Left at an orphanage as a child, Thea Reed vowed to find her mother someday. Now grown, her search takes her to Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin, in 1908. When clues lead her to a mental asylum, Thea uses her experience as a post-mortem photographer to gain access and assist groundskeeper Simeon Coyle in photographing the patients and uncovering the secrets within. However, she never expected her … personal quest would reawaken the legend of Misty Wayfair, a murdered woman who allegedly haunts the area and whose appearance portends death.
A century later, Heidi Lane receives a troubling letter from her mother–who is battling dementia–compelling her to travel to Pleasant Valley for answers to her own questions of identity. When she catches sight of a ghostly woman who haunts the asylum ruins in the woods, the long-standing story of Misty Wayfair returns–and with it, Heidi’s fear for her own life.
As two women across time seek answers about their identities and heritage, can they overcome the threat of the mysterious curse that has them inextricably intertwined?
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This book was very interesting, It dealt with long held family secrets, superstition, ill treatment of the mentally ill as well as those with epilepsy. Part of the book is set in the time period between the Civil War and early 1900’s. It switches to current times for part of the story. It was an engaging read with many twists and turns.
What a creepy good book! There’s no way I can ever come up with the right words to describe just how awesome it was.
Seriously, this book is fantastic! Captivating, atmospheric, deliciously creepy, so hard to put down. It had a gothic-vibe that I absolutely loved. There were many chilling, goosebump-inducing moments. I was completely consumed by the story. Holding my full attention, nothing could distract me from it.
I enjoyed both timelines equally. Heidi and Thea were really great characters, relatable and likable. All the characters, no matter how small or big their role in the story, were fully fleshed out and three-dimensional. So real. My favorites were Emma, an autistic young woman, and her service dog Ducie, and Mr. Amos, the curmudgeon town photographer.
I really can’t say enough good things about this book. If I could give it more than five stars, I would. It’s my new favorite from author Jaime Jo Wright and will definitely be on my list of best books for the year.
Loved this story! Both timelines were fascinating. I’m amazed at the details in each timeline and how they related to each other. Please keep writing!
Awesome book! Kept me in suspense from beginning to end.
I had looked forward so long to reading The Curse of Misty Wayfair. Jaime Jo Wright lived up to all expectations. At first, it was hard to get into this dual-time novel, but before too long something clicked. I was hooked on the apparition that keeps appearing in both generations. Take one insane asylum, a familial curse, a post-mortem photographer, and a modern-day woman who can’t rise above her family’s opinions; you have the recipe for a very gloomy story. (Thankfully, the story doesn’t stay gloomy.) Both Thea and Heidi are absolutely lost, looking for their identity. Their searches are leaving them unfulfilled. “We weren’t created to find our identity in life. We were created to discover our Creator. In doing so, our identity is defined.” Wise words.
The ultimate light of the book is the light of Scripture and finding one’s self in God’s attitude toward you, instead of others.’ However, humor, a look at autism, family secrets, and progress from old-time asylums also help round out the novel to make it fully appealing. (I loved the “creative cussing.”) Being from a rural area, it was hard to imagine someone who would be “suffocating by woods,” but I imagine, if one is used to the big city, it is quite possible.
Wright knows how and when to play the shock card. She does this with great aplomb. While I had some things figured out, other things I wouldn’t have figured out in my wildest dreams. Now I am glad there are other Jaime Jo Wright books out there. Must go find…must go find…must go read…
I was given a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher. I am under no obligation to leave a positive review, and all opinions are solely my own.
This book was everything you wanted in a suspenseful novel. A little romance + A little adventure + A little Mystery+ A little Suspense.= A plot that keeps you guessing until the end. I tend to not read to creepy of books. This book is creepy but it is so well written and I was so invested in the characters that it didnt freak me out as much.
It a time slip novel so the story follows the life of Thea in 1908 and Heidi in 2008. I’ve read dual timelines where one story Is more interesting then the other but both captured my interest. I thought the whole momento Mori fascinating and a little creepy. I found it interesting how the diagnosis of depression and treatments had changed in 100 years. I love how Jaime Jo Wright weaves the Lord’s truth throughout this story. I believe that the reader can learn valuable truths right alongside the characters.
I recommend this book to my friends and family.
I received this book from the publisher to read and give my honest opinion.
I have endeavored to write this review, fee of spoilers. Jamie Jo Wright’s The Curse of Misty Wayfair is the latest as of 2/2019 of the author’s novels and it is a demonstration of the author’s growing talent. Her first full novel, The House on Foster HIll, held me spellbound. The Curse of Misty Wayfair holds a talented treatment of issues that need to be addressed, particularly in the Christian world. Her sensitive portrayal of characters make this latest book my favorite that she has written to date.
I love Thea and the play of her uncertainty mixed with her need to be stoic. Heidi’s familial struggles are so real in this book, I think most will see some familial pattern they have probably struggled with. Rhett is a man’s man, complicated and lovable.
While I was able to predict some of the plot, I was not able to do so until just prior to the revelation. I like the clues and evidence the author drops along the way. Due to my work schedule, I had to take frequent breaks from reading this book. They became agonizing as I was left to wonder what was going to happen next!
The Curse of Misty Wayfair is one of those books that grabs hold of the reader and won’t let go. With a dual timeline, the stories of both Thea Read and Heidi Lane, two women from two different centuries. It is a story of family secrets and a legend that has lived on in Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin for over one hundred years.
Wright has woven a haunting tale of two women, each searching for her own identity. The narrative does move a bit slowly at first as it builds layer upon layer of the foundation that becomes the story that the reader doesn’t want to put down. It is a book that I was eager to reach the conclusion but yet I did not want it to end. It’s gothic atmosphere, vivid portrayals of mental illness and dementia, and the descriptions of the mental asylum, and Thea’s work as a traveling photographer all contributed to create a wonderfully spooky book. Despite the mysterious vibe, The Curse of Misty Wayfair has a strong spiritual message of finding one’s identity in the Lord.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to many more by this author.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Bethany House. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
The Curse of Misty Wayfair is an exceptionally eerie time slip novel that will pull you in and not let go! Jaime Jo Wright has outdone herself with this story and written a book you will NOT want to put down.
Thea is a postmortem photographer in 1908 and Heidi, living over a century later, is the irresponsible black-sheep of her family, coming to see her mother who’s in the end stages of dementia. Both women’s stories land them in Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin where they learn the ghostly legend of Misty Wayfair.
In this most gripping story, Wright beautifully handles the subjects of mental illness, asylums, autism, and finding our acceptance and identity in our Creator. These themes are written with delicacy and grace and left me with goosebumps! I cannot wait to see what Jaime Jo Wright comes up with next!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
Left in an orphanage, Thea seeks answers to her heritage. She goes back to the town seeking who her mother really was. She finds mystery, and an asylum. There are creepy woods and curses on people that have been passed down. She seeks to find the truth! I was kept guessing until the end! And the author did a great job with handling mental illness. Heidi is the modern heroine. She is dealing with family issues as well. Her mother has Alzheimer’s and she heads back to help out. She is faced with much mystery herself and the old Curse of Misty Wayfair re-emerges! Heidi befriends a precious young lady with autism. And there is a shocker of an ending to this book! I enjoyed every chilling moment I read this book! I received a copy of this book from the Publisher. All views expressed here are my own.
Let me preface this by saying I don’t typically read suspense, especially at night.The Curse of Misty Wayfair isn’t so much scary but eerie. Once I got into it I couldn’t put it down so yes, I even read it at night. I have gotten to the place that I look forward to new releases by Author Jaime Jo Wright. Again, a genre I don’t typically read but her books are wonderfully crafted and each one gets better.
The characters in this story are well developed. They have faults and challenges just as we do. Wright’s descriptions of places and events is incredible. For example, post-mortem photography was a new thing to me. While I found it creepy it was also fascinating to learn about. And her description of the asylum was gripping.
Wright isn’t afraid to tackle issues such as mental illness, dementia, and autism. But she does it with love and grace, showing that keeping secrets is hurtful, and that everyone is worthy of love and respect.
I highly recommend you add this to your “Must Read” list.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
This is my third book from Jaime Jo Wright and I can only say that every time she outdones herself!
Her books are always character driven, deal with deep and difficult issues, a turmoil of emotions, all this while engaging you in a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat and inspire you to live your faith to the fullest at the same time!
It’s a strange combination but Jamie manages it masterfully and this book has been hard to put down since the first page. There is so much you want to know, things that are not fully resolved until the very end and they keep you guessing.
Jamie is an expert in dual time storylines and she manages to keep your interest in both stories and tie them together piece by piece.
This split time story develops with Thea in 1908 and Heidi in 2008. Both women struggle with identity issues, Thea an abandoned orphan who doesn’t know who she really is or who her mother was, and Heidi, a young sibling who has never fit in her excessively expectant family. Both arrive at Pleasant Valley in an emotional search of self discovery but they never expect to find themselves connected to a century and a half old legend of Misty Wayfair, a murdered woman inmersed in a dramatic family feud who is mysteriously known to haunt the town and avenge the Coyle descendants.
It’s an intricate story of self knowledge and identity that will take the characters in a journey of discovery of their self worth. A worth that can never be based on your origins, achievements, illness, circumstances that surround you, but in God’s infinite love for each of His children. It was a beautiful journey of self discovery inmersed in a mysterious but realistic drama.
The characters felt real and relatable. The way Heidi deals with her anxiety and family issues, the way Thea deals with her fear of discovering her real past, it’s all very realistically portrayed that you find yourself rooting for each character in their quest of self discovery. The way depression and dementia was treated in the past was enlightening and it made me see how we cannot judge people when we don’t know what they are battling inside.
I really enjoyed this story! I totally recommend it to anyone. It deals with some delicate issues, but it is done with respect and it has an inspiring message that it’s completely revealed at the end.
The mystery might be a bit creepy and suspenseful, but nothing excessive, it just chills your skin and makes you look behind you or at a shadow in the window… !
One of my favorite reads and looking forward for her next book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers via Netgalley. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
I’ve been a fan of Jaime Jo Wright’s books since her debut story, The House on Foster Hill. Her ingenious and intricately woven stories pull me right in from the beginning and won’t let go. I must admit, though, that I stick to daytime reading when I’m engrossed in one of her books, because they tend to be creepy with a gothic feeling. Wright excels at penning dual timeline stories. She’s also a master at creating complex, multi-layered characters. The main characters in this story were vividly drawn, and I could picture them easily in my mind. Stellar secondary characters add greatly to the suspense.
Wright has woven the two storylines intricately together and revealed the mystery skillfully layer by layer to the amazing culmination. Her unique writing voice is perfect for this genre. With a gripping plot, a unique historical setting, memorable characters, and subtle inspirational messages woven in, this book is definitely going to be on my list of top reads for the year.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher/NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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.
Suspenseful with a Gothic flair, this story is sure to draw you in and keep you glued to the pages, to find out what happens next! While the title is a little spooky and the cover may give you pause, I knew that I could trust Jaime Jo Wright to pin a story that is both spine-tingling in its suspense, and God fearing at its core.
The story is character driven, and oh, what fantastic characters await in the pages of this dual-timeline story! With threads of faith and redemption, everything comes together to form a beautiful tapestry, A beautiful reminder that our identity is in our Creator God.
Things are not as they seem. Often, as in real life, you have to peel back the layers to discover the truth, so it is with this story!
(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I am not required to write a positive review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.)
The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jaime Jo Wright is phenomenal and profound.
If I could give it more stars I would. This is one of my top reads of 2019.
Pleasant Valley, in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, connects Thea Reed and Heidi Lane across the decades as does the legend of Misty Wayfair. Thea and Heidi have been searching for acceptance and identity and their journeys intersect in the unlikely place of an insane asylum.
The dual-time story is rich with the mysterious. The narrative is elegant, evoking a setting that pulls you into the story. The characters Ms. Wright pens are flawed, human, and relatable. She aptly portays each time period and connects them seamlessly. The heroes are supportive of the heroines and they are the strong silent types but have their own personalities.
The spiritual truth within these pages is something we all need to ponder: “We weren’t created to find our identity in life. We were created to discover our Creator. In doing so, our identity is defined.”
I love that Ms.Wright starts where the Bible starts: with a Creator and His creation. For Jesus was revealed in Genesis!
Ms. Wright handles the topics of mental illness and autism with finesse and sensitivity. How she presents the contrasts of 1908 and the present shows how far we have come in the care of these disorders.
How could this baffling saga impact a lady from 1908 and one from another century? I had a delightful time as the stories unfolded. This is the kind of Christian Fiction I adore: suspenseful and historical.
Although the book comes to a satisfying conclusion, I am glad not all the threads were tied up at the end. It gives you something to ponder. This story will linger.
This is the third novel I have read by Jaime Jo Wright and she just keeps getting better!
I recommend this novel to those who are looking for an exceptional, thought provoking, engrossing and intense Christian book.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher on behalf of the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
Goodness. Gracious. I’m quite sure that I resembled a wide-eyed owl upon completing this book! Just when I thought I had figured it out, I was wrong, and there was a different twist! And that brings me to how impressed I am with the authors writing ability. Like…how?..! This book and its plot is SO intricate and so detailed and complex, and yet it all weaves together so brilliantly and flawlessly – both the historical story and the present day story.
The characters themselves are each complex as well. Historical heroine, Thea Reed, has lived her life as an orphan, not knowing her real parents. Her journey to find her identity is captivating, to say the least. Present day heroine, Heidi Lane is on the path to find her identity too, though in a different way. Having grown up in a Christian family, she still felt like a misfit. There was a theme and even a quote in the present day story that made me relate well to Heidi. The quote said: “But, Heidi had to admit, it was nice to finally be heard.”
I felt that this was actually a timely thing for me, and agree with that – it is nice to be heard, to know that there are others who are willing to listen and make us feel validated.
The overarcing theme of our identity and where it is truly found was beautiful. It unfolded at a good pace, and is a very lovely reminder.
I can’t continue without at least mentioning some of the other characters though, such as Simeon (past timeline), Rhett (present day), Connie (present day), and Emma (present day). Simeon is a sweetheart; felt for him immediately. Rhett could be a bit annoying at first (Heidi thought so too, so I’m not alone!), but I grew to love his character. Connie (Rhett’s mother) was amazing, and I adored her daughter (Rhett’s sister) Emma. <3 All amazing characters woven together.
And I loved both storylines pretty equally. Not sure I had a favorite…I love historical stories, but the present-day one was just as good!
There are many creepy things that occur in this novel that might give you a few shivers. I don’t generally take delight in reading eerie novels, but I know I am in for an enjoyable – and impressive – ride when I pick up one of Jaime Jo Wright’s books. As I said, her plotlines are just amazing, and nothing is as it seems until the very end. With each book, I’ve been a little more flabbergasted at how it all comes together.
But do prepare yourself….while things indeed aren’t what they seem, those things and events can still be a bit creepy. 😉 Definitely worth the read, though! Thoroughly enjoyed “The Curse of Misty Wayfair”!
*I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher; all opinions in my review are my own.
With her third full-length release, Jaime Jo Wright cements herself in the place of must-read eerie suspense authors. Even more impressive, she does it not one, but two time periods!
In The Curse of Misty Wayfair, Wright explores the treatment of mental health issues in 1908 as Thea Reed works to uncover her history. Did someone living in the asylum in Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin give birth to her? More than 100 years later, Heidi Lane returns to Pleasant Valley at the behest of her mother. Yet, the woman is suffering from dementia and can’t give Heidi the answers she desperately longs for.
Both Thea and Heidi are searching for their identities. While Thea doesn’t know her true family, Heidi doesn’t feel like she is accepted in hers.
Wright ties these two stories together seamlessly and the truth behind the Misty Wayfair legend kept me guessing until it was revealed. The characters are engaging, the story line is unique and well-paced, and the supporting characters give extra depth to the story. With books like this, Wright has a long career in front of her.
P.S. If you are easily spooked, be sure and read this one with the lights on.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
“A coolness settled over her, chilled from the awareness of being very alone and yet, not alone at all.” If a quote could sum up the feelings evoked when reading Jaime Jo Wright’s latest time slip novel, this would be it. Two women, a century apart, searching for answers about who they are are joined together by a mysterious “curse.”
Some may ask, “How can a ghost story be Christian fiction?” Wright is a master storyteller in this genre. There are definitely ghostly characters and creepy happenings, but the ultimate solution points not only the characters, but the reader to the One who created all, knows who we are, and where we came from.
I cannot recommend Jaime Jo Wright’s novels high enough for those who enjoy a little “eerie” in their Christian fiction. This one is a winner!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion.
Oh there are no words to do this one justice. It might be her best yet! All the feels and soul stirring emotions will just engulf you. She weaves a story that sinks its teeth into your heart. It will leave you breathless with suspense and conviction of who you are. It is beautiful, stirring, full of unique characters, haunting and amazing. I know this one will be re-read many times over. The mystery is genius! This author is phenomenal at leaving hints, trails of rumor and so much suspicion that you cannot put it down. How can characters feel like family or make you cry for them and want to comfort them? Talent of the author, that is all I can figure. Thea and Heidi both have pasts that weigh on them and they yearn for a clear future with all the answers. Rhett and Simeon were gritty and perfectly flawed to round out this dual time-line tale. Such convicting conclusion tells us all who we are. It has been a while since I have read a novel that gripped me so fiercely that I still leave it sitting out to look at and remind me of what it taught me. They will stick with you, the characters and the lessons. Bookshelf keeper!!!
I received this book from the publisher and did not have to leave a review. This is all my opinion!