Left at an orphanage as a child, Thea Reed vowed to find her mother someday. Now grown, her search takes her to Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin, in 1908. When clues lead her to a mental asylum, Thea uses her experience as a post-mortem photographer to gain access and assist groundskeeper Simeon Coyle in photographing the patients and uncovering the secrets within. However, she never expected her personal quest would reawaken the legend of Misty Wayfair, a murdered woman who allegedly haunts the area and whose appearance portends death.

A century later, Heidi Lane receives a troubling letter from her mother–who is battling dementia–compelling her to travel to Pleasant Valley for answers to her own questions of identity. When she catches sight of a ghostly woman who haunts the asylum ruins in the woods, the long-standing story of Misty Wayfair returns–and with it, Heidi’s fear for her own life.

As two women across time seek answers about their identities and heritage, can they overcome the threat of the mysterious curse that has them inextricably intertwined?

approx. 383 pages

Out January 22, 2019

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is not the first book of Jaime Jo Wright that I’ve read. So far, she hasn’t disappointed me one bit. This book was extraordinarily written, a creepy, fantastic read. I loved it and read it in two nights.  Impressive author.

You deal with two time-lines, past and present that eventually connect with an explosive revelation.  The added feature of an asylum and mysteries involving a lie and its consequences, keep the story pacing forward to a riveting success. There’s a post-mortem photography element and ghostly interactions enhanced by elegant and haunting writing.

The characters are brilliantly formed, developed and grown throughout the time-lines. The plot and plot twists give the reader a ride into the dark and suspenseful. Loved, loved this book. Wish I could give it more.  Wright continues to grow as an author, getting better with each stroke of her pen.

I gave this book: