The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus

"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.

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.