Echoes Among the Stones

I. Love. This. Book.

It may, in fact, be my favorite Jaime Jo Wright book...and to quote Sam Gamgee, “that’s sayin’ a lot.”

I have loved all of Wright’s books, but especially the first, “The House on Foster Hill.” (I have a thing for the first book, even if it’s not in a series.) But “Echoes” gives “Foster Hill” a run for its money.

Archaeology, the aftermath of WWII, forensics, dollhouse forensics (which I’d never heard of before)—it all combined for a fascinating read. Wright does an incredible job of bringing the past to life, infusing it with color and creating vivid characters. (Oh my heart, Ollie.) I was truly sad to turn the last page in this excellent, eloquently written book.

I received a copy of the show more book from the author. All opinions are my own. show less

Let me first say that Echoes among The Stones is a riveting mystery! This is the fourth book by Wright — I have read them all — and it is evident that she has been perfecting her writing craft. The result is a dual timeline book that keeps the reader guessing and wanting more with each successive page. The book is set in small town Mill Creek, Wisconsin today and 1946. Wright’s depiction of a time in America following WWII is not all rose-colored nostalgia. There were definite challenges for the men returning from the fight and their families. Two women are at the center of the mystery past and present — Aggie and Imogene. Each are stuck in their grief. so mired that they cannot get on with the future. I felt a kinship with show more these two women as they navigated lives filled with sorrow. I also liked the secondary characters with their quirks and charms. As the book progressed, the mystery deepened causing me to suspect just about everyone. I loved the twists, turns, and surprises Wright threw along the path.

While Echoes among The Stones is a fascinating and atmospheric mystery, the theme of grief was what spoke to my heart. I finished this book just 2 days before the anniversary of my first child’s loss. Tyler was stillborn, leaving my husband and I with unfulfilled hopes and dreams. While I have not spent the last 31 years stuck in that grief, the book was a good reminder that God shares our pain, hides blessings in the hurts, and does not leave us without hope. The message was subtly woven throughout the book. Wright handles loss and its accompanying grief with a sensitive hand. No platitudes, just a deep sense of understanding and empathy.

So if you are looking for a good mystery to curl up with, you should choose Echoes among The Stones. I promise it will deliver that and much more. You will get a story to ponder long after the last page is turned.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Bethany House. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

My mother told me that when the boys came home from the war, people thought the world would go back to the way it was before. But it didn’t. The war lived on in souls for years after, and people were just never really the same again.”
This quote by Jaime Jo Wright in Echoes Among the Stones so aptly captures the mood of Mill Creek, Wisconsin in July of 1946. Wright recreates the ominous heaviness that the war brings to America's hearts. Some people, like the young men who survive, come home brooding or unable to find their way out of the horror now relegated to memory. Others are affected by the loss of family members or the great personality change in a family member who returns. Still others like Imogene and Hazel are also affected show more second-hand by the war brought to America.
Jaime Jo Wright has penned yet another mystery novel with spooky, ominous undertones that beckon the tentative reader in. Echoes Among the Stones is a time-slip novel, marrying two distinctly different and at first seemingly unrelated plots, no pun originally intended. In the present day, Aggie loses her real estate job and returns to her selfish, demanding grandmother’s home, while working a cemetery job. Collin, the archaeologist who works with Aggie, frustrates her, intrigues her, and challenges her by turns.
There was enough eerie mystery, romance, and humor (“You have all the sense of an addlepated muskrat, ”) plus faith scattered throughout the book that this book is a big winner for me. Also, I loved the way the solution took me by surprise. Look for this book among my favorites in 2019.
Quotes:
"Sometimes...you must step outside of your own strength and realize there’s a greater Strength waiting to hold you.”

"All I can say right now is that we sell God short when we look at the pain. Instead, we should focus on what He’s provided us to help us heal.”

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinions, which are solely my own. show less

“Grief isn’t wrong, but it can paralyze. It can thwart a life. A person can choose to let time stand still, and while they hold the pieces of the past, the hope of their future passes them by.”

Another thought-provoking and incredibly well-written split-time novel by Jaime Jo Wright! This book really delves into the process of grieving and the consequences of unresolved and unprocessed grief. It’s emotional, raw, and quite relatable. The characters Imogene from 1946 and Aggie from the present time are quite similar and unforgettable. I really liked Collin from the present day and enjoyed his quirks as an archeologist. I wish I had gotten to know Ollie from 1946 a bit better through Imogene’s eyes. If you’ve read the show more author’s previous book The Curse of Misty Wayfair, this book is not as eerie though it still has an unsolved murder as the basis of the plot and the way the author unravels the murder mystery is a masterpiece in itself. If you enjoy split-time novels that unearth resolution to cold cases, you will absolutely love this book.

I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own. show less

With a gripping plot, a unique historical setting, memorable characters, and subtle inspirational messages woven in, Jaime Jo Wright has once again penned a riveting, convoluted story. The book cover sets the stage perfectly and establishes a gothic feeling for the tale. Wright excels at penning dual timeline stories. I admire her ability to take two different, but related, stories and tie them together and make them not only work, but intertwine cohesively. She’s also a master at creating complex, multi-layered characters. Her ingenious and intricately woven stories pull me right in from the beginning and won’t let go.

The main characters in this story were vividly drawn and engaging. Imogene is tenacious in trying to solve the show more mystery of her sister’s murder, Aggie is thrown into her grandmother’s obsession, and Collin is a calming, leveling force in the tale.
“Sometimes . . . you must step outside of your own strength and realize there’s a greater Strength waiting to hold you.”
“You can’t compare your grief to another’s. It’s yours to hold, and yours to heal from.”

Wright fills her books with enough suspense, mystery, and intrigue to keep the reader turning pages far into the night. She throws in enough romance to provoke some sighs and also adds inspiration in the form of redemption, healing, and mercy.
“. . . don’t let grief tie your years up into a lifetime of regrets. Let the good Lord take care of your aches and heal you. So that you don’t miss out on the good---on the blessing He hides in the middle of all that hurting.”

This story drips with atmosphere and enough creepiness to keep you on the edge of your seat. I would recommend it to those who enjoy dual-timeline suspense with a touch of romance. 4.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House. All opinions are my own. show less

"And then I read her book, now I'm a believer!" were my thoughts after I read Jaime Jo Wright's first book. The House on Foster Hill reminded me why I so love mysteries and the dual timelines were just icing on the cake. Since then, Wright has consistently amazed me with her writing and with her fourth book she has proven herself "Queen of Dual Timeline Mysteries". I do believe, however, that Echoes Among the Stones may be her best book yet because it explores a subject that all of us have known or will know eventually. Sooner or later, each of us will experience grief and this book shows the different layers of grief, how it affects people in different ways as they deal with the pain and loss, and finally, how healing can occur.

The show more two stories in Echoes Among the Stones center around Imogene Grayson in 1946 and her granddaughter Aggie Dunkirk in present time and their individual journeys to deal with the griefs that have consumed them all of their lives. Aggie's return to her grandmother's home in Wisconsin shines light on a mystery that has plagued Mumsie for over seventy years and now threatens Aggie's life. Along with this mystery there is sweet romance for Aggie with an archaeologist but it is the faith message you will find yourself remembering. Wright shows the certainty of grace and redemption with her depiction of Mumsie's deep, unwavering belief and Aggie's questioning faith. She also makes some notable observations about grief and healing that are certainly worth remembering!

"There was never a good time for Death to visit. There was never a time when Grief would leave."

"You go ahead and let the grief consume you, because then it will heal you, free you, and the good Lord can move into its place and show you promise." ....."And the footprints of those who’ve gone before you? They’ll still be there. Memories to warm you when you’re old."

Echoes Among the Stones is outstanding Christian suspense and I wish that I could give it more than five stars!

I received a copy of this book from the author and Bethany House Publishers. These are my own thoughts and opinions. show less

“Yes. Their voices will always echo, here, among the stones, and in our hearts. It is how it was mean to be.” – p. 374

Echoes Among the Stones follows present day Aggie who has recently lost her career in real estate as she returns “home” to her grandmother’s old house after many years apart. Aggie settles in with a job mapping a recently flooded cemetery in town and quickly begins receiving threats to halt her work. This story simultaneously follows Imogene during post-WWII as she battles the mysterious loss of her sister. As these stories converge, readers become entangled in sadness, loss and intrigue.

Author Jaime Jo Wright has a way with old houses and twisted timelines. Her newest book is no exception. Having previously show more read The House on Foster Hill, this most recent penning is similarly enchanting. The characters within, both past and present, are so broken and struggling to overcome loss and heartbreak that they quickly ensnare the reader in their “new beginnings.” The cemetery background aids in adding an additional layer of mystery as Aggie uncovers both forgotten graves and the town’s history. Be sure to pick up a copy of this newest book as Wright is an author NOT TO BE MISSED!

*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own. show less