I’m quite stuck on how to begin the review. A rare at-a-loss-for-words moment.

Did I immediately fall absolutely, totally, in love with The Yellow Lantern? No.

Did I hate it? Definitely not!

So, what’s the trouble?

My expectations. That’s the trouble. And I hate when I go into a book expecting certain things to happen. It’s not the book’s fault. It’s my fault as a reader. So, what happened? Well, truth be told, I was expecting more body snatching and less Josie wringing her hands obsessing over body snatching. I got over that in a hurry as the other plots began weaving their way though the book.

The opening chapters yanked me into the story, setting up a fantastic plot line and some wonderful characters. Josie is unusual. She has a deep strength and profound sense of right and wrong that the good doctor found a way to exploit. No matter what choice she makes, she cannot satisfy her sense of justice and obtain peace.

I thoroughly enjoyed Josie’s time at the mill and her adventures in helping the other women at the boarding house. That plot line seemed to overtake the body snatching plot line, which I was not expecting. But it was good, and it keeps The Yellow Lantern from becoming overly morbid and gruesome. Making the switch allowed the readers to see Josie and Braham in greater depth while bringing additional elements into the story.

I love a good historical, especially when the detail and history is as rich and in-depth as The Yellow Lantern. You don’t doubt the amount of time spent on research when you read this story. With the added true crime elements and flawed but redeemable characters, The Yellow Lantern is certain to hold your interest.

Why do I love True Crime novels? Because history is amazing, and a great novel teaches without the reader becoming bored, something The Yellow Lantern was able to do with ease.

I had a hard time getting into this book, the beginning was so realistic, and scary, I can’t even imagine, but that being said I didn’t know where we were going with the story, but quickly found out!
There is greed here, and surprises happen right up until the last page is turned, keep turning those pages.
Sadly, this story is based on true crimes, and when you think of this actually happening, and when the need is not met, well, just add a few!
When I was reading this story, I felt I was in old Europe, but no this is 1820’s Massachusetts!

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

The third installment in the series, True Colors : Historical Stories of American Crime is one of shock and dismay. I have heard talk about movies where body snatchers were involved, but I had no idea that this practice was true until
 I read this story. 

Josephine is the focus  of this story where she is forced to be part of 
a horrible plot to steal dead bodies. My heart broke as she felt she 
had no choice but to agree to help. She wanted to free her father 
from people who threatened to take everything from him. She felt like 
she had no choice even though it was against everything she believed in. 
The story does  raise the question of how far you are willing
 to go in order to save a loved one. Josephine was spared from
 death but I think she died a little inside each time she had 
to do the unthinkable. I did enjoy her friendship  with Braham. 
His obvious attraction to Josephine is perhaps what helped
 her to finally realize she could not carry out any more body snatching. 

The author provides a great history lesson about  cotton mills
 during this time period. Women working in conditions that 
were dangerous as machines broke down seemed to be an 
everyday occurrence. There was little pay for these women
 and accidents seemed to happen more frequently. It was a perfect
 breeding ground for death and an opportunity for body snatchers
 to meet their needs. 

I loved trying to figure out who was the mastermind behind 
this unthinkable plot to steal dead bodies. It was interesting 
to learn that doctors used these bodies to do medical research on. 

Another intriguing part of the story was the use of mixing
 herbs to help heal the sick during this time. There are so many plants 
and herbs today that have helped the medical field  and to read 
its use during the early 1820’s was inspiring. 

The story is indeed hard to grasp at times but the author
 does a great job of giving readers questions to ask themselves. 
Did Josie trust God enough to help her? Why would a father put 
his daughter in such danger? “The love of money  is the root of all evil,” 
as the scripture says is very relevant in this story. Money was at 
the center of this crime and it devoured many people who gave into greed. 

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion

I appreciate this series of novels based on true crimes from the past. This one deals with grave robbing, a practice used by physicians doing research and schools training doctors. Bodies were always at a premium and grave robbing was frequently deemed necessary.

The novel got off to a bit of a rough start for me. It took a while for me to understand the context and the direction of the plot. How Josie became apparently dead and survived being buried is still a mystery to me. I would have appreciated more background information there. Once the novel got going it was okay but it did seem to bog down in the middle.

I felt a weakness of this novel was that it dealt with the general crime of grave robbing rather than a more specific crime and criminal, as the others in this series. I think that made for a much broader story line than I would have liked. I liked the other two novels in the series much more than this one. The strength of the novel was the historical information about cotton mills and the women who worked there.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

What a fun, ghastly story Angie Dicken writes in The Yellow Lantern. Infusing just the right amounts of romance, horror, intrigue, and family rivalry, Dicken had me swiping the pages as fast as I could. We think nothing of medical colleges using cadavers in our day, but in the 19th century, doctors realized the need for examining dead corpses for research but didn’t have the access to them. « Resurrection men » had ghastly jobs of providing just-buried corpses, much like this book details. Often, the whole trade was done underground and involved dirty money, as people, of course, wanted their dearly departed to rest in peace. 

I loved that the characters were so three dimensional. Some I couldn’t figure out which side of the good guy/ bad guy line I wanted to put them on. There were even a few points where I felt sorry for the mean son, Gerald, as Braham is able to see him through eyes other than his own, and actually, understand why Gerald hates him. 

I think anyone who has ever had a nightmare will love this book of a nightmare come to life, with Josephine struggling so hard to break free of her living reality! 

Great wording: 

«Uncle Bates’ body emptied of life .» What a mental image of the spirit slowly leaking away! 

This quote had me thinking: «She focused on the path ahead, begging for God’s protection despite the unholy predicament. » How often we go our own way, then beg God to release us from the consequences! 

A note about the facts that were instilled into the story is helpfully included at the end. While part of the True Crimes series, each book stands on its own merit.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Celebrate Lit through NetGalley.  This does not affect my opinions, for which I am solely responsible.

My Thoughts on The Yellow Lantern:
 Such a gripping story.  I could never have come up with this storyline and really I’m not sure I would have wanted to.  But I could not put this book down.  It was so so good!

As a nurse, I know that even now we study cadavers for what they can offer the medical community.  But I can’t imagine going and stealing a body from a freshly dug grave.  Just the thought makes me shudder.  But to have died, been buried, and dug up and then still be alive?  Oh my goodness!

Josie is a sweet spirit who really just wants to heal.  She is thrust into other aspects of healing though that she hadn’t counted on.  Why is her father now making her take on body snatching to her list of accomplishments?  And why can’t she just go back to being herself?

I enjoyed getting to know Josie.  Her character is multi-faceted and I loved getting to know each bit of her.  The story is brilliant.  Who can really guess who the head body snatcher is?  I mean this was a pretty good one!  It took me a bit to put all the pieces together but it was very much worth it.

Josie or Josephine.  No matter what she’s called she is still the same person within.  She wants to heal and to help.  But can she get away from the body snatchers and the Dr?  Or is the true danger only beginning?

Braham seems to be a wonderful character.  He also has many layers and facets that I really would love more time to delve into.  I’m sure a book on his early life could be written and I’d read it!  He’s very conscientious about the mill that he has been left to manage after his mentor passes away.  But can he keep his position amid the jealousy of his mentor’s son?

Can Josie and Braham have any chance of a relationship together besides boss and hire?  Will Braham trust Josie when the truth comes out?  Will the truth set them all free or merely hasten their death?

You’re going to love getting to know all of the characters in this book.  The author is wonderful and knows how to layout a spellbinding story.  Trust me when I say you will not want to put this book down.  This entire series is so much more than I ever imagined.  True crime stories brought to life as fiction.  I cannot wait to see what comes next for this series!

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.

The concept for this series is great, but so far The White City has been the best of the bunch.  Lantern was suppose to be about grave robbing, but ended up being more about mill work, which was in itself interesting. The story never really reeled me in, but in the end it’s a feel good story that does end well.

A jarring opening scene, discomfiting, unnerving.
The reader is immediately thrust into Josie’s mind—and her belief that she is dead. It can only get better from there, right?
A morbid practice that this reviewer hasn’t seen broached in fiction before. A tale wrapped around fear and darkness and desperation, this story kept me reading. The twists kept me guessing. The attraction between Josie and Braham blossomed in the face of darkness, in spite of the resistance they both tried valiantly to put up. The times they were alone together, however, seemed unfitting to the era, a time when even the most innocent discourse was chaperoned. But the circumstances superseded society and protocol.
This reviewer certainly felt the conflict Josie bore—secrets to hide barring her from accepting even the friendship of her coworkers; her angst and dread weighed her every moment.
Braham, too, strives against his past, and I could identify all too well with the damage to his self-esteem. 
In Josie and Braham, Ms. Dicken has given each exactly what the other needs, and has crafted a poignant love story in the midst of a despicable practice and an evil plot. 

ROBIN’S FEATHERS
FOUR FEATHERS

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.


#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Saturday, #TRD, Book Review, The Yellow Lantern, Angie Dicken, True Colors Series—Fiction Based on Strange-But-True History, #TrueColorsSeries

The Yellow Lantern by Author Angie Dickens is Book 3 in the True Colors, Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime Series.  Each book in this series is based on a true historical crime.  This one is extremely haunting and I find myself still thinking about it.  There was much to consider in this Christian fiction.

My interest was immediately piqued and held throughout the book.  There were many twists, turns, and surprises that made this book a page turner.  It was well planned and well written.

This was the story of Josephine (Josie) Clayton set in 1824 Massachusetts.  It is a gritty tale of grave robbers but much more.  Josie loves healing and using medicinal herbs and plants.  She works at a cotton mill and helps out the girls there. I learned a lot about the early cotton mill as well as thoughts, actions, and customs of early 1800’s. The author has done her research well and readers are rewarded.

Descriptions are vivid and on point.  The characters are believable but not all relatable.  A few were detestable.  Morals had vanished in some but not all.  Inspiration is delicately woven throughout this scary story.   There is romance, intrigue, crime, mystery, grief, drama, suspense and many life lessons.

This book was made even better knowing it was based on a true story.  It was hard to comprehend the lengths some people went to when they wanted something.  I felt sorry for those being blackmailed.

I would recommend this to readers that enjoy true historical crimes and gothic novels.  It is not what I normally read, but the author did a very good job.  I rated it 4 out of 5 stars.

True crime books offer a different type of story. This fictionalized account is based on events occurring in the early 1800s as doctors desired corpses to examine in order to learn from human bodies. The only trouble was, they had to obtain them illegally by robbing those recently buried. A dangerous business—as this novel portrays. Not only did people perform such thefts, they sometimes were willing to kill too. In this story, Josie finds herself forced to participate so she can save her impoverished father. The plot and characters seem authentic and chilling. Wondering how she will ever escape keeps the pages flipping. The book would make a scary movie. In addition to the accurate historic elements, the author throws in an unlikely romance yet makes it believable. We also observe growth in several characters, which always makes them seem more real. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

This is the third book in this series. They are stand-alone novels, each written by a different author. I read the first two and didn’t care for them. I made the decision that if I didn’t like this one I was done with the series.

I really enjoyed this book. I have never heard of Angie Dicken but I will definitely be keeping an out for more books by her.

I couldn’t wait to see how everything would tie together, there were so many hints dropped, letting the reader know something was up but I wasn’t sure how it would all play out.

That fact that this was based on actual events is a bit chilling.

If you like suspense without it being too scary this is a good in-between book. I really enjoyed it!


A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.

The Yellow Lantern: True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime by Angie Dicken is a enlightening read. Grave diggers and unethical doctors sometimes did everything they could do to collect a body for scientific experiments. In 1824 when Josephine was thought to be dead and then the doctor discovered she was still alive, he wanted to complete the process of death. But she begs to be spared and makes a deal with him. So she moves to another area allowing the people in her town to believe her dead. She searches for newly dead to so the grave diggers can collect them. 

Her medical experience comes out in the open when she assists injured workers at the mill she is working at in order to disguise she purpose there. She meets the new manager Braham Taylor and they fall in love. When his loved one is the next grave to be robbed, Josephine has to decide whether to let it happen or to suffer the consequences of refusing to help.

An interesting story that is full of suspense and includes events from the past. A great read.

I received this e-book from NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

When Barbour introduced the True Colors series, I was immediately intrigued. True crime is an interesting genre, and one that I have both read about and watched documentaries about over the years. Having a basis of factual information, this subject tends toward more neutral ground with regard to narrative voice and presentation, and part of what makes True Colors so unique is the Christian aspect. The characters and precise situations are fictional, but the crimes themselves actually happened, and the merging of sordid history and Christian perspective offers a different angle and a novel approach. This has become my favorite Barbour series, with Daughters of the Mayflower a close second. 

“Heaven stank of tallow and shone a honey glow.” From that inimitable first line, Angie Dicken’s “The Yellow Lantern” shoots out of the gate and doesn’t relent until the final page. There is no easing into the plot; rather, readers find themselves thrust headlong into a nightmare situation straight from the nineteenth century. Being buried alive was a legitimate concern in the years before modern technology and an increasing understanding of the human body, and in this age of nascent medical knowledge, doctors needed fresh bodies to advance their studies—bodies supplied to them by aptly-named body snatchers. In 1824 Massachusetts, Josephine Clayton unwittingly finds herself a part of this practice after being quite literally taken for dead and buried and ending up on the table of her employer, Dr. Chadwick. In order to save her own life, she must agree to go to work at a factory mill and pose as a mourner to signal a body snatcher to obtain her replacement. However, her circumstances become more convoluted as she finds herself drawn more deeply into a web of deception.

“The Yellow Lantern” sets forth a plausible scenario in which Christian, good-hearted people may become ensnared in conspiracies and duplicitous dealings. Josie experiences remorse and a stinging conscience as events escalate: “No matter if she played the part of a mill girl, she could not ignore the tangled thread of deceit that wrapped around her soul as tightly as the cotton on the bobbins”. Her proficiency as an herbal healer conflicts with the job she is to perform, as does a budding romance. The description of the cotton mill, with motes and dust thick in the air and obscuring the windows, is eye-opening, as is the lack of recourse for those without positions of authority and prestige in society. Not knowing whom to trust adds to the suspense, creating a sinister, murky atmosphere and making this a very difficult book to put down. Fans of true crime, factory life, nineteenth century customs, and romance will not want to miss out on this illuminating book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and CelebrateLit and was under no obligation to post a review.

Reading a book about grave robbers or resurrection men has never been high on my to do list.  However, The Yellow Lantern was about this very topic and I couldn’t put it down.  The book begins with an intriguing start about a young woman Josephine who has to convince a doctor that she is very much alive.  The story continues as she is dragged down a path she would have never imagined or wanted to journey down.
Josephine, or better known at the mill as Josie, has the choice to try and blend in with others as she battles with the best way to take care of her family.  She also has the choice to decide to help her family or to do the right thing.  There are times she doesn’t feel as if she even has a choice.  Will she do along with the grave robbers or will she find a better way?

Things get complicated when the factory general manager is suspicious and intrigued by her.  He has his own battles he is trying to fight as the former indentured servant who know runs the factory to the dismay of his benefactor’s son.  Their relationship begins to grow as they connect but how can they continue when Josie must help her father.     

I felt as if the characters were realistic and enjoyable to get to know.  I enjoyed the turns in the story and learning bits and pieces but not truly knowing how it fit all together until I read some more.  I truly had a hard time putting it down until I finished it!  Reading the author’s notes at the end were very interesting as well to put what was read in fiction a historical context.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.

The Yellow Lantern by Angie Dicken is a part of a wonderful True Crime series. It is a fascinating story of body snatching.  I really liked the characters and found them interesting.  However, I found it really hard to get into this story.  There was suspense in the story but it was not enough.  Mostly, I found the story dragging.  The facts of the story were interesting and the characters had promise, but overall the story was missing a message and the suspense I was looking for.  I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This book was quite the interesting tale. Definitely different than any I have read before. Being a true crimes mystery means at least some of this story really happened. At the end, the author explains what part is fact and what part is fiction, but just so you know, grave robbing really did happen.

I found Josie to be an interesting character. She was extremely loyal to her father in-spite of his wrong dealings, even to the point of doing wrong herself.  It was interesting that the medical community were the ones who encouraged grave robbing for the sake of science.  Josie biggest struggle is between her loyalty to helping her father and doing the right thing. She seems to be caught between a rock and a hard place with no where to turn. 
I also liked Braham, another one of  the main characters. He was honest, hard working, and always looking out for the good of others. The only thing about him I disliked was that he seemed way too trusting of people. Maybe he just wanted to believe the best about them. There were things going on right under his nose, he just seemed to miss.
And, of course, as in every story, there are some characters you just love to hate. You'll figure them out as you read! 

Overall, I would recommend this book. It wasn't too hard to figure out the who-done-it, but the story kept me interested and reading.
I was provided a copy of this book courtesy of Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

I had vaguely heard of grave robbing previously but this novel put a different spin on it. The opening chapter gave me chills as I learned the main character, Josephine Clayton, had been thought dead then buried. But she was dug up by grave robbers and brought to Dr. Chadwick. She awoke just as he was about to cut her open!
Relentless for the money they made, the grave diggers or resurrectionists as they were sometimes called, even went so far as to help an ailing person on to their “reward”. 
It took a network of people to carry it off. The doctor wanted bodies to dissect and learn from and paid or blackmailed others to do the literally “dirty” work. Josephine eventually healed from her illness but was blackmailed by the doctor to replace her body with another. Her father got involved and she was afraid he would be murdered if she didn’t do as she was told. But it went against every moral fiber of her being.
I felt for Josie as she was soon to be called. She faced lots of stress as did her boss, Braham, at the mill factory where she was placed to work and wait for injuries or death from various fellow workers. There was lots of intrigue and suspense as each page was turned. It’s a work that was not easy to put down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next and would Josie make it out of her “grave” predicament. It’s a part of the True Colors, historical stories of American crime. All based on actual crimes with bits of truth woven among the fiction. A great read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.

It is often said that Hamlet by William Shakespeare is the thinking man’s play. I believe wholeheartedly that The Yellow Lantern by Angie Dicken is the thinking woman’s novel. Without a doubt this well-written story had me contemplating some seriously unique topics. I enjoyed the plot and relatable characters, but I especially appreciate that The Yellow Lantern had me considering so many distinctive themes.

Of the many characters in this story, I very much disliked Josie’s father. I actually disliked him more than the bad guys! What bothered me about Josie’s dad is that he plays the victim and he uses his daughter as a fixer. Instead of being the father and the man, he foists his problems onto Josie and forces her to do his dirty work. I hate when parents do this to their kids. It’s wrong and manipulative. There’s a moment well into the story where Josie convinces herself to work even harder for her father because good daughters help their fathers no matter what. This sentiment got me thinking. Is this true? Is Josie correct? Do good children do whatever it takes to help a parent even when the parent causes 98% of his problems? I’m not so sure this is correct.

Don’t get me wrong. We absolutely must obey God’s command to honor our mothers and fathers. But Josie’s father upset me because he behaves like an addict: he’s manipulative, he purposely pulls Josie’s heartstrings, he plays the “poor me” card, and he expects that Josie will succeed and give him what he needs — major financial help. This got me thinking even more. What would God expect of a child in Josie’s situation? God would no doubt want Josie to respect and honor her father, but He would never be OK with a father asking a child to sin for him. The ugliest part of it all is that Josie’s father knows what he is asking her to do is shameful and wrong. He feels awful and guilty. He knows it is wrong to ask his child to commit heinous sins on his behalf in order to fix the problems he has made. That’s just wrong no matter how you slice it! A parent should never purposely force his child into a sinning situation.

See what I mean?! The Yellow Lantern is a thinking woman’s (and man’s) novel for sure!!! And, there’s so much more. Things like grace, and what does it look like when you extend grace to someone? Or, why does it feel like the earth grows a little dimmer when a loved one dies? Or this big question, how did we expect doctors to learn about the body if they were never allowed to dissect an actual body? These questions are just the tip of the iceberg. If you are a fan of historical suspense, I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s definitely a story that takes the reader on a strange and unusual ride!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

For some unknown reason, I expected The Yellow Lantern to be a book about the underground railroad. Imagine my surprise when I began reading to find Josie waking up just as she is about to become the next specimen for a doctor’s illegal research. From that point on Josie’s life is not her own as she attempts to fulfill the agreement with the doctor that spared her life.

A tale of body snatchers and manipulation, The Yellow Lantern held me spellbound from its beginning to the very end. Characters were easy for me to identify with and were quite well-rounded. The story is riddled with secrets and deception with a few unexpected twists along the way. The importance of making the right choice is strongly emphasized in this suspenseful story based on true crimes.

I am quite happy that the subject matter was not what I expected. I loved this unique tale and recommend it to everyone who enjoys their suspense with a different angle.

Talk about creepiness! This book has it!

The story begins with Josephine coming to...and discovering that she's supposed to be dead! Yes, according to the doctor she works for, he'd already held her viewing, and even buried her. So what is she doing now? Well, he didn't want her to be alive, and had every intention of changing that, when she is spared from that fate at the last minute....and then...

Well, her story does go on.

Yes, this is a book about grave robbers. (And yes, it is actually based on true events!!)

You're probably wondering why I read it, if it's creepy. Well... you see...it's more than that...and it is quite the intriguing story line.

I mostly enjoy reading historical fiction, especially those that are based on actual events. It's such a good way to take in those history lessons that I wouldn't learn otherwise.

Set in the 1800s, in Massachusetts. It has an interesting setting as well as plotline.

And the characters. I couldn't help but feel empathy for Josephine. She was in an impossible situation. Forced to work for the grave robbers to keep her father safe, she was quite desperate. And yet, her pluckiness and determination shone through. Her way of putting others' needs ahead of her own.

If you enjoy historical suspense/mysteries, check this one out!

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