This book appealed to me as a mystery as well as the circus aspect. I also enjoy midwestern settings. Wisconsin is a bonus! I have visited our local circus museum and enjoyed the circus parades.
Being told between two different eras can be challenging but Jaime Jo Wright did a masterful job.
I am more spiritual than religious and although this book has some faith based content, it did not overwhelm the plot. While murder is a theme, the writing of those events was not overly graphic or off-putting.
The main characters showed growth throughout the book. Secondary characters are also well defined and interesting. My interest was captured early on and held throughout the book. There were a few burning qustions I could not stop until I had answered. The closer we got to the end of the book, the more intense it grew and I found myself turning pages more quickly.
Although sometimes the truth is not what you'd prefer it to be, and people, even fictional characters can make bad choices and disappoint me, I felt the book gave a satisfying feeling overall.

The Haunting of Bonaventure Circus was a great read. It presents the story in past times with Pippa and in modern times with Chandler.
Pippa is a deformed orphaned girl from the circus, She struggles with her identity. Her adopted father has planned her future to marry his right hand man and does not allow her to have anything to do with the circus. A serial killer is on the loose and one of the circus men is accused and sentenced to life in prison. A baby elephant is injured and animal cruelty activists are threatening to shut down the circus. Pippa defies her father to help save the elephant.
Present day brings Chandler who plans to revitalize the now decaying circus grounds and wants to modernize the buildings into shops, cafes etc. Chandler also has a medical condition and a young son. It is rumored that the buildings are haunted and Chandler makes a horrifying discovery.
So much happens and it is fast paced and a “cannot put down“ kind of story,
Anyone who likes a circus story, mystery and a bit of historical fiction will enjoy this book.

I love this author! She is more of a gothic and I like the little bit of scary and ghostly she puts in her stories. I don’t read horror books or one with a lot of supernatural elements. What I love about this author though is the books are a little ghostly and little scary but not too much. The one is about a circus and the secrets it holds and hides! I highly recommend this book.

Loved both story lines and the romance thrown in more than the horror aspect,

This book was very Slow build but beautifully done. The Writing was very well done as well, I felt like I was inside of a movie watching the words play out around the circus. As I said it was a slow build so I never felt the “I can’t put this down” feeling, but that’s ok, it was enjoyable reading it slowly as well.

I must admit I Loved pippas story a bit more then the present day (that could be also the circus theme was so lovely in the past).

Also, I Loved the building tension between pippa and Jake, and chandler and hank.
I enjoyed pippas character building, watching her find strength, finding herself through the baby elephant and jake, and finding herself as a woman rather than property of a man (ahem Forrest). It was great to see the sidelines of the circus life. I didn’t see as much character development with Chandler, and I didn’t care as much about the peter storyline.

There was a good Segway between the chapters it never felt cut off. Same for the change between timelines - both felt easy and the reader could follow.

The watchman ! Such a creepy character ! I kept imagining him throughout the book as just a shadow. And then I didn’t really see the twist with the character, and realized looking back in never would’ve caught on. As far as the thriller aspect goes, I could’ve used a bit more jumpy scenes. I did like lotties characters and her speak of negative energies and beings. But overall felt more fiction then thriller. Perhaps a little too slow at times.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to write this honest review.

A compelling mystery that will keep you thinking when you are supposed to be sleeping. This book is is full of diverse characters. It is a good mix of historic and present day mystery. I would recommend this book.

A dual timeline story of two young women separated by almost a century, searching for the truth in world of secrets and illusion.

An intriguing story of family, faith, romance, and suspense spanning the better part of a 100 years. Engaging from the beginning, I loved how this book follows two very different young women, as they walk the grounds years apart. Pippa is drawn to the circus, as it holds the answers to the secret of her origins. While in the present day, Chandler is a single mother working to restore the circus grounds into a commercial property, but tales of murder and mystery haunt the historical buildings.

I loved the colorful cast of characters that populate the small town, welcoming Chandler and Peter. Hank is perfectly brooding, masculine, and mysterious. I admired Chandler's work ethic, she is a fantastic mother, who tries to do it all.

Pippa is looking for answers, she has always felt more at home with the circus performers, than living the privileged life of the daughter of a wealthy man. She is sensitive and intuitive, with a natural gift for nurturing, yet she is haunted by a mysterious man watching her from the shadows. Jake is dangerous, and incredibly loyal . I admired Pippa's courage as she finds her voice.

A riveting read, with well crafted and intriguing characters. I loved the duality and depth to many of the characters, including many of the supporting characters, those layers brought the story together in a way that shows the complex relationships and adds an element of unexpectedness. Captivating, filled with mystery, romance, with faith woven throughout the story. Highly recommend!

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

Wright is a master of the dual time novel. This one combines events of a wintering circus in 1928 with those of present day at the same location. Wright alternates time periods as she reveals the relationships between the historical events and current ones. The actions of a serial killer from nearly a hundred years ago still impact his descendants today.

Wright always seems to include a sense of the other worldly and it is quite prominent in this novel. Haunting in the title is right as there are mysterious noises and happenings, a definite creepy atmosphere. One of the minor characters is a spiritualist of sorts. The woman never uses her supposed abilities and there is a bit of a discussion of the possible demonic origin of the ability.

There is mystery and suspense and romance in both of the story lines. It takes quite a while, however, for those plot aspects to appear. I had a little difficulty finding the main characters engaging. Both the historical character, Pippa, and the contemporary one, Chandler, have issues of family acceptance and feelings of not being loved. I felt the character arcs on both were flat as I did not see them voluntarily grow through those issues. There were also examples of family expectations and shame in the stories, centering around who the characters understood themselves to be.

I have read all of wright's novels and think this one is not her best. My interest did pick up after what I felt was a slow start.

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

Once again Jaime Jo Wright has penned a fascinating and riveting dual timeline novel that kept me on the edge of my seat to the stunning end. With realistically flawed, but intriguing and engaging characters and a plot only Wright could dream up, she gives us a backstage look at the circus that might have you changing your view of circuses. The sinister and ominous undertones that I’ve come to expect from her stories were there from the start and had me guessing and re-guessing.

Although this book started out a bit slow for me, it soon picked up and I became engrossed in the stories of these characters. The two storylines are woven seamlessly together in Wright’s trademark style, and the pictures she paints with her words are vividly brought to mind. I love the way she incorporates faith elements and truths into her tales. The worth of each soul and the need to belong and to be loved for oneself stood out to me and gave a satisfying takeaway.

I’m definitely a Jaime Jo Wright fan. Her stories are never run-of-the-mill in plot or characters, and I always know I’m in for an amazing ride when I pick up one of her books. 4.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the author and publisher. All opinions are my own.

If you like spooky stories you really must read Jaime’s work. She has an amazing way of making something seem supernatural but when it comes down to it there is an explanation for what is happening.

This book is another one I couldn’t put down. The mystery behind the Watchman and what was happening in the present make this book a page turner. I don’t know how Jaime comes up with her storylines but I always find them very interesting.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

When first reading about this book, through a giveaway, I was intrigued and wanted to read it for sure. I didn’t win, but was given the chance to read it through NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. When I first read about it, I didn’t know that it was a Christian book. However, it is not so pushy in it. There are several spiritual aspects to it and none were pushed on the readers.

The story follows two timelines, both current times and the 1920s. Both Pippa and Chandler only want to be seen and accepted as they are. All while working to solve the mystery of Pippa’s parents or Chandler with decades old missing persons and murder.

It took me a little while to get into, but then, about a third of the way in, I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book. The opinions are all my own. 🐘

I was not familiar with Jaime Jo Wright’s work before this, but I will definitely be seeking her out. This story was split between 1928 and present day and each story was very well written and could easily have stood on its own instead of being combined. I enjoyed the mystery of the circus and the trials they were going through with the protestors, I also found The Watchman to be extremely creepy in a Scarecrow sort of way. The present day story had a single mom struggling to balance work & her son, on top of a ghost story and mystery of her own. Overall I really enjoyed both halves and how they came together.

Wow! I LOVED this book, 4.5 stars, rounded up! This is the second book I have read by this author, and this one is my favorite of the two (they were both good, though). The cover of this book is STUNNING! I love all the little details in the artwork, the fonts, everything about it! The dedication of this book, from the author to her son, is the most precious, endearing dedication I have ever read, full of magic and love. It really set the tone for the book, for the relationship between Chandler and her son Peter. I have heard from people who say they usually skip the dedications/acknowledgements/etc. -- don't skip this one, it's poetic and beautiful!!

This book shifts timelines back and forth between the peak of the Bonaventure Circus at its home grounds in Wisconsin in 1928 with Pippa, the daughter of the owner of the cirus, to present day with Chandler sent to look over and set up a proposal for renovating the old train depot in the town that was next to and a part of the old circus grounds. Pippa was left on her parent's doorstep as a baby with a twisted leg. She has never felt close to her parents and is looking to fit in, hoping that the circus her father owns will provide that. She receives notes from the elusive Watchman that she hopes will provide answers to her parentage and help her find a way to fit in. Chandler is a single mother struggling with juggling motherhood, her job, and her health, trying to prove herself to her uncle, who runs the company she works for. Both the time periods are very well done, as well as the characters, story lines, mysteries, and even the tiniest details. There are red herrings that kept me guessing throughout the book and wondering how everything would finally all tie together at the end. There are also Christian themes woven throughout both time periods, with Pippa and Chandler both struggling with their faith and beliefs. I didn't think it was too prominent, but it might be a lot for someone not used to the references. I highly recommend this book!! Great read on so many levels!!!

You won't breathe from page one to the very end...

Oh. My. Goodness. I'm still reeling from this book. I'm gobsmacked. When I started The Haunting At Bonaventure Circus I knew it would be good, it IS a Jaime Jo Wright book after all. I didn't know that once again, Jaime Jo Wright would top herself. While, The Curse Of Misty Wayfair may always be my favorite of her books, I can, with all candor, say that The Haunting At Bonaventure Circus is one of the most moving books that I've ever read.

Jaime Jo Wright has one of the most amazing gifts for digging deep, into our darkest parts, down into the hidden hurts and fears that each and every one of us has, the pain that is universal. With her flawed and scarred characters she brings it all to the surface and into the light. Through fiction and suspense she helps us the need of taking those broken pieces we try so hard to hide to the only One who can make them into something beautiful. She reminds us that no matter how fragile and shattered we are, we have value and a purpose.

All of that, you ask, from an an almost 400 page book featuring a circus? Yes, I tell you, and much more. The Haunting At Bonaventure Circus is a fun read, it is riveting, it's engrossing, and yes, it's quite entertaining, but I dare you to read it and not be deeply moved, to not see the truth on the printed page. I dare you to not wish to be seen.

I loved this book and it is getting an unreserved five stars from me, I wish it could be more. I loved the depth of emotion and the multi-layered multi-faceted mystery that spans 100 years. I enjoyed trying to figure out a serial killer's identity and who would go to any lengths to cover up the past. It was a perfect read and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone.

Oh, and I dare you to look at the circus in the same way again...

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

“Welcome to the circus. A place where eccentrics came to hide and where, even here, they abandoned their own.”

“Maybe this was why the Watchman was so elusive? He was trying to guard her, to protect her from the troubled secret world of this place. This vibrant, glorious, dark place called Bonaventure Circus.”

“I am seen and loved by God. I was created for a purpose. I need no other truth.”

Welcome to the circus! Jaime Jo Wright, the master of dual timeline novels, once again has penned an amazing book. While The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is probably my least favorite Wright book so far, that speaks volumes when it still gets a 5-star rating! I enjoyed the circus aspects of the 1920’s and the modern day plot that centered around a possible renovation of the buildings that belonged to the circus. The characters are beautifully broken people, either lost and searching or saved and seen by God. There is a lot of great faith aspects per usual and I found myself highlighting a lot of great passages. I also enjoyed how Jaime Jo Wright blended in real areas of her own life (a character battling the effect of Lyme disease and a son like her own who helped come up with the superheroes in the book). The gothic style writing is so distinct which makes Jaime Jo Wright stand out in the Christian fiction market. And the fact that she is so good with endings and surprises makes me a huge fan and one that will keep reading all of her future books!

I received this book free from Netgalley and publisher Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love stories that revolve around the old circus days. The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus had given me a lot to hope for and I only wished it brought forth more of the circus vibes. I would have loved to learn more about the circus politics and the circus criticisms outside of animal safety because I think there is so much more to discover. The glimpses I got in this book felt like a tease and I would have loved to learn more.

I wish the entire book centralized around Pippa and her tenacity to discover her lineage. I think there was much more to explore by keeping the story really tight, especially if the murder of Jake’s sister had just occured and the suspicion was circulating around the circus folk. With two storylines, it was fairly complicated to keep track of who was important to the story that once Pippa gets her answer, I felt uninterested.

My main issue with the present tense plotline was that I felt like Chandler was a pretty passive character. And there are some issues with her and other characters who are solely defined by their disability, with the exception of Pippa. Chandler was chained by her disability and since she could never get her feet under her, it felt as if the story was happening around her. I also noticed that this book is categorized as a Christian book and it felt like that aspect of the story was uninspiring. Chandler’s faith does not add anything to the overall plot and does not have anything to do with Chandler’s arc. You could have removed the religious component and the story would have remained the same.

At the end of the day, I loved all experiences with Pippa. I enjoyed her rebellious nature when she felt she was being silenced and I appreciated that while she had a disability, she was recognized throughout the book as being more capable than anyone could have guessed. I wanted more Pippa and more of her relationships with the various circus folk and even some more prior knowledge of her relationship with her parents.

Thank you to Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers for a copy of the book. You can also find this review on Goodreads.

Abounding with eerie history, shadowy mystery, and chilling suspense, The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus might just be one of Jaime Jo Wright's best novels to date. It is especially rich in characterization, detailed in its settings, and utterly captivating in its mastery of the dual-timeline plot structure. With excellent pacing, important details are carefully revealed, exposing the secretive and dangerous circumstances in which the characters find themselves. The journey to make sense of the unsettling and frightening events makes for an extremely riveting reading experience. 

As it both conceals and reveals its mysteries, the circus setting itself, both in the past and in the present, becomes a grim, complex character whose presence shapes and transforms the story itself. Within this circus setting, the characters grapple with fear, loss, and insecurities. Yet, they display tremendous courage in their determination to find hope and to pursue truth. No matter what secrets are revealed or what facts are discovered, the characters learn to believe that they have been created with purpose, and despite various setbacks, they can still live lives that are meaningful and valuable.

Though I have read all of Jaime Jo Wright's novels so far, I continue to be amazed by the profound skill she displays as she arranges words into sentences that bloom into paragraphs and blossom into stories. In The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus, her writing often appears effortless, yet it is always thoughtful, clever, and very well-researched. Page after page she welcomes the reader into a world that is raw and real, relevant and redemptive. This newest novel by Ms. Wright is exceedingly special, a genuine treat for any lover of stories well-told. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

*I was given a copy of this novel by the publisher and NetGalley. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.

After being immediately swept up in the world built by the author, the character development, and the writing style, I felt let down as I closed the book. While the main mystery was wrapped up, it felt pedestrian and like the author just threw up her hands towards the end of the book and rushed to finish. Everything is here for this to be a great novel, and yet, the ending feels flat and almost like another author took over towards the end.

Sometimes writing a review is effortless — you easily check off the boxes of plot, setting, characterization, theme, etc. But other times a book is one that defies simple description. The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright is one of those. This dual timeline novel is complex and multilayered and deserves a slow and thoughtful reading to glean all of its goodness. It took me a while to read this book — it is definitely not a quick and easy read. But it is one that is highly recommended!

The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus has two storylines: one set in the present day, and the other in the late 1920s, both in Bluff River, Wisconsin. The mysteries of both time periods are intertwined and call out to be uncovered. Main characters Pippa and Chandler appear to have little in common, until the reader gets into their heads. Insecurity, doubts, and the tendency to run away from hard things plague both characters, yet their desire to discover what is true in their worlds urges them on. Setting plays a large part in the novel, and Wright creates a town and its circus that capture the imagination. The mystery builds slowly, gaining momentum as the book heads toward its ending — I could not keep the pages turning fast enough as more and more is revealed. The ghostly aspect created some delicious little shivers. And the twists? Let’s just say I was surprised numerous times. Wright also kept me engaged in both stories, leaving me eager to visit both periods as the narrative shifted. There are a number of themes and spiritual truths expressed in Haunting. All speak to the reader’s heart. I have followed Wright on social media for a while now, and I appreciate how much she poured her own story into this book’s pages. Many things are disclosed at the end of the book, but the rest of Pippa and Chandler’s stories are left up to the reader’s imagination. I chose to create very happily-ever-afters for both. 😉

I have read all of Wright’s novels, and I think The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is my favorite. A great book for discussion, I urge you to gather some book-loving friends to read this one. I promise you will have a long, meaningful, and fun conversation.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This is a Christian ghost story set in a circus and complete with a baby elephant and a serial killer. I'm not even joking. I feel I may have been tricked into downloading this, but I do not regret it. I thought I was reading something completely different, until I realised the characters were white. There's a lot of weird jesus talk that i don't really get, coming from a secular society.

Pippa was adopted from the circus as a baby by the owner of the circus, but she's not allowed to mix with them (tho she does, all the time). A serial killer is haunting them and she's determined to find out who they are, all the while bonding with a baby elephant.

Meanwhile, in the future, the bizarrely named Chandler, who is ill with one of those unseeable mysterious illnesses (no shade, I have spinal issues), moves to town and is trying to renovate the old circus space, uncovering clues to the serial killer and what happened in the past.

I found the dialogue a bit contrived, especially when they dipped in and out of the christian chatter. I don't get it. It was a distraction. Having your characters go to church or temple is enough. I don't see what god had to do with anything in the end. It certainly didn't add to the story.

The story, however, has real gothic potential and who doesn't love a baby elephant who only likes one person? (Why can't that be me? Probably because I'm an atheist.) I liked it a lot in the end and was so blown away by the plot twist that I gasped. If you can see it coming, good on you, but I missed it and was really struck.

Will make a great TV series if someone is brave enough to make it and cut the jesus bits out.

I enjoyed reading this book. I recommend reading this book during the day. I liked the split time story that had a fun mysterious feel to it. Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC! The opinion is my. genuine opinion.