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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“Life was not unlike the wisp of fog that curled around the base of a grave marker, softly caressing the marble before dissolving into the violet shadows of the night.” And so, Jaime Jo Wright begins spinning her chilling web of mystery, wonderment, and deceit in The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus.
At first, it seems like there might be a lot of unrelated information we are given. Like Alice in Wonderland, we just never know down which rabbit hole Ms. Wright will take us, or what to do with the scenes we see. With a dual timeline story, Wright alternates chapters between past and present. Double the rabbit holes; add a baby elephant, a Sasquatch-like man, a self- proclaimed medium, and a pit-bull, in no particular order. We see young Pippa Ripley, adopted daughter of the circus owner, who longs to know her people and find value in her life. Before we can discover too much about Pippa, Wright pulls us out of the mire and thrusts us into the quagmire that is Chandler Faulk’s story. As we sort through her present-day needs to survive, excel, and raise a child on her own, we are again uprooted and thrown back into the circus world, or as close as Pippa is allowed to venture. Actually, Wright does a wonderful job of feeding us just enough information about each young lady, both searching for belonging, significance, and love. Then, like a crazy carnival ride, we are tossed back and forth between the two narratives, hanging on for dear life, and trying our best to hang onto our wits as well. When I finished the book, I looked back in astonishment, amazed at the wild ride I’d been on, helpless to change it (I tried, but Pippa wouldn’t listen).
What a slowly-building whirlwind adventure that turned out to be! The book is finished but the repercussions will live on in my mind. Dare to read the book and leave it unfazed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
This is my first book by Jamie Jo Wright and I was not disappointed. This time slip shows the Bonventure circus in its heyday in the 1920’s with all the thrills and curiosity of the circus. As well as the darker inner secrets that make up the circus. The intrigue and mystery that continues to build as you follow Pippa, the adopted daughter of the owner of the circus. She is a child of the circus but raised to be strictly obedient to her adoptive father. Even so, Pippa is pulled toward the circus and more accurately, The Watchman. The Watchman has watched over her, kept in secret contact with her. But is The Watchman the protector she thinks he is? The story is a time slip from the 1920’s to present day and the abandoned circus depot that Chandler Faulk would like to restore. But that intrigue and mystery that was building in the 1920’s isn’t done. It’s coming full speed down the tracks into present day. The people of Bluff River believe the depot is haunted. A woman, part of the Bonaventure circus was murdered there. Or was it the Costume House? Either way, ever since, there have been strange happenings at the place and it plays a big part in the lives of those in Bluff River even after all this time.
The two time periods come crashing in a way that makes this book one you don’t want to put down. You have a need to know answers to so many questions. And those answers came as a surprise yet…..they makes sense and the story, the two time periods, wrap up together.
I was given an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions in this review are my own.
I first started reading Jaime Jo Wright’s books in 2018. The premise of writing a mystery/suspense story set in two different time periods yet intricately tied together throughout decades (or more) intrigued me. That fascination hasn’t let up. In The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus, Ms. Wright once again pens a tale that kept me on the edge of my seat and tugged at my heart and spirit at the same time. Set in both 1928 and present day, it’s a story involving characters like Pippa and Jake and Chandler and Hank who struggle with their own self-worth and who yearn to be loved and accepted just as they are. What better place to find such characters than a historic circus town? The author layers mystery within mystery so that you enjoy peeling away the layers trying to discern who did what and how it happened. I was engrossed and invested in the setting, the story and the characters from the first page until the final page. I highly recommend picking up The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus as soon as you can. You won’t regret it.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, but all thoughts and feelings are my own.
This book is pure magic! When real life calls you away from the book, its story and characters will haunt you, drawing you back as quickly possible. Easily one of my favorite books I have read in 2020! I have been a fan of Ms. Wright since the release of her debut novel, and find that she keeps raising the bar. She sets the standard for writing split time novels, skillfully exposing layers of the plot, building suspense, fleshing out her characters with each line of prose.
Jaimie Jo Wright’s unique experience of growing up in an old circus town, fostered her love for the circus world of old. Her skillful pen combines the beauty and magic of the circus but also reveals the dark side of circus sideshows, one that exploited those who were different and could only find a home in a place filled with misfits.
Jaime Jo Wright’s unique voice creates a wonderfully spine-tingling mystery filled with unsolved murders, a haunted old circus town and the uncovering of long forgotten secrets that threaten the present, intertwining the stories of two unlikely heroines. Add to this a precious elephant calf, and I was hooked! Seldom am I invested in both storylines, but found both Pippa’s and Chandler’s stories fascinating. Although separated by almost 100 years, they each struggled to be seen and valued for themselves, just as those who hid within the confines of the circus of old. This subtle faith thread of finding acceptance and love as one created and loved by God is the beauty and magic of this tale.
One of my favorite quotes:
“Remember, what to us seems like God’s biggest errors, to Him they are His largest promises.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
No Spoilers!
The exhilarating sights and scents of the Big Top will assail your senses—the roar of the tigers, trumpeting, massive elephants, beautiful trapeze artists—and eerie, dark secrets all lend to the pervading sinister aura that is Bonaventure Circus.
As only Jaime Jo Wright can create them, dual timelines intertwine one another, with two deeply troubled heroines (who live a century apart) seeking to find their place in life and wondering where God is in the midst of all of it. Will their search inadvertently put them directly in the path of a crazed killer…and unexpected romance? As a trapeze artist must trust her partner will seize her when she lets go of the bar, will heroines, Pippa and Chandler, learn to trust that God will catch them should they fall?
With expertise and compassion, Ms. Wright invites the reader on a spine-tingling, but intriguing journey into the life of circus performers, who were sometimes mocked, judged, and abused…but whose faith and love of family sustained them. By the way, be prepared for a shocker at the conclusion of this novel that this amateur sleuth never saw coming! Beautifully written in the author’s poetic style, I highly recommend The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus!
*I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are entirely my own.*
This story jumps between the past and the present, between Pippa and Chandler, between a sweet baby elephant and a precocious seven year old.
We are pulled into this book, mystery, murder, happenings, all surrounding a circus.
When the facts unfold, surprises, yes! A lot I never saw coming, and yet it was right in front of me. We have an abandoned baby with a deformity, a mother that has a serious illness but with a fearless she loves her child, and how this story is all wound together is masterful, and you will quickly page turning for answers. This book has hauntings and serial killers along with two very strong women.
I received this book through NetGalley and the Publisher Bethany House. and was not required to give a positive review.
Chandler Faulk has a mission at hand: restore an old circus train depot. A place which once promised a home for those outcasted by society. A place where it’s history lingers at every corner, it’s memory spooks present visitors and takes away what little peace Chandler still has. When she decided to navigate the history surrounding the Bonaventure Circus and all the mystery surrounding it, Chandler bumps into decades-old history and ghosts who do not want to see them unburied. And her determination to not fail, to prove herself capable, might just put herself in the path of a serial killer.
In the early 20th century, the Bonaventure Circus is alive and prospering. Pippa Ripley knows deep in her bones her story is intricately tied to the story of the circus. But growing up as the adopted daughter of the circus manager comes with expectations, and they include keeping as far away from the circus grounds as possible. When Pippa starts receiving cryptic messages from someone who calls himself the Watchman, she believes it to be the perfect chance to discover her own story. And when a baby elephant’s trauma ties to Pippa’s own story, she discovers a strength in herself to for once not do as she is told, but what she believes to be right.
“The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus” is Jaime Jo Wright at her best! And I believe this is because it is her at her most courageous. It takes a very, very brave soul to write this book. It is a book about second chances. About those awkward steps taken towards reconciliation. But, most importantly, how incessant and potent hope can be. Even in the midst of brokenness, hope prevails, maybe stronger than ever.
*I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is another great read from author Jaime Jo Wright. It is a dual time story with mystery and edge-of-the-seat suspense that lures the reader in immediately and doesn’t let up. Readers are caught up and compelled and inspired by the lives of the characters and their stories. Wright has permeated the story with mystery, drama, and emotional tension as the intense action is seen from several characters’ points of view. I enjoyed how the mystery of a long ago circus murder is woven into a present day ghost story that refused to be put to rest. The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is a well-written yet gritty tale of a serial killer, murders, and kidnapping. It is a book that offers a look at how we long to be known, to be seen by those around us–to be loved for who we are. It is a story about family and how we hide our secrets behind illusions and yet, in the best of families we know we are broken and yet we still see and love each other. As one character put it, “We were all meant to be…Providence places you there…who knew God had one of me up His sleeve?” I loved how there was romance woven into the both time lines, romance that is unexpected, fraught with stress and yet so full of tenderness. This is a book that readers who love a great suspense book, one with some ‘wow, I did not expect that at all’ moments, will not want to miss.
I read a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
I’ve never read a Jaime Jo Wright book that I didn’t love! This book is no exception. Wright has a way of harnessing words, making them haunting, visual, and inspirational. I think this one if my favorite, yet!
Seriously, there is no other author that can spin stories quite like Jamie Jo Wright. After reading this one, I found myself in awe once again. The reader is following two complete stories in this split-time novel. The first story revolves around Pippa Riley in the year 1928. She’s a young woman who loves her father’s circus and a baby elephant named Lily. The second story, set in the current day, focuses on Chandler Faulk and her young son, Peter. As these two stories play out side-by-side, it’s hard to imagine how they will join together, but knowing this author, I knew this would happen in spectacular fashion—and it did. I loved the faith theme that emerges from this book: No matter what our circumstances may be, we are seen, known, and loved by God. His purposes for us are always good. It may take a somewhat “spooky” story to make this point, but after reading Pippa’s and Chandler’s stories, you’ll see God’s hand at work in all things.
One other thing: You might want to consider reading this book during the daytime. I did!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
What could be more intriguing than a book with a beloved baby elephant named Lily and an unknown person known as The Watchman? Especially when they both are such major parts of the story? Once again, Jaime Jo Wright has given readers words to relish, memorable characters that aren’t easily forgotten, and two stories, one from the past and the other set in the present, that are connected in ways that I could never dream. Wright’s vivid imagination and her descriptive powers make The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus a book to read again, and I found myself going back to read some sections more than once. I just had to make sure that I truly understood what was happening and, I must add, I will never think of a circus in quite the same way as I once did!
I read Wright’s first book, The House on Foster Hill, in 2017 and I knew that I’d found an author to follow. Now, with this fifth book, I can honestly say that her imagination and her writing skills have only gotten better. No one does time-split better and very few authors can give you the same spine-tingling, hair-raising thrills and chills! The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus has all of this, plus a reminder that broken and blemished people are loved by their Creator and are capable of being redeemed by Him!
I absolutely loved The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus and I highly recommend it!
I received a complimentary copy from the author. There was no obligation to write a positive review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.
I am not typically a fan of historical fiction, but I just devour a split timeline story by Jaime Jo Wright because it is filled with such suspense and mystery. The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is no exception. This novel bounces back and forth between 1928 and the present day and centers around Pippa in the past and Chandler in the present. They are tied together by the Bonaventure Circus. As a baby, Pippa was left on the doorstep of the Riley family who were the owners of the circus. In present day, Chandler is overseeing the project to either restore or tear down the historic circus train depot. These two ladies are tied together almost a hundred years apart in a search for truth and justice.
I was so excited when I first saw that the author was writing a story tied around a circus because I knew she could pen quite a story centered around such an entertaining yet possibly strange and mysterious setting as well. Due to circumstances that I don’t want to explain for fear of spoiling too much, both Pippa and Chandler are searching for the real identity of a serial killer known as the Watchmen. The Watchmen killed women at various stops of the circus train back in the 1920’s. A man was identified and charged as the Watchmen, but did they actually have the right man? You’ll have to read to find out. This story had so many twists and turns that just when I thought I had it figured out, the author threw in a new twist. I was totally surprised and blown away by the ending. If you want a story with lots of suspense, some creepy characters, and a bit of romance, then this novel is for you!
I was given a copy of this story by the author and publisher. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
This book has enough suspense to keep you reading late into the night, and enough creepiness to make sure your doors are locked and curtains are closed while doing so! I enjoyed this split time story that connects the past and the present to a circus that that has a haunting secret.
Pippa is searching for answers to a family she’s never known. She wants to feel that she belongs somewhere and as the story progresses she becomes more independent and finds her voice. All while helping care for a baby elephant that will have you praying for it’s health.
Chandler is striving to prove her worth, keep her job, and raise her son. All while struggling with a recent diagnosis that she feels puts all of the above in jeopardy.
Both time periods contain a male that is as loving and protective, as he is gruff and mysterious.
Both are stories of seeking the truth so that lives can move forward. They are stories of coming together to help heal and solve the mysterious that have surrounded the circus in both the past and the present.
Jaime weaves a tale that will not disappoint! My favorite book of hers to date!
Truth must be known, seen, and understood. Only then can a person walk forward , no longer blind and ignorant, but educated….
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely honest and my own.
This split time book has the suspense, action, and emotions that keep you delving into each new chapter looking for answers and closure for each character. Jaime Jo Wright has turned everything up a notch in this new adventure. Chandler has moved herself and her son to a new town with her job, revitalize the old circus buildings. But as she digs into the old offices and boarding house, secrets are quickly coming to the surface. An old murder, constant break ins that seem to link to the past, and a new health issue that could change everything for Chandler. She is fighting to keep her job out of a competitor’s hands, wants her son to have everything she thinks he needs, and does not like admitting her weaknesses and short coming to anyone. But with old murders rising to the surface, Chandler is going to need more help then she ever thought she would. Some one wants these murders left alone and will go to any lengths to see them forgotten once again. The other side to the split time is 1928 Pippa. Her father owns the Bonaventure Circus and insists she stay away from the day to day operations. But she feels drawn to the circus more than any other place, with the Watchman among their ranks increasing her curiosity. There are new, disturbing rumors circulating about danger on the rails as the circus travels the country. Now that the circus is home for the winter, Pippa needs to find the strength to face the questions and darkness that is starting to cover the big top. Each woman needs to learn how to accept help from the people around them. They also need to see the truth of who they are and how to embrace it. Only then can Chandler and Pippa find the place they were always meant to be. The characters are beautifully written, their relationships forming the base for the story. Each person feels like a new neighbor the reader is meeting, and then trying to warn of danger or encouraging to accept offered help.
How do you trust others to help when you see only failure in yourself?
Jaime Jo Wright has another hit on her hands! I was engrossed from the first chapter and could hardly wait to reach the end. The suspense kept the pages eagerly turning, wanting to find the next step in the dangerous dance unfolding on the pages. This book is well worth the heart pounding climax, found in two different time periods which only increases the intensity! I eagerly await the next book Jaime Jo Wright puts out, it can’t come soon enough!I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions in this review are completely my own.
Ms. Wright has written another fantastic time slip novel. This author is a master at weaving two stories together. I highly recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.
If only I could give this book 100 stars rather than only five.
This book, this author, I am so in awe!
No one presents words in quite the way Jamie Jo Wright does.
If you were to give twenty authors the subject matter this book was composed of none would present it in the way this author does.
I read so many books per year that I can truly get burnt out on the sameness of the books, not so with this author’s books.
She has just the presentation I am looking for, which is originality. Originality is very hard to find in today’s writing world.
A time split novel, The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is a novel of the past colliding with present on a collision course that’s frightening yet fascinating . It keeps you reading late into the night as you try to grasp what you’re reading and process it. The past is amazingly connected to the present in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.
If you don’t read this book you are really missing out. I highly recommend it!
Pub Date 01 Sep 2020 by Bethany House Publishers.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
‘Sometimes God brought peace in the most unusual and outside-the-norm ways.’
Once again the past and future collide in Jaime Jo Wright’s signature time slip novel. She captured my attention with her very first book in this vein and it hasn’t dimmed since. Love her work.
1928. Pippa has been abandoned in the circus and taken in by the owner. Bonaventure Circus is quite popular and they settle in this Wisconsin town in the winter. Strange goings on are noticed by many and Pippa is captured by the attention of The Watchman, who she believes knows the secret of her parentage. But her interest is going to lead to disastrous results if she isn’t careful.
Present Day. Chandler Faulk is heading the renovation of the old circus train depot to restore its historical significance. She’s carrying a heavy load with a newly diagnosed autoimmune disorder, and single parenthood. She accidentally discovers clues to the unsolved murders involving the circus of decades earlier. Soon she’s in a battle for her life if she herself isn’t careful.
Wright again takes us on a riveting and fast paced journey into the past as it slams into the present day. I love how she combines the two and propels the reader into both worlds, while at the same time, building the momentum until it crashes around you and you’ve never guessed who and what was going on. I devoured this! Recommended.
*My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a copy of this book via Net Galley.
Another great book knocked out of the park! This book kept me guessing all the way to the end. Didn’t see the ending turning out the way it did. Excellent writing, she has a way with her words. So descriptive that you feel like you are right there in the book with the characters. I cried while reading some of the book, the author knows how to make you feel the pain and anguish the characters feel.You can tell the author put a lot of heart into this book!
The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright is a captivating read from the very first page! I’ve read every book by this author and I truly believe this is her best book yet. It has characters that are real and broken, longing for a place to belong. I think the messages of hope in this book are so timely. I found myself highlighting sentences many times because I was struck by their poignancy and truth. The time slip nature of this novel was wonderful. I enjoyed both stores equally and found them fascinating as they overlapped. The author portrayed the circus so vividly, with all its good and bad. The circus itself was one of my favorite parts of this novel. I love a good mystery and I think I’m pretty good at figuring most of them out. I did not figure out this mystery at all, but it fit so perfectly when I looked back for the clues. I also loved the authors treatment of the “haunting” aspect of the novel. I found it equally terrifying and Biblically sound. I recommend this novel without reservation to anyone who loves history, mystery, and amazing storytelling. 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.
“But they weren’t loved so much as treasured. And there was a difference between the two. Love sacrificed, whereas a treasure was hoarded.”
Such a beautifully penned split-time novel with a huge helping of suspense! Jaime Jo Wright never fails to hold you captive with her lyrical writing, raw emotions, and palpable anticipation. The slow build-up to the murder that happened in 1928 at the circus and the disappearance of a young woman in 1983 is well-done and the details are impeccably intertwined. The plot is complex but still easy to follow, with plenty of surprises along the way. The ending will surely leave you reeling and gasping…. I totally did not see any of that coming. If you enjoy well-written suspense novels, you will absolutely love this book. If you’ve never tried a dual-timeline suspense novel, this book should be your first.
In 1928 Pippa, the adopted daughter of the circus owner Ripley, has a physical deformity and has always felt unwanted because she was left at the Ripleys’ as a baby. She knows that she was born into the circus before being given away and gravitates toward the circus and its performers, longing to find her roots. Her world careens out of control as she works to rehabilitate an injured baby elephant while unwittingly digging into the darker underworld of the circus.
In present day Chandler, a single mother working to restore and renovate historical properties, stumbles onto the mystery and gothic lore that surround the Bonaventure Circus grounds when she heads up this particular project for her uncle. She has a a full plate with her son, an autoimmune disease, and a demanding job but totally unravels when strange and eerie things start to happen at the circus grounds that bring up events of the past.
Both Pippa and Chandler are quite likable and relatable though they’re very different women. Jake from 1928 and Hank from the present are great supporting roles in the story and are similar in their brooding, intimidating, masculine ways. The romance in both timelines is subtle and works as a nice subplot to the overarching suspense. The central themes of “being seen and known” and “not being alone” are profound and worthy of contemplation. There is one character who was very much into new-age spirituality regarding ghosts and spirits but her thoughts were balanced out by Chandler’s biblical beliefs. Learning about the circus in its prime was a lot of fun.
I received a copy of the book from the author and Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.