Meg and Sylvie Townsend manage the family bookshop and care for their father, Stephen, a veteran still suffering in mind and spirit from his time as a POW during the Civil War. But when the Great Fire sweeps through Chicago’s business district, they lose much more than just their store.The sisters become separated from their father and make a harrowing escape from the flames with the help of … of Chicago Tribune reporter Nate Pierce. Once the smoke clears away, they reunite with Stephen, only to learn soon after that their family friend was murdered on the night of the fire. Even more shocking, Stephen is charged with the crime and committed to the Cook County Insane Asylum.Though homeless and suddenly unemployed, Meg must not only gather the pieces of her shattered life, but prove her father’s innocence before the asylum truly drives him mad.
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Rich in historical details–from the Great Fire itself to the reconstruction efforts afterward to the way that patients in the Cook County Insane Asylum were treated–this novel quickly transports readers back to Chicago in 1871, setting the stage for a fascinating story. With the mystery of who really killed their family friend, Meg and Sylvie adjusting to life after the fire, and Stephen trying to regain his life altogether, there’s a lot going on, but it all fits together well and moves along quickly. The message of healing through God was tender and believable without being overbearing. With so much to like about this book, I’ll definitely be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series and reading Green’s other books in the meantime.
4.5 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Jocelyn Green has done it again! A thoroughly researched, eloquently written historical novel.
I love history, but reading it in story form is so much more interesting and relatable to me. When reading a book from an era or event that I’m not very familiar with I am always grateful when the book is not only interesting as a story, but full of historical context – Green’s novels never fail to disappoint me in this area!
I hope you will read Meg, Sylvie and Stephen Townsend’s story soon! From the heart wrenching backstory, through the heart pounding fire escape, and then to the heart stirring twists and turns of normal life following tragedy, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book.
Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a copy. All opinions are my own.
As someone who loves historical fiction I get excited when I discover a new read that covers less-explored history. Veiled in Smoke takes readers on a journey through the flames of the 1871 fire that swept through Chicago. As if cleaning up and rebuilding in the aftermath weren’t enough, Meg and Sylvie find themselves in a desperate battle to clear their father’s name of murder. As their world seems to be falling apart around them, the girls fight to persevere.
I was highly impressed with the character development in this story. I especially savored the mystery surrounding Stephen and his “soldiers heart” as it was called. I liked going inside his mind and getting a glimpse of the inner-conflict he was battling with. Even though his mind was playing tricks on him, he still had a good heart and loved his family and wanted to protect them. He asked God for help because he knew he couldn’t fight the battle on his own. He was an intriguing character and was far more complex than one would initially think.
Seeing as the family owned a bookstore, you can imagine the literary references that were found throughout. Classical fictional characters were talked about as if they were true friends. Their love of reading naturally oozed out wherever they went and was infectious. It makes me want to go back and read some of the classics again!
I can’t imagine losing not only my home, but my business and entire neighborhood to fire. As if it wouldn’t be bad enough in today’s world, I can’t fathom the devastation it would have been in 1871 without many of the modern conveniences we have now. I cherished the amount of real history that the author added into the narrative to give the readers a glimpse of what it was really like after the fire. I love when history and fiction weave together in such a powerful way.
I will not share any spoilers but I was pleasantly surprised that there were twists and turns woven throughout that I wasn’t expecting at all. The mystery kept me invested and the pace kept the pages turning.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and am now waiting impatiently for the next release in the series. I love Jocelyn Green’s willingness to step out of the more commonly covered historical events to find something new to bring to readers. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.
Meg and Sylvie Townsend run their family’s book shop in 1871 Chicago and try their best to care for their father, Stephen, who still suffers from his time as a prisoner of war at Andersonville. Meg paints portraits of book characters to supplement their income. Nate Pierce is a newspaper reporter who interviews Stephen for a series of articles on Civil War veterans and finds himself drawn to this family, especially Meg. Beautifully written, this book is at times difficult to read as we experience not only the Chicago fire and resulting losses, but the pain of each family member. None of them would be the same as before the fire but with God’s help they learned to adapt. My heart went out especially to Stephen, as his ordeal was vividly, but sensitively, revealed. There is more of a mystery than I expected (but greatly enjoyed) along with faith and a bit of romance. VEILED IN SMOKE is an excellent work of well-researched historical fiction. I highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
I love this author and this is one of my favorite books. This was a fantastic start to this series. I loved how she got in the Chicago Fire and the insane asylums. This showed how horrible the insane asylums were during this time period. I loved the characters throughout the book. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. I did not want to put this book down. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
First, can we just look at this cover? I love the colors and the feel of it perfectly matches the story within which is beautifully written. It is detailed, descriptive, and written in such a way that you can picture what is happening. The part of the story where the fire happened was so detailed and so tense that I felt like I was there! I was immediately drawn into this story and felt for the characters and what they were going through.
There are several points of view. This really worked for me because the transitions were seamless and I felt like I really got to know each character better as they were going through their individual struggles. While I liked most of the main characters in the story, Nate was my absolute favorite! What a great character. My least favorite character was Stephen – Meg and Sylvie’s father. I felt like too much of the story revolved around him and I wanted to read more about each sister.
The mystery was very well done. It kept me guessing until the end. I am looking forward to the next story in the series. I am hoping it’s about Sylvie!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Green has written a compelling novel based on the historic fire that took place in Chicago in 1871. She did her research well and brings us a true happening of this horrendous fire. She wove in believable characters and true christian faith in her telling of this historical event…..The story of Meg & Sylvie Townsend and their civil war veteran and prison camp survivor father is heartbreaking. I learned that what we now call PTSD, was historically known as soldier’s heart in the veterans of the American Civil War. I loved reading about these two strong sisters, who differed in opinions yet both loved their father in spite of his “ilness”. We read of the devastation the fire caused in the city and even in the midst of this, some sought after greed and money, even to committing murder. It was sad to read about the mental institutions of that day and how the inmates were treated. You will be touched by this historical read and feel like you were right there in the smoke. I highly recommend this book if you like intrigue, historical fiction, and romance……. I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
“Veiled in Smoke” is the perfect title for this book.
Not only does Jocelyn Green explores the tragedy brought by the Great Chicago Fire and how it covered the population with uncertainty, but also, especially through Stephen Townsend, Green considers the depth and layers of trauma.
I can safely say this book is about family, about the hurt we can cause to those we love the most.
But, most powerfully, how love is also the way to rise from the ashes into reconciliation. Not all can be as it once before, but the foundation that keeps people together does not waver, only strengthened through storms and fire. Yes, the biggest and strongest character development happens within the Townsend family, and maybe this is my one complaint… I do not mind if the romance takes second place, but I didn’t feel the organic development of it between Meg and Nate. Overall, I did enjoy the novel.
Filled with impeccable research, “Veiled of Smoke” is sure to satisfy the heart of any history lover.
*I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Whenever I read a Jocelyn Green novel I know it’s going to be impeccably researched.
Reading this I’ve been transported to the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871.
So many interesting facts learned not just about the fire and the Civil War.
We also learn a previously detail about the fire we have all probably heard has just been made up to see newspapers at the time.
The authors brings to life this time period with her vivid descriptions and we can feel the desperation of the characters as they are involved in this seemingly helpless situation .
The characters showing amazing resilience to get through all presented. The human spirit really is so much stronger than we realize with God’s help we can pull through so much!
The depth of the story was unveiled layer by layer and I enjoyed getting to know the characters as their personalities unfolded.
This book really shines!
Highly recommended!
Expected publication: February 4th 2020 by Bethany House Publishers
I was given a complimentary copy. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Another wonderful book from Jocelyn Green! So much history into a book based on a real event. I literally love books based on real events or real people. The characters were great and I loved Meg, Sylvie and Stephen. I really felt for Stephen too because I have seen first hand what war can do to a person. The author brought this out in Stephen in a very real way. I get so carried away with characters in a book when they are portrayed so well I really feel like I know them. What tragedy they went through with the other people of Chicago. I was so sad for the people and especially when Meg was trying to save something very important to the family and her hands were burned. Another thing I loved was the bookstore with all those great titles mentioned and the way Meg and Sylvie loved their books. I would try to save my kids pictures then my book collection would be next if a fire happened at my house, of course that is if no one was in the house. If you like historical fiction then this is one of the best books ever that you need to read. Lots of research went into this story and it’s NOT haphazardly written. So detailed you will almost live it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
The historic Chicago Fire that I have heard about all of my life comes alive in Veiled in Smoke, as author Jocelyn Green describes the blazing inferno, the feelings of desperation as people tried to escape, and the overwhelming efforts to rebuild the city. Green also relates the personal family drama centered around a Civil War veteran, Stephen Townsend, and his two daughters Meg and Sylvie as they suffer property loss and become separated during their rush to escape. This intriguing story includes an insane asylum, a charge of murder, and the sister’s efforts to clear their accused father’s name. Reporter Nate Pierce and the nephew of the murdered man also play important roles in the Townsends’ story. Will this Civil War veteran be acquitted? Is there a conspiracy to be uncovered? Can the city of Chicago ever fully recover from this horrendous event?
This book is labeled as historical fiction and the historical detail that Green has included is amazing and I appreciate that she shares many of these details in her Author’s Notes at the end of this book. It is apparent that she has devoted endless hours to researching the Great Chicago Fire but it is her ability to inject the human element that makes this such a remarkable read. She doesn’t just talk about the Chicago Fire that destroyed Chicago in 1871. She made me feel the fear and the helplessness trying to flee the fire, not to mention the hopelessness when it was over. She shines a light on the Civil War that had just ended six years earlier and the scars that were left behind. Stephen Townsend never fully recovered from his experiences in a prison camp and, what people then considered as mental illness, we today recognize as the debilitating condition PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). She also shows the emotions of two young women devoted to their father and experiencing the uncertainties that life was throwing at them.
If you enjoy historical fiction, sweet romance, a mystery to solve, and a wonderful story of faith and perseverance, you will want to read this book. Veiled in Smoke is a story that you won’t soon forget!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts in this review.
I’ve always been a fan of Jocelyn Green’s stories because she is such a phenomenal storyteller!!!! (Yes all the exclamation points were necessary 😉 So when I started reading Veiled in Smoke, I was immediately captivated by her imagery. She painted the scenes with such amazing strokes of brilliance that I could almost smell the smoke of the Great Fire of Chicago and glimpse its devastation.
The characters were well-developed and beautifully flawed. And can I just say that Stephen’s journey brought tears to my eyes on SO many occasions. His war-shattered heart made me root for his wellness. (BTW I love that Jocelyn tackles sensitive subjects like PTSD with delicate grace.)
And now let me gush over Nate! His cleverness balanced with his tenderness made him a hero to be celebrated! I love that his thirst for the truth never trespassed on his convictions. Meaning he was fair, loyal, and all things swoony.
I also loved the sisters, Meg and Slyvie. Their sibling relationship was authentic and beautiful. It was moving to experience their young hearts mature through the difficult trial. Their characters were seriously forged through FIRE!
All in all this story was poignant, exceptional, and will forever be in my heart. Well done, Jocelyn Green.
**I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I stayed up late reading this book last night…for the second night in a row! But I had to know how it finished!
I just love this story! The characters, the setting, the events, all of it is so well written.
This is such a good telling of the happenings of the Great Fire of Chicago.
This is an event that I’ve heard about, but hadn’t really known any real details about.
Jocelyn Green took this historical event and made it really come to life for me.
I could feel the terror as the Townsend sisters were forced to run for their lives, leaving their home and all their belongings behind. I was horrified at the events that took place.
I loved seeing this through their eyes, really feeling what it might have been like for the Chicago residents.
This book also tackles some hard things — it explores PTSD and what it might have been like back in those days. I enjoyed seeing through Stephen’s eyes what he was thinking and seeing. Mental disorders were punished in extreme ways, and this book does not shy away from portraying the horrors faced by so many.
I also really enjoyed the mystery in this book. I tried to figure out what was going on, had a few suspicions, but ended up being amazed at how it all turned out.
This book is one that’s worth reading. And rereading.
If you are a lover of historical fiction, then I highly recommend this one!
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
I received an advance copy of this book from Bethany House for my honest review.
The story of Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green, begins about 10 days before the Great Fire of Chicago. Meg and Sylvie lead a quiet but challenging life caring for their father and making a living selling books in their bookshop. Told through the eyes of Meg, Sylvie and Stephen, you experience life at the time from multiple perspectives. But life is about to get harder as the chaos begins on October 8, 1871. The determination and perseverance that emerge is truly heroic. Each character faces the challenges in different ways. Family bonds them together as they fight for survival, truth, faith, and hope.
This book is the first in what I hope will be a long series of books in The Windy City Saga. I was caught up almost immediately with the PTSD Meg’s and Sylvie’s father, Stephen, was experiencing years after the Civil War. Story helps us learn and remember history. I learned about Andersonville in the Civil War and actually went on the internet to learn more. I did not know much about the great Chicago fire, except Mrs. O’Leary’s cow and that a huge portion of Chicago was destroyed. I had no idea that people buried valuables to save them from the fire or that in the cold weather the rebuilding of buildings was faulty. Jocelyn Green’s novel takes you into the fire as you experience its aftermath with the characters. You see human nature portrayed at its best and worst.
I first read the author’s Civli war series and have read all her historical fiction books since then. Jocelyn Green does an amazing amount of research for her novels and it pays off in a masterful story. The character and plot development are so well done. I could hardly put the story down. I am a doer type person and found myself identifying with Meg, but the story helped me develop compassion for the struggles and frustrations of Sylvie. I read to grow and change as a person and this story has left it’s mark on me.
The Great Chicago Fire
The great Chicago Fire of 1872 changed the lives of many people. It destroyed over 17,000 buildings killing 300 and leaving 100,000 homeless.
This is the story of one family, the Townsend family, and how their lives changed after the fire. It is also a mystery because there is the murder of a family friend of whom Mr. Townsend is accused during the fire.
The daughter’s Meg and Sylvia must find a way to solve the murder and prove her father innocent. Nate a friendly reporter they meet during the fire helps them solve the mystery.
The devastation of the fire and how the people of Chicago dealt with it and rebuilt is amazing. Life goes on long after great catastrophes are long forgotten.
I love reading about these times in history that impacted so many and are now lost from memory. I loved the characters, the book was well written and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Jocelyn Green, Bethany House Publishers, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of the book.
I am so excited about this new series, The Windy City Saga, that Jocelyn Green has started. Veiled in Smoke is set in Chicago at the time of the Great Fire in 1871. This is a fabulous story of the event, the destruction, and the amazing resilience of the people as they rebuilt their city, but it is also SO much more!
Veiled in Smoke is a story of destruction, despair, hope, and redemption wrapped around an intriguing mystery and a bit of romance!
I am absolutely amazed at the amount of research that went into this book and the way Green has intricately woven together so many aspects of life at that time. The heartbreakingly realistic story of the fire and its aftermath had my heart racing as characters ran for their lives and had me in tears as they returned to find their wonderful homes and city desolate. The pain of lost businesses, friends, and even abilities was raw and palpable, and as a reader I was praying for them and cheering them on as they rose above their situations and found new ways to support themselves and each other. This was especially timely for me as I have watched my daughter and her town of Panama City work to recover from the deadly hurricane that hit last year and I’ve watched from afar as the California and Colorado wildfires have devastated those areas.
The book also includes fascinating secondary stories that provide the reader with a sense of witnessing the inside operations of an insane asylum, the heart-rendering realities of prisoner of war camps and the resulting PTSD (called Soldier’s Heart at the time), the operations of an 1800’s newspaper, and the changing face of the art world! And it is done in such a way that it seems very logical and in no way overwhelming or confusing. As a history buff, I was in awe!
I highly recommend this book if you like intrigue, historical fiction, and romance that doesn’t feel forced. I am in awe of authors who are able to make me feel like I am standing in the midst of history, and Jocelyn Green is a master.
Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a copy. All opinions are my own.
Set during the Great Chicago Fire this novel transports you to a time filled with calamity, uncertainty, fear and mystery. The lead characters are beautiful examples of strong women who choose faith, hope and love to navigate through a difficult set of circumstances and events. Once again Jocelyn Green has written a fantastic story about ordinary people who face extraordinary events. Her characters are reflections of real people who both question and trust thier own strength, their own family and their faith own faith time and time again. They falter, they succeed but they never give up. So many little lessons and snippets for further thought are masterfully intertwined into this story of courage, resilience and family. One of my all time favorites.
Thank you to Bethany House Publishers foe providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
A beautifully written tale of a disastrous and difficult time in history. The characters are so real and as the book progresses, the hearts are unveiled as we come to know these characters and watch them grow and learn.
The setting is well done, the plot fascinating and compelling. A story I stayed up late into the night to read and savor.
There was something intangible in this book that just made it almost impossible to put down. Perhaps, like Stephen, I as a reader suspected something. I wasn’t even sure what it would be, yet I knew eventually the smoke would clear to reveal the truth of the narrative.
The history in this novel is fascinating. It was a instant grasp and such a wonderful part of the story to start out with a man from the Civil War. If ever a horrendous and unimaginable story exists, it’s that of Andersonville. I felt like it was pure genius by the author to weave that tale within this story.
It’s a book to savor…and one I could pick up now and re-read…and still feel completely riveted to the story.
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Veiled in Smoke is a tender story of a family struggling to stay together. After Stephen survives unimaginable horrors in Andersonville Prison, the Chicago Fire destroys the family’s thriving bookstore & home. Stephen, Meg, & Sylvie are pulled apart amidst allegations that simply can’t be true, or can they? With a diagnosis of Soldier’s Heart, Stephen has to turn to God for strength after recognizing that he can longer fight the visions and fears of the past. Jocelyn Green weaves fascinating facts & fiction together in a drama filled with love, misunderstanding, and hope.
Veiled in smoke
Jocelyn Green shows us once again how it is true that there is ” no new thing under the sun.” Families and people suffer today with issues, problems, just as they did in history. After any disaster there are the people willing to step in and help and those wicked who use suffering as a time to blame others and take advantage. The great Chicago fire left many without home or means to earn a living. The author does a masterful weaving of a story including history, mystery, and romance delightfully blended to give the reader much to ponder about how little some things have changed. Jocelyn never disappoints.
“Compassion she had discovered was not a bottomless well.”
I received an advance copy of the book from the publisher and read a Net Galley e-copy. No review required- just freely given.