1928The Bonaventure Circus is a refuge for many, but Pippa Ripley was rejected from its inner circle as a baby. When she receives mysterious messages from someone called the “Watchman,” she is determined to find him and the connection to her birth. As Pippa’s search leads her to a man seeking justice for his murdered sister and evidence that a serial killer has been haunting the circus train, she … circus train, she must decide if uncovering her roots is worth putting herself directly in the path of the killer.
Present Day
The old circus train depot will either be torn down or preserved for historical importance, and its future rests on real estate project manager Chandler Faulk’s shoulders. As she dives deep into the depot’s history, she’s also balancing a newly diagnosed autoimmune disease and the pressures of single motherhood. When she discovers clues to the unsolved murders of the past, Chandler is pulled into a story far darker and more haunting than even an abandoned train depot could portend.
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Wow! This book drew me in from the very first page, the whispers of ghosts and secrets rising from the pages and pulling me into the story with ease. Jaime Jo Wright is a master at split-time novels, and I love reading how the two storylines start as complex separate stories that eventually merge into a beautiful connection with similar themes. I particularly loved the characters in this novel, as both Pippa and Chandler are seeking where they belong and their purpose in their worlds. I was humbled by Jaime Jo Wright’s inclusion of an autoimmune disorder in one of her characters, knowing that she herself struggles with the same disease, demonstrating that she is willing to be vulnerable as an author in order to connect with her readers. The strange occurrences in the story have you questioning whether some of the events are really due to ghosts! I stayed up until after 2am to finish this book because the tale drew me in and would not let me put the book down until I discovered what happened to the characters! Just when I thought I had figured out the villains, there was another twist in the story that kept me guessing! This story made me cry as I grew to love the characters, gasp as I was surprised by twists and turns, and snuggle deeper under my blanket as I fervently looked over my shoulder for Patty’s ghost. I was intrigued by the history of the circus and appreciated the author’s details of circus life. The spiritual themes of trusting God and allowing Him to be your ultimate identity were artfully woven in the story among the roar of the lions, the swishing of the elephant’s tail, and the whispers of the Watchman. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
What a thrill!
This story has the panache of a Hitchcock movie with deep characterizations, wicked sharp plotlines, and pivotal scenes which made me hold my breath until the tension eased.
If you’re looking for a split-time novel centered around memorable characters, and arresting suspense, stop here. You’ve found it.
I received this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post nor write a review.
Pippa Ripley was left abandoned on the doorstep of the wealthy circus owner. The owner was harsh to Pippa and her fiancee was not any better. She always felt that the inadequacies of her leg that was deformed from birth defined her. Her mother was simply going through the motions of maintaining their status in the small community with little warmth and hardly a smile.
Chandler Faulk was just hanging on to a thread by shouldering the responsibilities of her young son, a serious autoimmune disease, and the drive to prove herself in the renovation of the dilapidated former circus headquarters that her uncle had a vested interest in. As a new resident of the community, she is struggling with her symptoms that have heaped some serious self imposed stress upon herself.
Welcome to the word of the big top, in a split time novel between 1928 and present! As always, Ms. Wright does not disappoint, and this was an interesting weaving of the two times, from the seedy underbelly of the circus to present day where the past comes rushing up to affect newcomers to Bluff River. I liked Pippa, but I found her to be everyone’s puppet and she seemed to have little awareness of who she really was. I favored Chandler more and felt that she really needed to just slow down and take better care of herself. Her competitive nature was definitely not a plus with her diagnosis. The tale is very complex with a baby elephant rejected by his mother, a serial killer named The Watchman, and more questions than answers until the very end of the novel. It definitely kept me engrossed in the tale and trying to figure out how the past melded with the present time line. There is a strong faith thread throughout the novel, and more so as things are unraveled at the end.
NOTE: I am not a big fan of the circus and I had to make sure that there were no creepy clowns in this novel before I read it (there are not).
I received and early Kindle copy from Net Galley and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
An old circus that holds tight to its secrets, a cold case murder & disappearance, two women separated by time, and a haunting tale to keep you awake at night The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is all that and more!
Jaime Jo Wright’s evocative writing style will keep you entranced in the story. She paints pictures in your mind like no other and plunks you in the middle of the pages as if you’ve stepped through fiction into reality. At least she does this for me every time I read her books! The Bonaventure Circus, at it’s very heart, was a lucrative and thriving business in 1928. But it was also full of scandal, secrets, and the need to hide something sinister below the surface. Pippa Ripley, a young woman well associated with feeling that she doesn’t belong anywhere craves the need to be a part of something, to belong to someone. Thus the reason she attaches herself to the “Watchman”, a mysterious & elusive man skirting the edges of circus life. Fantasizing that he truly cares for her and watches over her safety, she sneaks around trying to find out who he really is. Only to find something much more than she hoped for and a truth she wasn’t ready to face.
In present day, Chandler Faulk only wants to restore the old depot and circus grounds. It’s her passion as a real estate project manager working for her uncle. Single mom by day and a woman wrought with fears by night, her only goal is to protect her son and raise him single-handedly. Then she stumbles on a mystery that spans time and could threaten her whole mission for moving to the town of Bluff River, Wisconsin.
Wright brings two seemingly unrelated stories and the lives of two unrelated women together thread by thread, line by line, and clue by clue, slowly building to a stunning conclusion. She sucker-punched me at the ending and left me speechless when the mystery was solved & the pieces fell into place. I don’t think anyone would see this coming, how Wright seamlessly weaves the tale of Bonaventure Circus into a beautiful tapestry. My final takeaway—at the very core of this story is the human need to be seen, the desire to be loved, and for someone to truly see you as important just because you exist. Both Pippa & Chandler are two women trying to find their place in the world. They learn at the end they already belong to the One who loves them, cares for them, and has always been cradled in His hands. The spiritual truths in this were deeply moving and lodged in my soul. Wright has a way to speak truth to ones’ heart through fictional characters that become real in the readers mind. I’ve always appreciated her writers voice and the way she connects to her readers.
“Remember, what to us seems like God’s biggest errors, to Him they are His largest promises.”
“It was a peaceful thing. The knowing. The knowing that she had never truly been unseen. Maybe it was worth pursuing faith. For in the pursuing, one must come out of hiding and run towards grace. Because it was only grace that would ever truly save.”~Pippa
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *
To be seen. To be enough. Deep down, or maybe not even so deep, isn’t that what we all want? The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus beautifully weaves together the stories of two women who are separated by time and secrets-and The Watchman, who connects them. In this time-slip novel, Jaime Jo Wright introduces us to 1928 Pippa and present day Chandler. Both Pippa and Chandler struggle to feel like they are enough, like they are seen.
As the adopted daughter of the Bonaventure Circus owner, Pippa searches for truth about who she is and struggles to feel like she is enough for the world in which she lives. In her searching she finds out who she can trust and learns that the love of a father—and of The Father—reaches across all obstacles.
In the same city, present day, single-mother Chandler works to build a life for herself and her son. While doing so, she stumbles on some truths that someone thinks are better left hidden, and finds herself knee-deep in history and mystery. She too, learns that it’s okay to lean on others, to let them in, and to be loved.
Full of rich vocabulary, great mystery, and just enough love, The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is a fantastically written intermingling of people, truth, and time that will have you turning pages as fast as your fingers will let you.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author through Netgalley but was not required to write a review.
This engrossing dual time frame novel contains two beautiful stories that touched my heart. With the backdrop of the circus, the themes of identity, finding purpose and a place of belonging are woven within this suspenseful tale. The unique characters have strengths and shortcomings yet they are not to be judged. Instead the story reveals that individual are to be valued and their life story cherished. The author wrote with honor and respect for the character that lives with chronic illness. The authentic descriptions will resonate and encourage anyone struggling with health issues. I am grateful that I didn’t miss this trip to the circus and all the beauty behind the scenes. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
No one pens a more eerie tale than Jaime Jo Wright. She has mastered the craft of writing suspenseful split time novels with haunting plots that are chilling and full of surprises. The Haunting At Bonaventure Circus kept me guessing until the conclusion! Prepare yourself for twists and turns as this story unfolds! This has such a suspenseful and shocking ending, like hold your breath and just keep turning the pages! I love it when I’m surprised by an ending or shocked by a reveal of facts and this one delivers! This isn’t your typical trip to the circus, but it will definitely grab your attention and intrigue you!
This was a heart thumping time slip novel set in 1928 and current day. It evolves around a circus that has its headquarters in a small town. Strange noises, screams, ghosts and serial killers all play a part in this story, especially in the dark of night. The not so perfect characters won places in my heart. Pippa in the 1928 tale was born of circus parents and had a deformed leg. Given up at birth, she was raised by the owner of the Bonaventure Circus along with his wife. A very strict father kept Pippa under his thumb most of her young life. She found time to sneak off to the wonders and people in the circus world feeling a connection deep in her soul. Pippa was lost and felt so unloved, always searching for acceptance. Baby Lily also won me over. Her rejection by her mom left lots of hurt and scars that formed in big tears and whines from within. Pippa could relate so well to Lily and they formed a close bond beyond explanation.
Chandler in modern day was just trying to survive and raise her young son Peter alone. She was working on a renovation of the old circus buildings under her uncle who purchased the property. Strange sounds and moans and scraps across the floors that couldn’t be explained sent Chandler on a search into the past. Rumors of a serial killer, the Watchman, surfaced as she dug deeper and deeper. What was it going to cost her in the end?
And who couldn’t love an author that uses such fun words as “heebie-jeebies” and “flibbertigibbet”?
Look for them! And my favorite reference to my all time favorite TV show, Andy Griffith on Loc 1695.
My takeaway from this book, “the best families are made of broken people.”
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author through Netgalley but was not required to write a review.