★★★★★ Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright, A Haunting Suspense Novel
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.
I am an Amazon Affiliate and this blog post includes affiliate links. You can view my affiliate disclaimer here.
About This Book:
As the walls of the house at Predicament Avenue reveal their hidden truths, two women--generations apart--discover that fear and foreboding are no respecters of time.
In 1910, Effie James is committed to doing anything to save her younger sister, who witnessed a shocking murder, leaving her mute and in danger of the killer's retribution. Effie must prove what her sister saw, but when a British gentleman arrives, he disrupts Effie's quest with his attempts to locate his wife, Isabelle Addington, who was last seen at the supposed crime scene in the abandoned house at 322 Predicament Avenue. Just as Effie discovers what she seeks, she finds that the blood staining the walls will forever link her to a scandal she couldn't imagine, and to a woman whose secrets promise to curse any who would expose them.
A century later, Norah Richman grapples with social anxiety and grief as she runs her late great-aunt's bed-and-breakfast on Predicament Avenue. But Norah has little affection for the house and is committed only to carrying out her murdered sister's dreams until crime historian and podcaster Sebastian Blaine arrives to investigate the ghostly legacy of the house's claim to fame--the murder of Isabelle Addington. When a guest is found dead, the incident is linked to Isabelle's murder, and Norah and Sebastian must work together to uncover the century-old curse that has wrapped 322 Predicament Avenue in its clutches and threatens far more than death.
MY REVIEW: ★★★★★/5
Jaime Jo Wright returns with another mesmerizing, ethereal tale of grief, loss and searching for hope in the evil darkness of this world. I simply couldn't put this book down and loved it from the very first words to the emotional ending.
Profound and deep, Wright used both past and present day scenes to evict an almost melodic flow to the unfolding of her story, taunting me with threads life, death and loss. I was wholly captivated with the story and felt the emotions of the richly woven characters deeply. Shrouded in the horrors of mystery and murder with the perplexing idea of visions, ghosts and apparitions, Wright wove a gruesome, yet tantalizing tale.
I thoroughly enjoyed both the modern-day era story of Norah, a B&B owner struggling with fear and grief and Sebastian, a true-crime podcaster who hides behind his stories, as well as the early 1900's story of Effie James, a young woman who may have witnessed a horrifying murder and Anderson, an Englishman in search of his lost love. As always, Wright masterfully wove these two stories together with revelations along the way that kept the story riveting and entertaining.
I appreciated the strong threads of faith, the focus on grief and the fear of losing someone or grieving them, as well as the hint of romance throughout this story. Night Falls on Predicament Avenue was everything I know, and have come to love, about a Wright novel. I cried over the emotional ending and tender, author's note and my heart swooned over the final romance scene.
Summary:
Hands down, a must read. You simply won't regret it if you enjoy hauntingly fantastic stories that may or may not keep you up at night but always have a truth behind the horrifying tale.
Content and Trigger Warnings: Murder, Loss of a Loved One, Chronic Illness, Social Anxiety
Prefer Audiobooks?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Image Courtesy of Baker Publishing Group.
Jaime Jo Wright (JaimeWrightBooks.com) is the author of ten novels, including Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill and Carol Award winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. She's also a two-time Christy Award finalist, as well as the ECPA bestselling author of The Vanishing at Castle Moreau and two Publishers Weekly bestselling novellas. Jaime lives in Wisconsin with her family and felines.
More Books by Jaime Jo Wright:
A Dual timeline THRILLER
Spooky, Thrilling and Intriguing! Jaime Jo Wright is a master storyteller… I absolutely loved The Souls of Lost Lake!
Jaime Jo Wright did not merely tell a story with her words… She created an atmosphere that surrounded me, captivated me and completely immersed me in the mysterious legend of campfire-story-favorite, Ava Coons. In addition, her fantastic characters and their stories evicted a deep and raw emotion that made this story one to be highly recommended.