The Bookshop of 99 Doors By Jaime Jo Wright

The Bookshop of 99 Doors

by Jaime Jo Wright

Publisher: Bethany House

ISBN: 9780764243813

I'm ALLLLLL about Jaime Jo's books! I've read them all and have enjoyed each one. I always eagerly anticipate every new book of hers. This one may be one of my favorite covers! Thanks to the author & publisher for my copy.

Summary:

The manor's rumored one-hundredth door may conceal secrets hidden as deep as the estate's bookshelves extend high . . . but the haunted past has a way of ensnaring curious souls. 

In 1888, Minnie Tipton finds herself beset by the dark superstitions that envelop the Pennsylvania mansion her father bought. Convinced the vengeful spirit of a Civil War captain haunts the house and worried by her father's rapidly worsening illness, Minnie delves into the home's fraught past in an effort to bring him peace. Yet the lingering impact of the war and the gruesome tale of murder she uncovers only foster more fear and threaten to unravel Minnie's own sanity.

In the present day, Triss Bellamy eagerly steps into the role of bookshop manager in the mansion-turned-museum boasting ninety-nine doors. But Triss's dream job turns into a nightmare when havoc breaks loose with the arrival of her brother's team of self-proclaimed paranormal investigators. Their determination to find a rumored one-hundredth door--a dangerous portal to the madness long said to plague the mansion--results in calamity, leaving Triss no choice but to hunt down the truth or watch her brother slip forever beyond her reach.

An atmospheric dual-time Gothic suspense masterfully penned by acclaimed author Jaime Jo Wright with themes of a Civil War-era ghost, a possible hidden door, and unexplained mysteries at a historic mansion's bookshop with a troubled past.

My Review:

Once again I've thoroughly enjoyed one of the author's books in The Bookshop of 99 Doors. The story starts with traveling to the past where we meet Minnie and her father. They've moved into Ambrose Fields Manor and things immediately feel... off. 

In the current day, we're introduced to Triss, who's taken a job as a librarian at Ambrose Fields, which is no longer lived in full-time, but has a bookshop and they give tours. Triss is trying to keep her past in the past, but her brother and his team show up just as she's getting settling in, and throws her life into a tailspin. 

I'll say, I was invested in both timelines! I just loved Minnie. She's incredibly sweet and devoted to her papa. The mystery surrounding what happened in the house during the Civil War and then more recently with another family in the area brings a lot of the mystery. I will say that I had some great "spooky" moments, but it didn't help that I was reading at bedtime. Mrs. Pickston was questionable throughout the entire story. It was easy to believe she was guilty... of something! lol

I was surprised in a variety of ways in the more current timeline with Triss. Her brother's odd behavior and  her previous love interest make things incredibly complicated! Weird things are happening and it's hard to know what's going on spiritually and physically. I appreciated Triss's search for truth and how the spiritual world was one not to be trifled with.

This is one story that I don't think had a strong faith thread like many of the author's other stories. I didn't feel like the spiritual part of the story really pointed to God, demons, etc. So, it was a bit of a hanging chad for me. I'm just used to more in her stories, which I always appreciate.

About the Author:

Jaime Jo Wright is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifteen novels and three novellas, including Christy Award-winner and ECPA bestseller The Vanishing at Castle Moreau, Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill, Christy Award-winner Night Falls on Predicament Avenue, and Carol Award-winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. She lives in Wisconsin with her family and fabulous felines. Learn more at JaimeWrightBooks.com.