were treated in days gone by.

If you enjoy historical suspense, you won't want to miss this!!

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

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The author has us spanning centuries with the same family in a small area of Wisconsin, and how are they connected, they are but? We keep guessing and was surprised how the pieces all fell together.
People hiding deep secrets, and wow when they begin to unfold, I never saw some of them coming.
A compelling page turner that will keep you up late reading and searching for answers.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

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Heidi has long been marked as the wayward, irresponsible child. She was born nearly fourteen years after her older, reliable sister Vicki, to whom the burden of sustaining the family’s Wisconsin lakefront resort has fallen. Because of a cryptic letter her mother sent, Heidi has returned to visit her mother with dementia for the first time in years. While roaming an antiques shop, she discovers a photo album over a century old, and a woman in it who could be her identical twin. On the way to discovering who this woman was and what their possible connection could be, Heidi unravels more about her own and the town’s history, including the legend of Misty Wayfair. She must deal with the consequences of fear and learn how to handle her anxiety in order to save herself, garner new friendships, and restore her family relationships.
Thea Reed, a wandering photographer who specializes in portraits of the recently deceased as mementos for their families, has found her way into the same Wisconsin town, Pleasant Valley, about 100 years prior. On a photo shoot, she works for a family who the town says is cursed by the ghost of Misty Wayfair. Each member of the Coyle family is doomed to die tragically and young. Only a grieving brother and sister remain. It is said that the asylum they live near, where the sister, Rose works as a nurse, is haunted by the ghost of Misty Wayfair, a woman who was murdered and dropped into a well beneath the building’s foundation.
Both women are seeking to achieve their berth in this strange town, to befriend the right people (including surly, unusual men), and to understand their family’s histories and secrets. The Curse of Misty Wayfair is about two social outcasts across a century finding their place in society’s rules and religion, in their own mental preservation, and within their families.

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Jaime Jo Wright has done it again. The Curse of Misty Wayfair is her best book yet. She takes us between two storylines, which protagonists in both time period believing they are seeing the ghost of Misty Wayfair. Misty Wayfair was killed tragically and said to be haunting the town of Pleasant Valley. Thea Reed comes to town in 1908 as photographer and quickly gets involved in the town legend of Misty Wayfair. In present day, Heidi Lane comes home to Pleasant Valley to help her mother and finds out her family has its own secrets.
The Curse of Misty Wayfair was the most suspenseful, even creepy, book I have read in a while. It was also the best with an ending I did not suspect.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange of honest review. I will be buying this book as gifts as it's that good!

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"You're like a sailor's siren, Thea. Dangerous. I don't know why, but you call me with a silent song. I'm afraid you will wreck me."

Wow. Just wow. This is the first book by Jaime Jo Wright that I have read and it is absolutely amazing! The writing is lyrical, melodic, and haunting. The plot has delicious twists and turns as Thea works out her heritage in 1908 and Heidi works our her own in current day Wisconsin. The characters are so real and memorable. And the author manages to provide stark, vivid, and somewhat chilling description of the asylum and the awful practices in early 1900s, as well as an inside look at anxiety and dementia during the current day, while painting a high level of eerie suspense into the background.

I truly enjoyed meeting Thea and Simeon from 1908 Pleasant Valley, WI. Thea is a tender, loyal, and loving woman who comes to Pleasant Valley to try to find her mother. Her work as a traveling post-mortem photographer has her meeting Simeon who is a faithful, loyal, and sweet man from an ostracized family in the town. The folklore of Misty Wayfair and her supposed ghost that is haunting Simeon's family become central to their relationship as Thea and Simeon work together to figure out what happened to Thea's mother.

Heidi, with her flighty and rebellious ways, and Rhett, with his brooding yet intelligent and loyal ways, work together in current day Pleasant Valley to figure out why Heidi's mother, who is suffering from dementia, has called her to the town where she now resides in a memory unit. The folklore of Misty Wayfair, which is tied to the town itself, resurfaces in Heidi and Rhett's relationship but you will be surprised at how the "curse" plays out in the end.

The spiritual truths, given by Simeon in 1908 and Rhett and his mother Connie in current day, are spot on and provide the needed light in both Thea and Heidi's life as they navigate their dark pasts.

What an incredible read! I must go back and read The House on Foster Hill and The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. If you enjoy well-written suspense, you will love this book. And it has a dual timeline as an added bonus!

I was given a copy of this book by the author and Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

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Chilling and captivating!

Take a journey in the early 1900s with Thea Reed when her job as a post-mortem photographer leads her to a mental asylum. Thea is intrigued with the groundskeeper at the asylum, Simeon Coyle and turns to him for answers about the legend of Misty Wayfair. A ghost that is said to be that of a murdered woman that continues to haunt the asylum.

In present day, Heidi Lane returns to her family when she learns her mother has dementia. However, when strange things happen wherever she goes, Heidi begins to wonder if she is the one being haunted. Heidi fears for her life, but receives support from an unlikely source to help her reveal the truth behind the legend of Misty Wayfair.

Jaime Jo Wright has become a MUST read. She is already at the top of the list in Christian suspense. However, the deep spiritual layer woven into her stories take her books to another level that is uniquely her own. For those that have heard things like her books are about dead people or ghosts... there is always a reasonable explanation for anything that might seem too far fetched. Anyone that doesn't read her books is simply missing out on some of the best Christian fiction available today!

*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

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“A ghost had risen up from the album's pages, beckoned to her, and begged to have her story told.”

This book should come with a warning label: Do Not Read At Night! I mean you are talking an age old curse of Misty Wayfair who is said to haunt the woods that surround an old asylum. Just reading about the legend had my skin crawling...GAH! But as with the other two novels Wright has written, there really is much more to it than meets the eye! Layers upon layers and threads upon threads twist and curl like a ghostly hand to keep you absolutely glued to the pages. And again, as the other two Wright novels, the lives of two women separated by a hundred years of history weave a tale of family secrets that would rather stay buried in the ground. They don't want to give up the ghost, in a manner of speaking!

With her signature snappish prose and words that come alive, Wright had me digging deeper into two families who seemingly have no connection. As those threads began to knit together, more and more questions begged to be answered. How did Misty Wayfair connect two women? What do Thea and Heidi have in common? And how can I possibly write a review without giving anything away? Just know that I as I read this, I was both scared out of my mind and yet was too morbidly fascinated not to continue till the end. After all, there were answers I needed to know, almost as necessary as breathing! Really under it all is the lesson two women learn trying to find their identity and place in the world, but ultimately finding their Creator God had already carved out a place for them in Him.

“We weren't created to find our identity in life. We were created to discover our Creator. In doing so, our identity is defined.”

Compelling, beautifully haunting, poignant, engaging, and thrilling, this story will wrap itself around you capturing more than just your emotions. It'll remind you of who you are and what you were meant to be in Christ.

*I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House on the author's behalf and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *

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This book was absolutely amazing! In typical fashion for this author, this book was a dual timeline mystery where the full story only unfolds once both timeline mysteries are solved. Also, in true Jaime Jo Wright fashion, the mysteries had a serious "creep factor" element in them. I'm hyper sensitive towards those things, and could therefore not read this one at night (as is, I still had creepy ghostly dreams a couple of nights while reading this one!).

This book follows the story of Thea Reed, who in 1908 was a traveling post-mortem photographer and Heidi Lane, who in present day, is the family black sheep and prodigal daughter, so to speak. Both of them make their way to the small town of Pleasant Valley, WI, based on a letter received about their family history. Both go to this small town that boasts of a lumber mill, an asylum built in the woods, and a legend of a familial curse that come by hauntings. They go seeking answers about their pasts and their tales end with them finding so much more - about themselves and their Creator. It doesn't hurt that they both find love along the way, though the romance thread is pretty subtle.

This book touched on some more sensitive topics, including treatment of the mentally ill, anxiety disorders and living with someone with autism. The author researched these topics well and handled them with finesse. This book also plumbed the spiritual depths and spoke to the difference between legalism and grace. I really appreciated the spiritual arc in this book and it really spoke to me where I am as well.

I've been a HUGE fan of Jaime Jo Wright since I read her debut novel about a year ago. I believe The Curse of Misty Wayfair is her best yet. The legend in the story is about a ghost and I honestly didn't know until the very end whether or not the ghost was real. This was one that stuck with me any time I would put the book down. While I was at work, I was thinking about the characters and the story line and wondering what was true and what wasn't. The mark of a good story is how well it sticks in your subconscious and since I was dreaming of Misty Wayfair, it tells me that it was pretty stuck in my subconscious. :) The emotions (and yes, the creep factor) went pretty deep, and because of that, the underlying message hit just right. Anyone who enjoys a good mystery, historical or contemporary fiction, I would highly recommend this one!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for an advanced copy of this book. I was not obligated to write a positive review and the opinions contained herein are my own.

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I started reading The Curse of Misty Wayfair at night. I made it about 20 pages before realizing it’s much better to read in … oh, broad daylight! 🙂

Misty Wayfair is both very similar to and very different from Jaime Jo Wright’s other books, The House on Foster Hill and The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. (Read my reviews on Foster Hill here and Gossamer Pond here.) Wright uses dual time periods to follow Thea Reed’s 1908 story and Heidi Lane’s, set in present day, to great success (no surprise there!). This method was very successful in Wright’s other books, and she absolutely pulls it off here.

Misty Wayfair felt darker to me than the others, though perhaps most comparable to Gossamer Pond. Certainly spooky, and focusing on a mystery many characters believe to be a ghost, it makes for quite the Halloween read! An October release date would not have gone amiss.

I took quite a bit longer reading this book, as well. Part of that was to savor Wright’s way with words (pardon the alliteration); she truly has a rare gift. I knew this already, but Misty Wayfair cemented it! I was also just plain scared at times, and may have channeled “Home Alone”‘s Kevin McAllister, turning on all the lights after a bout of reading.

Jane Austen’s Catherine Morland (Northanger Abbey) would love Misty Wayfair‘s Gothic turn; L.M. Montgomery’s Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables, etc.) would say it’s the perfect story to make you “deliciously scared”.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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The Curse of Misty Wayfair is a suspenseful story. A ghost haunts an asylum, allegedly. Told in past and present points of view, this story is creepy and engaging. You will want to read it in one setting. It's gothic and dark and mysterious. The characters are complex and inspiring. Overall a good read. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

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This is my second time reading a book from this author & again my interest is peaked starting from chapter one. Doesn't take long to get grabbed by the words & want to keep reading. I love the gothic feeling of each character I come across. I love the way the author writes between the present & past then brings them together making sense.

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You’ve got to wonder about a mind that can produce the thrilling kind of stories Ms. Wright produces, but I just happily devour each and every one. From an abandoned mansion, tragedy at Gossamer Pond or an abandoned insane asylum, each book just gets better and better and better.
I would call the theme for this novel searching. In this wonderfully crafted time split, each character is searching for their mother, and what they realize least of all is that they are also searching for their true identity. Heidi Lane (Present day) is searching for a grain of coherence in a fog of dementia that her mother now lives in. Thea Reed (Past character from 1908) is simply searching to see what happened to her mother. She was dropped off on the doorstep of an orphanage. The lonely, orphaned girl takes on a traveling photography business when her benefactor passes away - a most unusual business and one that you would probably not find today. She photographs dead family members as a keepsake for the remaining family members.
Present day Heidi hasn’t seen her family in years, but returns at the request of her mother via a note that says she’s in danger. Heidi has never really felt like a part of her family, and success has simply failed her. Sinister and dangerous things begin to happen that alienate her even more from her older sister. A mysterious photo album obtained from the local antique store ties some of the mystery together, and she purchases it after finding a photograph that looks IDENTICAL to her.
The asylum outside of town is what ties this story all together. Although in present day the asylum is abandoned and falling down, the story takes us back to the early 1908 where there were patients still in residence there.
This is a well-defined dual time novel that will definitely keep you reading all night if you’re not careful. Don’t worry about not being able to figure out which timeline character you are reading about, the author does an excellent job of making it crystal clear which era/character you’re reading about. If you’re looking for mystery and suspense, this is for you. Chances are that you won’t figure it all out until the bitter end! I know I didn’t and I loved every minute of it.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. However, I am in no way required to give a positive review and all ratings and thoughts about the book are completely my own.

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Honestly, I didn’t make it very far in this one. I admit, I am incredibly lightweight on scary stories. This isn’t a horror story (no blood and gore...as least as far as I got). But it still gave me chills. It is incredibly interesting, but I just can’t read it alone at night! From the fascinating fact that Thea takes photographs of dead people as mementos (back in the 1800’s this was a thing), to the insane asylum, to the mystery of Misty Wayfair, this book has many intriguing factors. But I’m a wimp. So I couldn’t read much at all. Jamie Jo Wright is an excellent author and I’ve enjoyed her debut book, so if you have a bit more intestinal fortitude than I do, give this one a shot! Just not on Halloween night.

Rated PG-13 for ghosts. :)

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The Curse of Misty Wayfair is another fabulous book from Jaime Jo Wright. Miss Wright knows how to draw a reader into a story and this one is no exception. This is definitely her best writing to date. I was instantly intrigued from the beginning all the way until I read to the end.
I give The Curse of Misty Wayfair a well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend this powerful suspenseful and inspiring tale.
I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

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If you’re looking for bone-chilling suspense, a ghost story, romance, and deep theology, you need to buy Jaime Jo Wright’s latest book, The Curse of Misty Wayfair.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not really a ghost story, because the only ghost the author believes in is the Holy Ghost. Only ghosts of memories, buried secrets, and the consequences of man’s inhumanity to man populate the story.

Likewise, the curse has nothing to do with witches, voodoo, or magic. But the author does reveal the curse of consequence—the consequence of not truthfully dealing with our mental hygiene and family history.

Once again, Wright weaves together two stories—each spanning a hundred years. When Thea Reed arrives in Pleasant Valley, WI in 1908, she hopes to find information about her mother. Pleasant Valley seems rife with mystery and conflict relating to a feud between the Kramers and the Coyles. Local gossips tell weird tales of Misty Wayfair, a murdered woman whose spirit haunts the woods.

As she settles into the life of the town, Thea finds herself drawn to Simeon Coyle and the Amos family. They provide bulwarks of reason in a town that seems mad. When she stumbles upon a hospital for mentally ill deep in the woods near town, Thea’s life changes forever.

Heidi Lane, modern mess-up, single, and thirty-something, arrives in Pleasant Valley eager to figure out the meaning of a mysterious letter her mother sent her. Because her family has written her off as the ‘screw up’ that can’t do anything right, Heidi hasn’t seen her family for ten years, nor visited them in their new town.

When she spots her older sister walking down the street, Heidi ducks into an antique shop to avoid her. A photo she finds inside has a dead woman in it who looks just like her. The trajectory of her life will change as she tries to discover more about her doppelganger—and unravel the mystery of Misty Wayfair.

If you’re still not sure about the whole curse and ghost elements, let me show you what I mean. One of the most profound scenes takes place between Simeon and Thea as they discuss loneliness. “When you see death face-to-face, you wish to know what lies after. I know one ghost exists. It is the ghost of my soul, suspended, with a choice to make. To acknowledge a Creator, or to acknowledge only myself and assume I am all I have.”

Readers who love suspense, mystery, history, and a good story will love this book. Readers who feel like they’re stuck in the present trying to understand their past, those who feel lonely, and those who feel as if they never get things right will adore this book. Readers will find themselves relating to both the prodigal and the older sister in profound ways. This one is going on the shelf to share and reread.

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My plain words will not do this book justice. But that is okay, this book is what it is - a work from the heart, and nothing I say will change that. So pick it up :)

Pleasant Valley is an ironic name to city Thea Reed and Heidi Lane believe lies the answer to their inner turmoil.
One simple word can help break the bounds that weigh on them, can give them the worth they've never felt, the light to who they are and what their purpose is. Then all melancholy and past hurt can be put to rest, then the way forward can be found.

But Pleasant Valley holds more secrets and stirs more questions than gives answers. A city divided by shallow prejudice, a family tainted by a curse, and the mystery of what atrocities lie within the woods - could this truly be the place where Thea and Heidi will find the light into their story they need, or will the truth only cover them with more darkness? Will the ghost of Misty Wayfair turn them into one more victim of her retribution to those who only abandoned her?

Thea and Heidi carry baggages not chosen but flung on them by fate. And sorrow comes knocking on the door, a restlessness for reasons is our constant companion. Where does rest lay? Where can peace be found?
In search of these virtues, one will be confronted with the ghosts that haunt us, the midst that blinds us, the truth that sets us free: there's always a choice and it's up to us, stay in the deceptive protection of the midst that feeds our pride, our "rights", or step out into contentment, into the legitimacy of our story - that it is not passive, inconsequential but dynamic, relational and surrounded by the all comforting arms of our Creator.

Having finished this book, my heart is left pounding out of my chest. Not just because of the deliciously eerie edge of this story, but because of the hope that our brokenness is what makes us essential to our communities.

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The Curse of Misty Wayfair written by Jaime Jo Wright was an unexpected surprise for me. I was originally interested in this book because it takes place in a small town in the Midwest and involves 2 characters that come to this small town a century apart. What I was so pleasantly surprised by was how much this story involved genealogy and the exploration of each of their pasts in order to figure out what was happening in their current lives.

The story takes place in Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin. We are first introduced to Thea Reed in 1908. She is a traveling photographer who specializes in memento mori, where a photograph was taken of someone who has died as well as the current family members. This was a way for people to commemorate the dead and at the same time help with the family's grief. This is how Thea first met Rose and Simeon Coyle. Their sister Mary had recently passed and Rose wanted to have a picture of them together. 

Thea has come to Pleasant Valley in search of her mother whom she never knew because she was abandoned as a child and adopted by a couple who taught her the photography trade. Her search leads her to look for answers in a local mental asylum where both Simeon and Rose work. She joins Simeon in a project of taking photos of the patients. As she meets one patient that recognizes her, she starts her down the path of learning about Misty Wayfair, a ghost that has been haunting the town for years, and perhaps of her birth mother who she knows so little about.

Jumping ahead a century later, we meet Heidi Lane who has received a letter from her mother, who is battling dementia, to come to Pleasant Valley to help with something only she can answer. As Heidi arrives in town, she sees her sister and isn't quite ready to let her know she is in town, so she steps into an antique store and finds a vintage photo album that contains a photo of a woman who looks just like her. She asks the store owner, Connie Crawford, if she sees the resemblance and she certainly does. Heidi has no idea what to do with this information, but she buys the album and starts her down her path of finding out more about her history. 

Heidi has suffered from anxiety most of her life, and it has caused her to escape from her family. The return to her family turns out to be as uncomfortable as she had feared. She is staying with her sister Vicki, at her cabins for traveling guests. That's when the weird things start to happen, she is seeing a woman and nobody believes her. She is receiving messages at the cabins and when she is out around town. She goes to visit her mother at the care facility and she doesn't understand when her mother is convinced she is dead. As her mind is swimming she is distracted during driving and hits a dog with her car. A woman comes running out of a nearby house and is traumatized to see her dog injured. This is how Heidi meets Emma, who is autistic, her overly protective brother Rhett and surprisingly their mother Connie who worked at the antique store. This close-knit family accepts Heidi for who she is and works with her to uncover the reason why she is now seeing the ghost of Misty Wayfair and what family secrets she needs to understand. Something that her own sister Vicki won't help her with and her mother can't because of her dementia. 

As The Curse of Misty Wayfair progresses we learn about both Thea and Heidi's past and how they are connected with the legend of Misty Wayfair. This is a mystery story to keep you guessing as your learn so much about genealogy and what goes into a towns haunted past. Jaime Jo Wright does a great job with bringing all the characters to life and flipping the story between the past and the present to tell the story of Misty Wayfair. I highly recommend this book, and maybe it will get you thinking about your own family history as well.

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This is the third book I’ve read by Jaime Jo Wright and in my humble opinion, the best one yet, although they are all great reads!
This is a time slip novel that went back and forth from the early 1900s to present day but in the same small town.
I was held “captive” from the very first chapter right up to the end. Thea, from 1908, and Heidi, from present day were two very lost souls that had me sad because of their plights. Neither felt loved nor wanted from childhood on. It warped them in different ways and had them searching for acceptance as well as where they came from in their family histories.
The stigma of mental illness, special needs and anxiety disorders were all included but dealt with in a sensitive and thoughtful way by the author. The hinting of “ghosts”, strange messages and break-ins all added to the excitement and mystery along with an insane asylum hidden in the woods outside of the town.
The way patients were looked at and treated has changed dramatically over the years. Many were left in these asylums to be forgotten and eventually die. Even I in my twenties worked in a hospital that did numerous electric shock treatments daily. My son is an RN that works in a mental hospital and procedures and treatments are so much more humane than they used to be.
You will find yourself spellbound and quickly turning pages to find out what the mystery is involving Misty Wayfair. I never figured it out on my own, but was dumbfounded right up till the end. To me, signs of a great writer with a very vivid imagination!
I received an ebook from the publisher through Netgalley but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.

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I enjoyed this mystery set in both the modern day and about the turn of the century. The plot was interesting and kept me engaged, it wasn’t unputdownable but it certainly held my interest. I feel in love with one character in particular, Emma a young woman with autism. And I loved how the setting was a bit spooky but never scary. I don’t do scary.
I thought it started off a bit slow but it picked up very quickly. The romantic subplots were very well done and also not overdone, but I wanted more. The protagonists were very easy to root for and I would have enjoyed more about their relationships.
Also, worth mentioning is that a big part of the plot revolves around a family tree and while I was able to keep it all straight it could get confusing. I really like genealogy so I found it interesting.
I received a review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, the views expressed are my own.

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Jaime Jo Wright never fails to keep my attention! I was really wowed by this book, as it brings to light issues that we rarely discuss: mental health, family secrets and the ties that bind. Jaime crafts characters that you will find yourself rooting for, especially the ones you can personally relate to.
The Curse of Misty Wayfair is a book that will draw you in, make you believe in ghosts and question family loyalties.
Heidi Lane is the contemporary character in this time slip novel, and she has some issues of connection with her estranged family. As a pastor's kid, she experienced pressure and legalism that has pulled her away from God and any type of long term commitment to faith. She has also dealt with anxiety and a general feeling of being unable to belong anywhere. But she has been called back to her hometown of Pleasant Valley by a mysterious letter from her mother (who is now facing Alzheimer's) that sparks an interest in Heidi's origins.

Thea, the character from the turn of the century, is an aspiring photographer facing questions about her family history. She follows the lead of the photographer who took her in as a child, helping families record the last photos of their loved ones before burial. She's now got the chance to take over the only work she's known since her benefactor passed away.

While Pleasant Valley seems like a wonderful place, the asylum that is hidden in the woods holds a secret that will change both these ladies' lives. There they will find the answers to the questions long held secret by the community that shrouds their fears in rumors and ghost sightings.

And, like any great Wright book, you have the supporting characters. There's the brooding hero, Rhett, who owns the local garage and employs Heidi's brother in law. Then there's Connie, the local antique store owner and her intelligent, autistic daughter, Emma.

In Thea's time period, Simeon Coyle has an unspoken connection to Thea, as well as Mr. Amos, the photographer that agrees to take her on as an employee. There's also Rose, the tea loving nurse at the asylum, who continues to assist the residents of the asylum in the woods. The elusive Misty Wayfair makes her appearance several times throughout the story, too!

The patchwork of characters that help bring this story to life are, as always, well written and very relatable. The subtle message of God's grace and provision amidst dark circumstances is one that leaves the reader with encouragement and the knowledge that we are never forgotten Just as the dark reveals ghosts, the light will always draw out the good.

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