Shelley Gray's Secrets of Sloane House - Audiobook Review by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Secrets of Sloane House Book Blurb: Against the backdrop of the 1893 World’s Fair, a young woman finds employment with an illustrious Chicago family—a family who may guard the secret of her sister’s disappearance.

Sloane House is among the most gilded mansions of Gilded Age Chicago. Rosalind Perry, the new housemaid, pours the morning coffee before the hard gaze of her mistress.

“It’s simple, Rosalind,” she says. “I am Veronica Sloane, heiress to one of the country’s greatest fortunes. You are simply one in a long line of unsuitable maids.”

Back on the farm in Wisconsin, Rosalind’s plan had seemed logical: Move to Chicago. Get hired on at Sloane House. Discover what transpired while her sister worked as a maid there—and follow the clues to why she disappeared.

Now, as a live-in housemaid to the Sloanes, Rosalind realizes her plan had been woefully simple-minded.

She was ignorant of the hard, hidden life of a servant in a big, prominent house; of the divide between the Sloane family and the people who served them; and most of all, she had never imagined so many people could live in such proximity and keep such dark secrets.

Ferris Wheel from the Chicago World's Fair

My review of Secrets of Sloane House: This book was well done but pretty dark as it was dealing with a gritty topic. What would you do if your sister went missing while working as a servant in the home of a prominent Chicago family? And what would you do if your father went to investigate and was given the runaround by the family and the police. Wisconsin farmgirl, Rosalind seeks to find the answers by becoming a maid in the Sloane household. Her reactions are well written and the narrator did a great job of bringing the character to life.

I listened to a download of Secrets of Sloane house from audible.com.  I had also purchased a kindle copy last year when it released but ended up busy writing my own books (and recovering from major surgery!), but after learning this year that there was an audiobook I listened to that, instead and was rewarded with a very good listen. This was a little dark for my taste in general but Ms. Gray does a good job of not dwelling upon each attack's detail. However, that results in the sensation of the crimes almost feeling trivialized, although I am sure that isn't the intention. There's a fine balance in Christian fiction to address difficult realities of a story without crossing the line. If you enjoy a little edgier suspense this is well written and you'll enjoy the narrator, too.

This has been an interesting series. I'm glad I listened to the second book first. It is much more uplifting. As a psychologist for twenty-five years, I've heard enough tragic stories to last me a lifetime but I wanted to listen to this book, too, and I'm glad I did.

Question: Do you prefer edgier/grittier fiction and if so, why?

Shelley Gray's Whispers in the Reading Room Reviewed by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Phenomenal Audiobook!

Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelley Gray
Reviewed by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Chicago World’s Fair has ended and Reading Room librarian, Lydia Bancroft, is drawn to an attractive bibliophile who regularly visits yet doesn't speak with her. He often leaves an unfinished book behind on a table and Lydia saves it for his next visit.  Meanwhile, Sebastian Marks, a wealthy club owner from an impoverished and low background, has become interested in Lydia--not enough to chat with her, though, until she's hurt at the hotel where he lives. 

Everyone seems to know Sebastian and either fear or respect him. Lydia has retreated into a world dominated by her stories and the library where she works.  After her father's death, she and her mother have been left in reduced circumstances.  When Sebastian saves Lydia from her fiance, their relationship is broken.  Ms. Gray indicates at the beginning of the audiobook that this is a story about friendship. Lydia and Sebastian certainly need to learn how to be friends, including with each other.

When Lydia makes some poor decisions and she is later entangled in a murder investigation, the plot truly thickens! Can Sebastian overcome his childhood traumas?  Can Lydia begin to engage in real life, including real life relationships and all that entails? Their budding friendship and fledgling romance is beautiful and the Christian spiritual arc for Sebastian was woven well into the story.

A secondary romance between two of Sebastian's employee's is simply stunning and very moving!!!

Highly recommend.  I loved listening to this book! This is on my Best Audiobooks of 2015 list!! Upcoming soon!

Teresa Mathews reviews FAIR PLAY by Deeanne Gist

Fair Play by Deeanne Gist

Howard Books

Reviewed by Teresa S. Mathews

5 Stars*****

Deeanne Gist has once again blown me out of the water with another magnificent story set during the exciting time of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Here this beautiful story unfolds and we meet a young woman that has overcome many obstacles to graduate Cum Laude from the University of Michigan with a Doctorate of Medicine. You would think with such prestigious credentials Dr. Billy Jack Tate would have patients beating down her door; but once they find out that Dr. Tate is not a man, most refuse her help.

 Scott Hunter, a Texas Ranger had been chosen to be a guard at the World’s Fair, he knows it’s quite a privilege but it’s not the exciting work he is used to as a Ranger. Until he catches a frivolously clad lady entering a basement building backside first. The lady claimed to be the guest speaker of the meeting that day but that was a story that was hard to swallow finding her as he had. Goodness knows he had tried to catch a glimpse of her face but all he caught was a glimpse of a part he knows he shouldn't have seen.

Billy Jack was running late for her speaking engagement and could not believe the abrupt guard wouldn't let her in the building, after being threatened with arrest Billy Jack backed off. When a lady out of the crowd told Billy she could get her in, she never dreamed it would be through a window in the basement and directly in the path of a handsome guard.  

The next time Billy and Scott meet is even more embarrassing as Scott is in desperate need of a doctor and when Billy walks in poor Scott would rather die than tell her his problem. This is where the fun begins for these two stubborn, hardworking individuals and where it ends is so beautiful my words would fail to do it justice, so just grab a copy of it and jump right in. You will NOT be disappointed! I love how Deeanne dealt with some of the problems and prejudices of this era. I have enjoyed all of Deeanne’s books and I don’t think I have had a favorite until now. This one had me running the gamut of emotions from laughter to tears. Deeanne is a truly remarkable storyteller!! 

***Thanks to Howard Books and Net Galley for providing me a copy of this in exchange for my honest opinion.***

You can purchase this treasure at Amazon, CBD, Barnes and Noble and your local bookseller.

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