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100 Pages A Day...Stephanie's Book Reviews

I absolutely love historical fiction and read a lot of it; I love to learn history this way.  I also enjoy reading science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller and non-fiction science.

The Spirit of Grace (Sarah Bennett Mysteries #1)

The Spirit of Grace - Terry Lynn Thomas

Psych Square for Halloween Bingo!

 

Sarah Bennett has just been released from the 'rest home,' an exclusive psychiatric facility after the death of her mother.  Sarah was found with her mother's body at the bottom of a staircase with no memory of the event.  Sarah is the only suspect for the death.  Sarah returns to her California seaside home in the midst of World War II, refreshed but still with no memory of the night her mother died.  Sarah returns to a town that has changed with the war, the coastal town is now a military encampment, her father has published a novel and has found a new wife.  Sarah tries her best to return to normal, however, her new stepmother is definitely hiding something, her father's assistant, Zeke seems to be better at speaking German than he is at booking speaking engagements and Sarah's dreams are beginning to spill into reality.  Sarah's memory of the night of her mother's death seems to hold the key to piecing all of these mysteries together, but they are locked tightly away.  

 
The Spirit of Grace is a gripping historical mystery with added elements of paranormal and psychological suspense.  From the beginning, I was wrapped up in Sarah's character and circumstance.  She was someone who I could easily identify with- thoughtful, observant and brave, but I questioned her reliability as a narrator.  As soon as Sarah arrived back to her home town, the book took on a suspenseful tone.  Everything had changed in the year she had been gone, the war had infiltrated the town and her home had been overtaken.  Sarah seems to deal with all of this in stride and throws herself into trying to figure out the mystery of her memory while trying to uncover the motives of the new people in her home.  I was very interested in the paranormal parts of Sarah's life, how her dreams infiltrate her real life and why she can see ghosts.  There is some preliminary explanation, but I think this could be delved into further.  The plot takes several unpredictable twists and turns as Sarah finds herself trying to break up a German spy ring that is somehow connected to her mother's death and figuring out the truth between her father and his assistant Zeke. My only complaint was how fast the romance sparked with promises of marriage; however, like everything else, this also didn't turn out as predicted.  Overall, a multi-faceted historic thriller with many different twists.  I'll be looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.