4 out of 5 stars.
I would like to thank Berkley Publishing Group for a free ARC of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an open and honest review.
What a great supernatural mystery! Set in the last years of the 19th century in North America (Canada at first and then Maine in the United States). I totally loved this story idea… We are in the height of the mysticism, mediums and other seekers of the supernatural of that era and I can totally believe there were such hotels for those seeking answers beyond the grave existing at that time. And yes, I can see there being a lot of schiesters and scam artists preying on those seeking answers too.
To me, the beginning was a little rushed and it had me keep wondering if it all truly did happen or was part of some elaborate scam… you will need to read it to find out. 😉 But other than that it worked well.
I totally enjoyed the characters and how some of the book was spoken in first person by the protagonist Ruby Proulx, and other parts of the book were done in third person to get a wider view of what was happening. Quite often, when this is done in books it is very messy and confusing – not the case in ‘Whispers beyond the veil’. It was clear, easy to follow and added a lot of depth and character detail that couldn’t be captured in just the first person view.
All in all, I found the setting well detailed the characters true to the era and all in all an engaging read that had my ‘one more chapter’ going from the first few pages. Yes, there were a lot of late nights enjoyed trying to squeeze just one more chapter in before lights out! And a lot of bleary eyed mornings wondering when I could get my kids off to school so I could go read some more. 😉
Would I recommend this book to others?
Yes I would. It might not be as fantastical as the tales of supernatural by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – written in this era about similar topics – but it really did fit that genre well and would be enjoyed by those who like that sort of murder mystery with a twist sort of blend.
Would I buy this book for myself?
I think I would, and would then follow Ms Estevao to know if and when the next book in this series would be out. I can’t say it will be a series… but I really do hope so as there were a few threads left tantalisingly undone that could easily lead to more tales from Old Orchard and I look forward to seeing them when they appear.
In summary: Lovers of historic mysteries with a bit of a supernatural twist will love this book. It has totally engaging characters, well written and was an addictive read. I highly recommend!
Until next time,
Janis.
Janis's Journal 