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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What a roller coaster ride of mystery and emotions! So many detailed characters that all are intwined and play important parts to each timeline and mystery that fills the whole book. This is one talented author to weave all these threads and make them so fascinating. Jake and Hank are the best gritty, real to life, fitting to their time heroes I’ve read in a long time. Pippa and Chandler each fight their own shortcomings and the murder and mayhem that surrounds the small town that surrounds the circus. So many influential characters, small town nuances, and brain teasing suspense and mystery. I cannot recommend this highly enough! This author nails every story.
I have no idea how Jaime Jo Wright did it, but she really out did herself in her newest release, The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus. My favorite type of novel is time slip and she does not disappoint at all. I enjoyed the history, mystery and suspense. I was intrigued with it from the start until the end. I read the whole book in one sitting, which was time well spent.
I would give The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus one hundred stars if I could. It was that good. I highly recommend it for all readers. I loved every single page.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
Another terrific read from Jaimie Jo Wright. She takes any kind of story and turns it into a lesson learning, deep thinking read. The story itself is fantastic, but the way each character and experience have an every day meaning and an eternal meaning is amazing.
I thoroughly enjoy split time stories, and I usually can easily pick the historical as my favorite. I can’t always do that with this author. Well written characters with depth, a gripping story from past and present, and a faith and hope theme woven throughout create another wonderful novel that has a place on my forever shelves. You don’t want to miss this one!
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
In my opinion when reading a suspense book, being totally shocked at who is responsible for the mystery! This book delivered! The author has a talent for weaving together the past and the present. Chandler, Hank, Pippa, and Jake were detailed so well. They were all on a journey individually and together. The Watchman was such a puzzle, were they good or bad? Who was the ultimate bad one? And Lily, the baby elephant, such a sweet addition to the circus life. I loved the insight into circus life, the people and the animals. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions stated here are my own.
I am a very sated reader at this time since I have just finished this story. This was a read that captivated me with the time split storyline and the circus was the main theme of each.
In 1928 Pippa Ripley is a young woman who has her life all planned out- just not by her. Her adopted father is a very controlling man of his wife, daughter, circus, and even of Forrest her fiancé. Even though Pippa grew up in a well to do home, she has never felt like she belonged. It was no secret she was abandoned as a baby, that her mother died, but she longed to know who her parents were anyway.
Chandler Faulk is a modern day young woman and single mother who is also trying to prove herself. She travels to the old Bonaventure Circus grounds with plans to persuade her uncle to revive it into shops with a circus theme. But the moment Chandler gets there the ghosts from the past begin to make a little more noise than usual. What really is going on and does Chandler have the strength to find out?
I was engrossed in each timeline as each were so closely tied together. There were secrets from the past that continued to invade the present. There was a creepy unknown character called the Watchman, a couple of romances to root for, and the love and sacrifices of family was prominent. The heroines both had limitations. There were murder mysteries and generational guilt, blame, and shame. (I tried to guess the culprit and failed.) And there was a sweet puppy and baby elephant. Toss in some genuine creepiness with a couple of rough heroes and you have a sublime read.
This was my first book that I have read by author Wright and I am a fan. I look forward to reading more of her stories.
I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
I was almost surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I became sick of the circus when I got older and I usually avoid books with circuses. I am so glad I read this book. I love how Jaime Jo Wright writes a book with 2 storylines that interconnect even though they are a hundred years apart or more. I could not figure out most of the mysteries until close to the ending. I could not put this book down and it made me cry for some of the characters. This gives one a good look at what is behind a circus and the members of a circus. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
True to Jaime Jo Wright fashion The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is a time split book that keeps you on the edge of your seat with plenty of suspense, mystery, spookiness and unsolved murders that I’m sure will give you the willies to the very last page.
This is definitely a book that you don’t want to miss reading.
I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.
This is another spellbinding tale from Jaime! She writes the most unusual stories and this may be the most unusual yet. I really enjoyed the circus angle, that made for fun reading and then to incorporate all the mystery threads made this book IMPOSSIBLE to put down. I HAD to know how all the threads came together. Jaime did a masterful job at weaving the threads of this story. It was so good!
I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
Enchanting and mysterious from the get-go, this time slip novel has everything you need to get your adrenaline pumping, and by the end, your heart thoroughly warmed.
With its masterfully woven murder mystery than spans almost a century, entwined with the whimsical and sometimes creepy elements of the circus, and the lovable group of misfit characters (including a sweet baby elephant!!), Jaime Jo Wright has delivered yet another fantastic and unforgettable story.
Disclaimer – I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not required. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Wow just wow! The story was full of deception, apprehension, secrecy, and a little romance thrown in for good measure! I have been intrigued by Author Jaime Jo Wright’s titles and have been eager to add one to my TBR pile. I was not disappointed. The title fit the story perfectly and I appreciated the split timeline. Being an animal lover, I fell in love with sweet baby elephant, Lily. This author has a down-to-earth writing style, and I appreciated the thread of hope and forgiveness woven throughout the storyline. I am absolutely a new fan. Be prepared for late night reading turning page after page trying to put the pieces together! You do not want to miss this one!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and the author. No review was required, and the opinions are my own.
Wow! This book was one of those that kept you sitting on the edge of your seat and up all night! There were so many surprises that I never expected to happen. A very well written and entertaining book!
Summer, 1928
Pippa has led a very lonely and sheltered life. She has one leg shorter than the other so it’s hard for her walk and do things. Her parents found her abandoned on their doorstep when she was an infant. Pippa feels like she is rejected by by everyone because of her leg. She’s expected to marry Forrest, her father’s partner. He is very bossy and domineering. There isn’t any love between them.
Pippa has felt like someone wearing a mask to cover their face, has been watching her. She’s only seen the person a few times. She calls him The Watchman. She’s convinced herself that he can tell her about her birth parents. He leaves her hidden notes to find. He sent one to meet him on the circus grounds. She’s hoping he’ll tell her about her birth family.
The night she goes to meet him one of the elephants gives birth. No one was watching the mother and she almost killed her baby. The baby was hurt really bad and they weren’t sure it would survive. The circus has a lot invested in this baby elephant. Pippa was the only one that could bond with it. She spent some time with the baby elephant and fed it a bottle.
Present Day
Chandler Faulk buys the old circus grounds for her uncle. He plans on trying to renovate and save it from being demolished completely. She has health issues from Lyme Disease and they affect her most when she she’s stressed or overly tired. She’s a single mom with a seven year old son, Peter. She plans on homeschooling him. Neither of them know who his birth father is.
Some of the towns people think that the old circus grounds is haunted. There have been some questionable things going on there. There were some murders that happened in the past there. Chandler is a Christian and doesn’t believe in any of that. But, she does start to wonder when things start to happen.
I can’t say much more without giving away spoilers! This is a great book and I highly recommend reading it.
A fabulous read! A mystery revolving around unsolved murders, with drama, action and a side of romance all rolled up in a dual timeline tale. I could hardly read it fast enough towards the end!
“Welcome to the circus. A place where eccentrics came to hide and where, even here, they abandoned their own.”
A unique cast of characters, multi-layered, with realistic struggles kept my interest from the start. Set in the same town, but nearly a century apart, two young women search for truth, identity, independence and ultimately to be seen, known and loved. The hunky anti-heroes who came alongside them to help were terrific, adding a bit of romance, but also friendship and affirmation. Questions of faith added depth to their search for meaning.
The writing is expert, perfectly paced, knitting the two ends of the timeline together with timely clues, until all is revealed close to the end. Full of so many thought provoking nuggets of wisdom to chew on, I could have filled a notebook with all of the highlighted quotes!
“Maybe it was worth pursuing faith. For in the pursuing, one must come out of hiding and run toward grace. Because it was only grace that would ever truly save.”
Highly recommend! 5 stars!
(A book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)
The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright is an excellent historical fiction novel that presents itself as a dual-timeline and kept me interested and entertained from beginning to end.
I enjoyed the 1920s storyline with Piper, a young woman raised in the circus with a physical deformity. I also enjoyed the contemporary plotline with Chandler Faulk, a woman working for her family to renovate/flip property. Both women are separated by time and circumstances, yet are similar in many ways. Both are trying to find acceptance, a place to belong, and their purpose in life. The author added complexity to the stories with a murder/mystery and a touch of a paranormal feeling.
It was fascinating to read more about the Circus culture from the early 1900s, and it almost gave a whimsical but yet dark/gothic/sinister tinge to the overall feeling as well. The author was able to artfully pull off the ability to weave two storylines together effortlessly, all the while keeping it simple, yet complex and fascinating. Definitely a winner.
This is the first time that I have read anything by this author, and I am thoroughly impressed. I look forward to more books from her in the future.
5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub, Instagram, Amazon, and B&N accounts immediately.
This book was told with dual timelines. I thought the present day time line was more interesting than the past.
It was a bit confusing at times, there’s a lot of characters to keep up with.
I thought the synopsis of the book sounded good, I like ghost stories. This book was just a bit too confusing for me
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy
Strap in and sit back for another dual-time suspense that will keep you guessing until the very end with Jaime Jo Wright. This time the circus surrounds both the past and present-day mysteries.
I’m not sure whether I liked Pippa or Chandler better. Both of these characters are strong women who don’t see themselves that way. Pippa longs to know her true family and find a place where she belongs. Chandler is driven but brought low by an auto immune disease and fear of losing her son.
The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus contains Wright’s trademark sense of the eerie. Yet, by the end, there is a sense of justice and resolution for both Pippa and Chandler. There’s a touch of romance in there too—enough to appease us romance fans but not so much as to turn away those who prefer the romance doesn’t overpower the suspense and overall atmosphere of the plot.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
“The Haunting of Bonaventure Circus” is Jaime Jo Wright’s 5th novel and all are in a dual time era and she is certainly good at writing this way. One time frame is historical, in the 1920’s as in the circus and the other one is contemporary. These two stories, parallel in many ways. Each centered around a circus’s main headquarters and the small town it resides in. Secrets, suspense, even a murder or two, and so much more. The characters from both the historical and the contemporary are presented in such a way that you feel you are right in the scene with them. So real and believable. We have Pippa Ripley, a girl with a deformed leg who was adopted as a baby by the famous Riley Circus owner who has always felt that she belonged to the circus and has a deep longing to know who her parents are and she is sure they were part of the circus……Then we have Chandler Faulk, present day, working for her uncle’s real estate building, and trying to prove to her family that she can manage single motherhood and also the project of renovating the Circus Train Depot and its buildings in Bluff River City, turning it into something profitable. But she becomes distracted because of the haunted building she has to work in and also the museum seems to be haunted with past members of the Ripley Circus. Tales of a serial killer, was there one? But then Chandler discovers a hidden skeleton in the train depot museum…..This is a super good mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat as you keep reading to unravel the mystery of the Haunted Circus…..Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for letting me read and review this interesting novel
Jamie Jo Wright has done it again! I think that this may be my very favorite book that she has written to date! If you love mystery, jumping between two different eras, with romance weaved in, AND a baby elephant, than this is the book for you! I flew through reading it, and can’t wait to read it again to see what I missed the first time:) Do yourself a favor and get this book immediately!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review reflects my true opinions of the book!
The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright is a wonderful story! It’s a duel timeline set during present day and 1928 while the circus is at their home base. Great characters and wonderful atmosphere for a mystery to unfold.
1928 Pippa Ripley is the adopted daughter of the owner of the Bonaventure Circus. Raised in a privileged background but unhappy because she wants answers about who her parents were, as she knows that she was born to someone from the circus. In her search she helps with a wounded baby elephant, a romance and discovers a killer.
Present day: Realtor Chandler Faulk, is trying make sure that the circus’ train depot will be restored for it’s historical value and not be torn down. In search of the history of the area she finds clues about the mysteries and the history of the circus all while trying to keep herself from losing her job, raising her son and struggling with her health.
Wonderful reading. I have really enjoyed all of Ms. Wright’s books. The time period is interesting and her writing is detailed and informative. I can’t wait for her next book.
I received this book from the author and Bethany House Publisher. All opinions are my own.
This was an amazing story in many ways! Dual timeline stories are not easy and can sometimes be confusing, but Jaime Jo Wright is a master in this genre! The plot flows naturally from present day to a almost a century ago… The plot is a complete pageturner that will keep you intrigued, at the edge of your seat, and wanting to know more about how can this complex and haunting story will unfold in both scenerarios.
Pippa Ripley feels like an outcast. Her adoptive father is the owner of the Bonaventure Circus, but she was once part of the Circus family and then left abandoned as a baby at the Ripley’s family doorstep. She has lived a life of privilege since, and even if she was accepted into this wealthy family, in spite of deformed leg and all, she has never felt loved or that she belongs. She has always acted on her father’s orders and her mother’s instruction, so she doesn’t know who she really is. She’s even been offered in marriage to a man she doesn’t love. Will she always have to do what others expect from her? So when she starts receiving mysterious missives from an elusive man called the Watchman, she is sure he’s the connection to her family origins, so she keeps this relationship a secret and tries in vain to discover who he is. This search leads her to Jake, a circus employee, who is bent on avenging his sister’s murder by a man who resembles the little she knows about the Watchman. Is the Watchman worth pursuing in order to discover her real identity or is she walking into the path of a serial killer? Also, her family depends on the survival of a newborn elephant, who has been injured and to which she feels a bond. Can she nurture him back to life? Or will the baby elephant’s death be the Circus undoing?
Chandler Faulk, present day, working for her uncle’s real estate building, and trying to prove to her family that she can manage single motherhood (she adores her son and will never part from him), has on her hands the proyect of renovating the Circus Train Depot and its buildings in Bluff River City, turning it into something profitable, be it a touristic historical attraction, or flipping it into something else profitable. But as she begins to research the property, she discovers it posseses haunting and terrifying secrets. A woman murdered by a serial killer who seems to haunt the place… And then there’s Hank Titus, a man who appears everywhere she turns and who is trying to solve the mystery of his uncle’s missing sister, which he claims has something to do with this old place… He seems to want to help her too, but is he a safe person to trust? Then, when her autoinmune disease activates, and they start to discover clues to the unsolved murders of the past, she wonders if this too much for her and if she’s calling in for more trouble she can handle or a danger that can threaten her life and her son’s…
The story was a complete page turner, and I can really say this was a book I couldn’t put down! It was not only the mystery of the murders, the angst of the serial killer, or the spookiness of the circus ambience. It was the main characters on both timelines that pulled me in. Pippa’s hidden dream of belonging, of being accepted as she is, it was tender and so heartwrenching. I was really rooting for her the whole book, she deserved to be truly loved, and that totally immersed me in Jake’s story, intrigued to know if he was her match. Could he overcome his revenge desires in order to become the man Pippa needs? Two broken souls… Are they broken beyond repair? And I also loved Chandler’s character. So resilient, and her love of her son so fierce that she was willing to do anything to keep and provide for all his needs. Hank was a mysterious character at first, but I found myself loving him too. Above the mystery and haunting of the story, this was san inspirational story about who we really are: children of God, loved unconditionally by Him as we are, broken and hurting. It’s a story of forgiveness, of second chances, of redemption. The journey that take the characters to real spiritual freedom was a sight to behold. Epic! I love how this autor’s stories bring redemption to the most grieving and struggling of characters, and it shows me how we can all heal our wounds in the Real and True Healer, God.
This is a story you shouldn’t miss! I would give it more tan five stars if I could! Can’t wait for the next story from Jaime Jo Wright!
I received an advanced copy of the book from the author and Publisher but wasn’t required to post a positive review. All opinions here are completely unbiased and totally my own.
Wow.
Just wow.
Okay, I know I need to say more than that, but I’m still wrapping my mind around all the twists and turns of this beautifully crafted story. And that was after losing sleep because I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it. You just have to read this one. Full review is at my website: LoraineNunley(dot)com
I received this book complimentary as a member of the author’s launch team. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are honest and my own.