Echoes among the Stones by Jaime Jo Wright was a tad slow for me in the beginning but the ending totally made up for it. The book has two parallel stories. Present day is Aggie who comes to stay with her grandmother. Aggie is dealing with the loss of her mom and struggles with God. Aggie has lost her job and is working at the cemetery. She works with an archeologist who was the love interest that I just could not find attractive or endearing. His ‘Love’ got on my nerves.

The story with Imogene from 1946 was fascinating. Imogene’s sister was murdered in her bedroom. The author revealed clues throughout the story as Imogene was trying to help solve the mystery. I was disappointed that we didn’t learn more about what happened to Ollie. Otherwise this was a wonderful ending to the two parallel stories.

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

This is the third book I have read by Jamie Jo Wright, and I really enjoyed the first two. But this one didn't flow as well for me. It is a split time between World War 2 and contemporary. Both story lines revolve around the murder of Helen Grayson.

I felt the pace in this novel was rather slow and left me feeling as though I would never get to the end of the story. I also felt the suspense was drawn out and didn't keep me riveted like her previous novels.

I did enjoy the three main characters: Aggie, Imogene and Collin. They were well developed and realistic. Also the role the doll house played in both timelines was quite unique.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

Each time I read a book by this author I wonder how it can beat the last book. This one definitely is even better. I did not want to put this book down because I needed to find out the mystery that took place in the past and the present. This author made me love stories that go back and forth from the past and the present. This builds up the suspense. I loved the characters. I also loved reading about the use of miniatures to look at a crime scene. I look forward to what this author will write next. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Jaime Jo Wright’s stories always keep me guessing. Echoes Among the Stones continued this trend. The mysteries in this book were difficult to solve, yet interesting. She has a seamless way of weaving two stories from different eras together that intrigues the reader.

After Aggie Dunkirk loses her big-city job, she travels to Wisconsin to reconnect with her only other living family member, her grandmother. Each woman mourns a loss that has impacted her deeply. As Aggie becomes entwined in some of her grandmother’s mysteries, the two women begin to look beyond the hurts in their relationship and see each other in a new way.

Aggie procures a secretarial job working in the town’s cemetery, which unlocks lots of questions. But someone doesn’t want her to find the answers. The more she searches, the creepier the antagonist’s actions become. Aggie becomes friends with archaeologist, Collin O’Shaughnessy, who is hired to help with some of the work at the cemetery. He also helps her unravel a mystery that is decades old. He is

Imogene Grayson, a hairstylist in 1946, is determined to find the person who murdered her sister. She keeps searching for clues long after the case grows cold. But clues are hard to find, and her life is put in danger a number of times.

Wright’s story has many unexpected events that kept things moving at a good pace, in both the current day and the 1940’s timeline stories. The relationships between Aggie and the archaeologist grew in a fun way. And the secondary characters in this story were just plain fun. The unexpected conclusion of the mystery was perfect.

Though in the beginning, the characters seemed a little hard-edged, I came to appreciate and warm to each one as they grew through their experiences. I found myself wanting to know what happened to them after I turned the final page.

The themes of learning how to grieve, of how to learn to let go and find healing are beautifully threaded through the story. And though this isn’t an “easy” read, Echoes Among the Stones is a very worthwhile read.

If you enjoy relational/suspense stories that make you shiver and yet still keeps you wondering what’s going to happen next, you need to read Echoes Among the Stones.

***I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Each time I read a Jaime Jo Wright novel, it is my new favorite! And this one is no exception. Readers will immediately fall in love with Wright's characters who are engaging, quirky, and sassy. The story draws the reader in, and I can tell you that I was engrossed from start to finish! Wright is one of my go to authors, and I can't wait to see what she has for us next!

As far as I’m concerned, author Jaime Jo Wright has become the premiere writer of suspenseful time slip stories. This is her best to date!

The characters in this book are very human with all the flaws that go along with that. The spiritual aspects are “normal”; not pushed in any way. Wright deals with a few touchy subjects and does it gracefully.

While eerie, I could read this book after dark, which I can’t with her others. Thrilling and goose-bumping raising with all the twists and turns, I couldn’t read fast enough to find out who dun it. Fascinating, uncanny, yet with forgiveness and even a light romance, I highly recommend Echoes Among the Stones be added to your library.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Jaime Jo Wright has mastered the art of dual timeline mysteries and Echoes Among the Stones is no exception. Personally, I have never been one to choose to read historical fiction because I prefer to read more contemporary fiction. However, I really enjoy reading stories like this one that connect the past to the present. Imogene and Aggie, the main characters of past and present, are such strong female characters. Imogene had discovered her sisters body in the attic of her family home in 1946 and Imogene was determined to figure out who was responsible for her sisters death. Aggie now works in the cemetery where Imogene's sister is buried and some mysterious events take place as if someone does not want Aggie to discover the truth about what happened to Imogene's sister. Readers will keep turning the pages to discover the answers to the mystery surrounding the death of Hazel and be quite surprised at the end. In addition to writing fabulous page-turning suspense, the author deals with themes of grief, forgiveness, reconciliation, and includes just the right amount of romance.

I was given a copy of this novel by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Another fantastic dual time line suspense by Ms. Wright. A well crafted plot and characters. The two times are woven together perfectly. Mystery fans will love this book. I received an arc from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

Another winner by Jaime Jo! Her books are hard to put down, and this one was no exception. So sad, but also a wonderful story of coming home and taking the time to learn your ancestors stories before they are lost.

When Aggie Dunkirk’s career crashes, she reluctantly returns to Wisconsin and to her aging grandmother, Mumsie. The two women have never seen eye-to-eye, but the gap has only stretched. The older woman’s eccentricities have increased, and Aggie discovers a dollhouse that bears an eerie resemblance to a decades-old murder scene.

The mystery only intensifies when she begins a new job as a secretary for a flooded cemetery. The water has pushed to the surface more than just the long-buried bodies. Secrets arise — and a crime someone will go to great lengths to keep interred.

1946. Imogene Grayson dreams shatter when she discovers her sister’s body in the farmhouse attic. When the police investigation unearths little and the case steadily grows as cold as Hazel’s body, Imogene abandons her job at the beauty salon to join the local factory where her sister worked in hopes of retracing Hazel’s final steps. Vowing to do whatever necessary to uncover the truth, Imogene soon discovers that some choices come at a high cost.

Jaime Jo Wright returns with another chilling tale that explores the depth of grief and the consequences of failure to heal. Echoes Among the Stones provides a heart-wrenching story that reverberates long after closing the spine.

Sympathetic characters and evocative storytelling gripped me from the start as I worked to piece together the mystery right alongside Aggie and Imogene. Wright masterfully brings her settings and tales to life. I experienced Aggie’s shock at discovering a miniature replica of a crime scene and Imogene’s anguish at stumbling over her sister’s dead body. I shivered as I walked through the ancient cemetery, peered over my shoulder as I hurried down the deserted road, and tumbled head-over-heels for the heroes. Wright doesn’t just tell you a story, she makes you live it.

Not a light read, the characters struggles and pain dragged my emotions through the wringer. By the end, big, fat tears rolled down my cheeks as my heart bled for them, and what could have been, and what was. The author does not sugar coat the lessons but rather shines a light on the importance of healing while nudging the reader toward the One who provides it. Wright opted for imparting a powerful and realistic message over a feel-good, rainbows and sunshine story. However, rest assured; it is not all bleak and depressing. The book also imparts hope, second chances, and a clear example of what life can be when we allow the Healer to restore.

Fans of thrilling suspense with a hint of romance won’t want to miss Echoes Among the Stones.

I am officially dubbing Jaime Jo Wright the queen of Christian mystery & suspense. She has quickly found herself on my must-read author list and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I've read each of her novels so far and I've come to that point in my reading relationship with her books that I trust that even though she may take the reader into dark/creepy territory, she won't leave them there. She also makes sure that there is a faith-based take-away intricately woven in that manages to hit the reader at just the right moments. Her books are perfect to suggest to unbelievers because the faith isn't preachy or in-your-face yet revealed in masterfully compelling ways to get one thinking.

This one didn't take me long to get into at all, and it also wasn't easy to put down. It was a bit different from the author's other books in that I didn't feel as "spooked out" as I was in the others, but I was still enraptured in the mystery. I was able to read it more successfully at night (as a few others concurred with on Facebook haha) which was another plus. The pages basically turned themselves in this one.

I admired how well the concept of "grief" was walked through from the eyes of multiple characters in a way that could also get the reader thinking about how they process and handle it themselves. The author created the perfect platform to introduce faith in a thought-provoking and healing way amidst the pain and heartache of life. There were several quotes that specifically stuck out to me simply for how much truth was contained in them. Personally, I don't handle grief well. Everyone experiences grief differently, but in truth no one can truly escape it. One quote that stuck out for
me was: "You go ahead and let the grief consume you, because then it will heal you, free you, and the good Lord can move into its place and show you promise. Promise that there is so much more life to live. So many more people to love. And the footprints of those who've gone before you? They'll still be there. Memories to warm you when you're old."

I loved this book on so many levels. Jaime Jo Wright is a master at what she does. How she is able to write the stories she does and successfully weave in faith in powerful and thought-provoking ways simply amazes me. I honestly don't think I can recommend this book enough. Now I sit and wait impatiently for her next one to release.

*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

I really enjoyed “Echoes Among Stones” by Jaime Jo Wright. Like the author’s other books, this books alternates between the present and the past. I really enjoy books like this, and the first book I read like this was by this author. She does a really good job of keeping you interested in the stories, and she keeps it from getting confusing.

This book centers around Aggie, who comes home to help her grandmother. While she is there, she overcovers some secrets that happened while her grandmother was younger. Aggie with the help of a friend help to uncover what really happened.

I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy good, clean, a little suspenseful fiction.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I. Love. This. Book.

It may, in fact, be my favorite Jaime Jo Wright book...and to quote Sam Gamgee, “that’s sayin’ a lot.”

I have loved all of Wright’s books, but especially the first, “The House on Foster Hill.” (I have a thing for the first book, even if it’s not in a series.) But “Echoes” gives “Foster Hill” a run for its money.

Archaeology, the aftermath of WWII, forensics, dollhouse forensics (which I’d never heard of before)—it all combined for a fascinating read. Wright does an incredible job of bringing the past to life, infusing it with color and creating vivid characters. (Oh my heart, Ollie.) I was truly sad to turn the last page in this excellent, eloquently written book.

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

I think it’s hard to do a dual timeline story well but Wright handles it well. Both stories, which merge eventually, are heartbreaking and compelling.

In the past, Imogene is dealing with her sister’s brutal murder. She is determined to figure things out even though it puts her in danger.

In the present, Aggie is called to her grandmother’s (Mumsie) side. As she takes a job as a cemetery secretary and begins working with an archaeologist, she and Colin soon realize there’s a mystery afoot that someone doesn’t want unearthed.

It’s a great mystery with a several quirky events. It’s a story of grief, loss, and regret as well as an encouragement to keep on living life in spite of those things.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

#EchoesAmongTheStones #Netgalley

With a touch of gothic, a bit of history, and a lot of mystery, Jaime Jo Wright delivers a novel that will keep you guessing “who-dun-it” until the end. Told in split-time by modern-day Aggie Dunkirk and 1940s Imogene Grayson, Echoes Among the Stones is the story of what happens when unspeakable heartache meets the unmatched healing power of God. And with just the right amount of romance thrown in, this novel does not disappoint. Now to go back and read Wright’s novel that I have missed . . .

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

Where's the option for more than five stars, I'd give it one hundred stars if I could .
How do I write a review for the best book I've read this year?
The dual time frame perfectly meshes old and new 70 years is but a drop in the bucket of time.
A 70 year cold case murder mystery begging to be solved , will there for justice for a young woman tragically murdered in the prime of her life.
70 years later a young woman fascinated with the historical case starts piecing together clues from the case and oh boy the family secrets she uncovers. Maybe the town wasn't as innocent as it seemed all those years ago. As we meet characters and the mystery deepens you will become engrossed in the story. Believe me the story will grip you and absolutely not let you go!
The atmosphere really builds and the story line is superb . So many twists and unexpected turns I recommend this to you as it's my absolute favorite I've read this year!

Published December 3rd 2019 by Bethany House Publishers
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Jaime Jo Wright has delivered another gripping mystery that kept me guessing until the last pages. This split time story flowed effortlessly back and forth and really kept the mystery element intriguing even when jumping from the 1940’s into modern day. This particular plot, although unique, was a bit haunting and definitely did not have a lot of levity or brightness. Collin seemed to be the one character that provided a bit of humor and it was a much needed diversion from a lot of the darker and difficult aspects of this story. I think that both of the timelines were so interconnected that it is hard to say which one I preferred. As far as characters go, I had a hard time connecting with Imogene. I was really creeped out by a lot of her actions and I found her to be a frustrating at times. Aggie was also a tough pill to swallow. Her life circumstances left her bitter and grief stricken and her character had to work through those issues. I think her character was genuine to her situation, however she wasn’t Susie Sunshine because she was in a difficult life situation and grieving. As always the writing in this book was really outstanding. Jaime Jo Wright has an almost poetic way with words that really captures the emotion of what she is trying to convey to the reader. While I would recommend this book to readers, I would also say that it has a very somber tone, it doesn’t have a lot of romance, and the subject matter might be unsettling in some places. The mystery is captivating and is well executed, so be prepared to be turning the pages trying to solve it!

This book is spellbinding! Jaime Jo weaves stories unlike any I have ever read and they are impossible to put down. Echoes is probably my favorite of hers so far. The mystery in this one pulled me in from the very first page and kept me guessing throughout, just when I thought I had it figured out, the next scene would change everything. If you like dual time stories and a fantastic mystery, give this one a try! You won't be disappointed!!

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Wright is a master at crafting the time slip novel. In this case, a contemporary, Agnes, tries to solve the seventy year old murder of her great aunt. Agnes is caring for her 92 year old grandmother as well as reorganizing the local cemetery, disturbed by recent flooding. Her life is complicated by the handsome Collin, the archaeologist hired by the cemetery district to aid in identifying remains.

The narrative covers the present action and what happened in 1946. Wright does a good job of transitioning from one era to the other, revealing information in parallel form, as it happened then and as it is discovered now. Solving the murder is a complex task and I felt there was a bit too much brought in at the end without enough foreshadowing.

Wright covers several interesting issues in this novel. One is the government taking over land during war time, often at an undervalued price. We get a good sense of the unrest that caused among the land owners. Another prominent issue is how people process (or hang on to) grief. There are also several good discussions about the struggles one might have as to why God allows tragedy such as the death of a young woman.

This is a good novel of contemporary family members overcoming their hurts combined with an old mystery still having ramifications and including a touch of romance.

By the way, like Agnes's 92 year old grandmother, I wash and reuse my resealable plastic bags. Do you?

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

Echoes Among the Stones by Jaime Jo Wright is a time slip novel with two connected stories, a present day story and one set decades earlier. Typically, this author writes of stories set so far apart in time that the characters are only indirectly linked. I really enjoyed how the characters in this novel have a more direct link because it made the story even more interesting. Ms Wright is brilliant at both characterization and vivid descriptions. For this reason, this book is a very quick read as it quickly absorbs you in the story and won’t let you go. Readers of suspense and historical novels will love this novel. I honestly think anyone who appreciates a well told story would love this book as well. I have been a fan of this novelist from her very first book and I can tell you her books just keep getting better. Even though all of her books have been time slip novels, they are all quite distinct. Pick up this book— you won’t be disappointed! I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.