Category: Family

Book Tour, Family, Fantasy, Historical, Mythology, Partners In Crime

Circle of Nine: The Novella Collection by Valerie Biel

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Virtual Book Tour October 27 – December 31

Description

Return to the Celtic magic that began with the suspenseful, award-winning novel Circle of Nine – Beltany.

Descended from a legendary Celtic tribe that guards the secrets of the ancient stone circles, the Quinn women have a great responsibility to protect their pagan rituals and way of life. As members of the formidable Circle of Nine, they celebrate the holidays of the year from Yule to Samhain, keeping the traditions of the Tuatha de Danann alive through the centuries against insurmountable odds. We first met these women in Circle of Nine – Beltany, and now a set of three novellas reveals more of their engaging stories.

In Bressa’s Banishment the power struggle between Father Banan and village healer Bressa Gormley unfolds amidst accusations of treachery, heresy, and murder. Can the Circle protect their trusted healer and the path of the Tuatha against a growing religious fervor?

Dervla’s Destiny brings us to medieval Ireland where the beloved character Dervla Quinn learns of her gifts and fights tremendous loss, betrayal, and violence, all the while never giving up on finding the love she deserves.

In Phoebe’s Mission, when an evil force on a quest for ultimate power threatens the Circle of Nine, Phoebe Quinn must leave Ireland for the first time and travel to the United States to protect their way of life. Along the way, she meets the handsome Macklin Scott, taking her mission, and possibly her future, on a far different course than expected.

My Thoughts

The Novella Collection provides a fascinating backstory for the characters we first met in Beltany. The Quinn heritage, awash in Irish folklore, comes to life through Bressa, Dervla, and Phoebe. The injustice of the historic times in which the women lived will make your blood boil, but the golden thread holding it all together is the heritage and the importance of what the Quinn family guards.

Dervla’s story is especially violent and upsetting, as she comes very close to sexual assault.

The author continues to build the world of the Quinns with beautiful descriptive narrative, engaging characters, and lovely language.

Author Bio

Valerie Biel writes award-winning books for middle grade to adult audiences–stories inspired by her travels and her insatiable curiosity. Her young adult fantasy series, Circle of Nine, was inspired by the myth and magic of Ireland’s ancient stone circles. She’s also the author of HAVEN, a contemporary middle grade novel, and BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE, a mystery suspense story. She’s a founding member of the Blackbird Writers & a member of Sisters in Crime & the Wisconsin Writers Association. When she’s away from the computer, she’s likely wrangling her overgrown garden, reading multiple books per week, or traveling the world–often on trips for the The World Orphan Fund charity she and her husband run. She calls a (tiny) portion of her family’s century-old Wisconsin farm home, but regularly dreams of finding a cozy cottage on the Irish coast where she can write and write.

Catch Up With Valerie Biel:

ValerieBiel.com
Valerie’s Substack Newsletter
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads – @valerie_biel
BookBub – @ValerieBiel
Instagram – @valeriebielauthor
Threads – @valeriebielauthor
X – @ValerieBiel
Facebook – @ValerieBielBooks
YouTube – @ValerieBielAuthor
Pinterest – @ValerieBiel

Book Tour, Cozy, Family, Mystery, Partners In Crime

The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jaime Jo Wright

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Virtual Book Tour October 20 – November 14

Description

An abandoned estate encased in stagnant darkness . . .
A haunting legacy intent on silencing all within reach . . .

In 1890, the ominous tolling of the bell announces that death has come to Traeger Hall, leaving orphaned Waverly Pembrooke to piece together the puzzle behind her uncle’s and aunt’s murders. Bound by the terms of her uncle’s eccentric will, Waverly finds herself alone in a manor shrouded by death and questioning the reasons for her uncle’s paranoia. A madness hovers over Traeger Hall, and Waverly–as well as the people of nearby Newton Creek–are ill-prepared for the woe that has descended.

In present day Newton Creek, whispers of a family curse still cling to the century-old, abandoned property of Traeger Hall. When Jennie Phillips takes possession of the estate after her mother’s passing, she is intent on solving the mystery of the Traeger murders. Yet a modern cold case suggests that untimely deaths and mysterious occurrences still plague the property. And as thorny truths surface, Jennie realizes the dark legacy threatens not only the town and the Traeger descendants . . . but also, chillingly, Jennie herself.

My Thoughts

From the first page, I was transported back to my teenage reading years when I devoured gothic romance novels by Barbara Michaels, Phyllis Whitney, Velda Johnston, and many others. Jaime Jo Wright successfully updates all the tropes from those earlier books and delivers a fresh, well-plotted mystery that spans two lifetimes.

I’ve read Wright’s earlier books and enjoyed them very much, but she rises to a new level here. The character development is remarkable, considering Waverly’s story takes place over just a few days. In that short time, Wright creates a character who grows from a sheltered, confused child to a resourceful, determined woman almost overnight.

Our present day protagonist, Jennie, dives into the mystery at Traeger Hall full force and discovers answers and (yes!) a treasure hidden for over a century. She drives this story forward as she untangles all the threads related to the Hall.

Through it all is the Bell (and I capitalize it because it seemed like another character in the story!). Bells were used in past centuries to announce major events like marriages, births, death, and danger. Wright uses the imagery beautifully in both centuries.

Fans of gothic mysteries will burn through this one in a few hours, it’s that good.

Author Bio

Jaime Jo Wright is the author of thirteen novels, 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, and Carol Award-winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. Jaime has also written two Publishers Weekly bestselling novellas. She lives in Wisconsin with her family and fabulous felines.

Book Details

Genre: Dual Timeline Gothic Suspense
Published by: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: October 21, 2025
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780764243806, paperback

Shortlinks

Author Links:  

Website https://pictbooks.tours/sMjXSuVD
Amazon Author https://pictbooks.tours/gXQs53lW
Goodreads https://pictbooks.tours/kDHrwl4k @JaimeJoWright
BookBub https://pictbooks.tours/hHRXd4wx @JaimeJoWright
Instagram https://pictbooks.tours/qKK50oIb @JaimeJoWright
Threads https://pictbooks.tours/W0hWLWT7 @JaimeJoWright
YouTube – MadLit Musings https://pictbooks.tours/zyGkCqNP @madlitmusings
Spotify – MadLit Musings https://pictbooks.tours/oOQvV8tp

Retail Links:

Amazon – https://pictbooks.tours/vpH49Zzr
BN – https://pictbooks.tours/Urjohrib
Goodreads – https://pictbooks.tours/qZSe3UMJ
BookShop.org – https://pictbooks.tours/9GVGqAoL
Baker Book House – https://pictbooks.tours/xHyg41sP
BookBub – https://pictbooks.tours/qWJIjg7E

Tour Links: 

PICT Tour Page https://pictbooks.tours/YuTdiwZK
PICT Giveaway Page https://pictbooks.tours/HEd24ca9

Publisher — Bethany House Publishers
Instagram @baker_book_house @bethanyhousefiction
Twitter @bakerbookstore @bethany_house
Facebook @bakerbookhouse @bethanyhousepublishers

Catch Up With Jaime Jo Wright:

JaimeWrightBooks.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads – @JaimeJoWright
BookBub – @JaimeJoWright
Instagram – @JaimeJoWright
Threads – @JaimeJoWright
YouTube – MadLit Musings
Spotify – MadLit Musings

Detective, Family, Mystery, New Releases, Suspense

The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

The Killing Stones marks the eagerly awaited return of Ann Cleeves’ beloved detective Jimmy Perez from the Shetland series, and a gripping new investigation with a stunning new setting.

It’s been several years since Detective Jimmy Perez left Shetland. He has settled into his new home in Orkney, the group of islands, off the northern coast of Scotland, with his partner Willow Reeve and their growing family. One stormy winter night, his oldest and closest friend, Archie Stout, goes missing. Ever the detective, Perez catches a boat to the island of Westray, where Archie worked as a farmer and lived with his wife and children.

But when he arrives he finds a shocking scene: Archie’s body, on an archaeological dig site and an ancient Westray story stone with precise spirals carved into it beside him, the clear murder weapon. The artifact, taken from a nearby museum, seems to suggest a premediated murder.

But Perez is so close to the case that he struggles to maintain an objective distance from the potential suspects. He finds it difficult to question Archie’s wife, whom he’s known for years. Rumors swirl about the dead man’s relationship with a young woman new to the island, an artist. With each new lead, the case becomes more twisted and Perez wonders if he will ever find out what happened in his friend’s final days.

My Thoughts

A new Jimmy Perez story? YES PLEASE!

As usual, Cleeves deliver a wonderfully intricate story full of colorful characters, this time set in the Orkney islands versus Shetland. Readers get to know a whole new landscape and set of people, steeped in folklore and emotions.

We are introduced to a new set of characters who are every bit as gritty and real as the folks Perez left behind in Shetland. Plus, we learn more about Perez’ own past and his early relationships. At the core of this one is tragedy and heartbreak, with the theme of family tradition shattered by 21st century technology.

While I had an inkling of the villain about midway, I really didn’t want it to be true. However, this provided a vehicle for Cleeves to write a whole range of emotions for Perez and his friends on Orkney.

I can’t recommend Ann Cleeves’ work enough. She truly is one of the very best authors writing atmospheric, complex crime fiction today. If you haven’t read her books, what are you waiting for??

Superbly done.

Advanced Praise

“Ann Cleeves’s elegance as a wordsmith, the ingenuity of her plots, and the depth of her characters can be matched by few writers. In The Killing Stones she brings back the beloved Jimmy Perez in a tale that highlights the entire spectrum of her formidable talents… This novel is more than worth every minute you spend with it.”—David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“The Killing Stones is classic Ann Cleeves: a complex mystery, beloved characters, and a setting so vivid you can feel the chill of wind and rain on your face.”

—Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Guests

Publication Date: September 30, 2025
Published By: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Biography, Family

Karen: A Brother Remembers by Kelsey Grammer

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

On July 1, 1975, Kelsey Grammer’s younger sister, eighteen-year-old Karen Grammer, was raped and murdered. In Karen: A Brother Remembers, Kelsey reveals their past, celebrates their youth together, mourns her loss, and unearths his struggle for faith and healing in the decades since her death.

Through this memoir, Grammer poignantly recounts the memories of his sister and the impact her loss had on his life and family. With raw honesty, Grammer explores the profound grief and devastation that followed Karen’s death, as well as the long and arduous journey toward healing. He bravely confronts the pain of losing a loved one to senseless violence, offering readers a glimpse into the complexities of coping with such a profound loss.

Karen also serves as a testament to Grammer’s lifelong journey with grief and his struggle to defeat the sting of death with the memory of a life filled with joy—irreplaceable joy. In sharing his story, Grammer aims to help others who have experienced similar loss, offering solace and encouragement to cherish the love they knew, however brief, on their own path toward healing.

This book is a moving tribute to Karen and the brother’s love that survives her.

My Thoughts

This new book from actor Kelsey Grammer is not an easy reading experience.

Grammer recounts the shocking murder of his younger sister and his own experience with heartrending grief, anger, and loss. Told in a sort of stream of consciousness, not all readers will like the jumpiness of the narrative. I experienced a bit of skepticism about Grammer including photos and descriptive text illustrating his career, his successes, marriages, and so on. However, I realized that he had to do that in order to fully develop the story of what his life has been like without Karen – all the wonderful things she’s missed and the things he’s had to celebrate without her.

Having known people lost to violence, I felt like Grammer skillfully conveyed the absolutely unhinged way you feel in the aftermath of such an horrific event.

This is a very emotional read and could be triggering for people who have experienced violent loss, rape, or murder.

Publication Date: May 6, 2025
Published By: Harper Select
Thanks to the Greece Public Library for the book

Book Tour, Books About Books, Cozy, Family, Magical, Mystery, Partners In Crime

By Hook or By Book by Misty Simon

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

June 2 – 27, 2025 Virtual Book Tour
The Charmed Inn Mysteries #1

Description

Roxy Gleason, an innkeeper by trade and a bibliomancer by birth, has lived in the same small town on the Susquehanna River in Central Pennsylvania for her entire life. Tradition is strong here. Roxy understands the rules and is willing to play by them most of the time. She runs the Charmed Inn, which has been in her family for decades.

The inn is all set to host a writers’ professional business weekend that’s been planned down to the very last hand-folded napkin, and Roxy is ready for the influx of creatives. She knows she’ll have a lot of different and sometimes unusual personalities to deal with, but this is a yearly function, so she’s not expecting anything to go awry.

Her expectations are completely tanked when she finds a dead body on her daily walk by the river’s shore. Owen Schultz had checked in for the conference a few hours ago, and she’d last seen him having tea with her aunt in the dining room.

How did he get down here on the ferry, and who killed him?

Fans of Lucy Score, Melissa F. Miller, Dianne Harman, Lynn Cahoon, Deany Ray, Kathi Daley, and Merryn Allingham will enjoy Misty Simon.

My Thoughts

I always enjoy the beginnings of a new cozy mystery series, and Misty Simon’s Charmed Inn Mysteries is very promising, indeed. The writing is loose and flowing, lending an air of familiarity and comfort to the reader as the story progresses.

I enjoyed the colorful characters, especially Roxy and her bibliomancy skills. I’ve read a few stories where books “speak” to the protagonist, but Simon handles that piece of the story with colorful imagination, helping the reader to imagine the letters, sparking and dancing in the air, form the crucial messages that help Roxy unravel the mystery.

Simon successfully introduces an endearing and appealing cast of characters who will undoubtedly continue to encounter murder mysteries in future books. I was hooked from the first sentence describing Roxy’s uncle as “Cheezy Rider,” which immediately clues in the reader to expect a fun story.

Recommended for cozy mystery fans.

Author Bio

Misty Simon always wanted to be a storyteller…preferably behind a Muppet. Animal was number one, followed closely by Sherlock Hemlock… Since that dream didn’t come true, she began writing stories to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time.

Touching people’s hearts and funny bones are two of her favorite things, and she hopes everyone at least snickers in the right places when reading her books. She lives with her husband in Central Pennsylvania where she is hard at work on her next novel or three. She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at misty@mistysimon.com.

Catch Up With Misty Simon:

MistySimon.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub – @MistySimon
Instagram – @mistysimonwrites
Threads – @mistysimonwrites
Facebook – @misty.simon.18

Book Details

Genre: Rom Cozy (Paranormal Cozy mystery with Romantic elements)
Published by: Rowan Prose Publishing
Publication Date: June 3, 2025
Number of Pages: 300
ASIN: B0D98KM21B
Series: The Charmed Inn Mysteries, Book 1

Shortlinks:

Author’s Links:

Book Links: 

Series Links:

Family, Historical, Makes You Think, Women

Moloka’i by Alan Brennert

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Publisher Description

This richly imagined novel, set in Hawai’i more than a century ago, is an extraordinary epic of a little-known time and place—and a deeply moving testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.

Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka’i. Here her life is supposed to end—but instead she discovers it is only just beginning. 

With a vibrant cast of vividly realized characters, Moloka’i is the true-to-life chronicle of a people who embraced life in the face of death. Such is the warmth, humor, and compassion of this novel that “few readers will remain unchanged by Rachel’s story” (mostlyfiction.com).

My Thoughts

GoodReads “Want to Read” #2

I recall reading about Father Damien of Moloka’i in grammar school and remember being shocked and so sad for the people with leprosy who were banished to Kalaupapa. I am sure that memory is what drew me to this book and led me to add it to my GoodReads list back in 2012.

This is an emotional and beautiful reading experience that demonstrates the wide range of human capacity for survival. From the people in Rachel’s community who, driven by fear and disgust, shunned her family to the cold and clinical treatment Rachel experienced in hospital to the warm and welcoming community on Kalaupapa to the vibrant but full-of-heartbreak life Rachel led – this book will make you feel all the emotions.

The author writes eloquently of this difficult topic and with tremendous compassion and grace for the characters affected by leprosy. The descriptions of Hawaii add a color to the narrative that helped this reader (who has never been there) envision the beauty of the landscape. Brennert is equally adept at writing characters, and there are several here that I will remember for a long time.

As I read, I was taken back just a few years to the beginning of the pandemic. I recognized many of the same panicky reactions in the community members and the devastating impact Rachel’s illness had on her family. I think this reading experience would have been much different pre-pandemic and I think this would make a very interesting book club discussion today.

Highly recommended.

Publication Date: September 9, 2004
Published By: Macmillan
Thanks to the Rochester Public Library Winton Branch for the book

Arts & Crafts, Cozy, Family, Mystery

One Sharp Stitch by Allie Pleiter

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Publisher Description

When thirty-something Shelby Phillips returns to her quiet hometown just outside of Asheville, North Carolina, she reluctantly takes over her mother’s Nimble Needle needlepoint shop—and gets entangled in a murder investigation . . .

It’s only temporary. That’s what Shelby Phillips tells herself when she returns to excruciatingly harmless Gwen Lake after her graphic arts career—and the office romance blooming with it—get tossed like rejected design mockups. Her plan is as simple and fool-proof as a tent stitch: manage the family needlepoint shop during her parents’ RV vacation. It’s just a month. It’s not as if they’re retiring . . . right?

When Shelby becomes responsible for hosting a trunk show with local vendors, she’s determined to pull it off. Even if that means dealing with former classmate Kat Katsaros, a rising entrepreneur specializing in needlework scissors. Kat has changed since high school—and she’s angling to take over the Nimble Needle herself. The tension unspools when Shelby makes a terrible discovery on the morning of the event: Kat’s dead body.

Shelby can’t believe the death was an accident. That’s why she’s set on exposing who committed the murder with Kat’s own equipment. She finds help in a new friend, a potential crush, and the surprising support of her sister and the Nimble Needle stitchers. Still, Shelby must move quickly to stop the crafty culprit before her maybe not-so-temporary new life in Gwen Lake comes apart at the seams . . .

My Thoughts

Cozy mysteries are evolving! Typically, a cozy mystery features a quirky yet intelligent young woman located in an idyllic small town living their dream of running a book shop, a candy shop, a bakery, etc. The writing swings wildly between really bad and really good and the mysteries are not especially complicated. Think Nancy Drew all grown up.

Here, though, we have an example of a new trend I’m seeing in cozy mysteries – characters and settings that are a little more believable and relatable. Even though the reader must admit that the premise of a cozy mystery is always going to be, at its heart, unrealistic (dead bodies don’t just turn up in small towns), this one features characters that are a bit more real.

The mystery is also well-crafted and developed, although the identity of the killer is cleverly suggested at different times. The needlework aspect will appeal to crafters and does lend a nice subplot to the overall story. The author is skilled at their craft, for sure. I look forward to more from Allie Pleiter.

This was a pleasant afternoon read and will be popular for summer reading.

Publication Date: March 25, 2025
Published by Penguin Random House
Thanks to the Greece Public Library for the book

Fairytales, Family, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Suspense, Teens, Young Adult

The Whisperwood Legacy by Jo Schulte

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

Knives Out meets The Hazel Wood in this twisty contemporary fantasy about an amusement park shrouded in dark secrets—and the family desperate to inherit it at any cost. 

Welcome to Whisperwood, a sprawling theme park nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, where thrilling rides and picture-perfect scenery bring cult-classic fairy tales to life. Or at least they did until eighteen months ago, when the family matriarch, Virginia Strauss, suddenly shut Whisperwood’s gates and the beloved park was left to wither away along with the family’s dwindling fortune.
 
For seventeen-year-old Frankie Strauss, Whisperwood’s closure has been a blessing in disguise. After seeing three generations of wealth’s corrupting influence, she is more than ready to shed the Strauss-family’s gilded handcuffs.
 
But when Virginia goes missing, Frankie realizes that her family might be guilty of something much worse than mere dysfunction. With the help of the mysterious and handsome groundskeeper Jem, Frankie sifts through a web of near truths and outright lies, uncovering a reality where nothing is as it seems and fairy tales aren’t just real—they’re deadly. 

My Thoughts

With nods to many, many sources – folkloric, modern film, YA horror – The Whisperwood Legacy turns them all inside out in this fabulous, creepy, dark fairytale. Just when I think I won’t find another author or story to surpass books like The Hazelwood and The Clackity, along comes something new that just blows my mind.

Emerging readers of dark fiction will adore this twisted, anxiety-ridden tale as our protagonists attempt to control a story centuries in the making. Schulte spins a tale that envelops you with sticky little tendrils that just won’t let go until the last little bit of your nerve has been shredded.

This one will be at the top of my October spooky reads list this year.

Highly recommended.

“Atmospheric and delightfully eerie with monstrous fairy tales and toothy secrets.”—CG Drews, New York Times bestselling author of Don’t Let the Forest In

Publication Date: May 27, 2025
Published By: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

British, Cozy, Family, Ghosties, Mystery

Bodies & Battlements by Elizabeth Penney

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Publisher Description

The first in a new cozy mystery series by Elizabeth Penney investigates a suspicious murder in a haunted British castle-turned-bed and breakfast.

Herbalist Nora Asquith is delighted to welcome Ravensea Castle’s first guests to the picturesque village of Monkwell, Yorkshire. After a thousand years of ownership, her family has decided to convert the castle into a bed and breakfast. But when Hilda Dibble, a self-appointed local luminary, is found dead in the knot garden the next morning, Nora’s business is not only at risk—she’s a prime suspect.

Hilda had opposed the hotel plan every step of the way, and although she didn’t succeed in stopping the venture, her disagreements with Nora seem to only further her motive. One of Ravensea’s guests happens to be Detective Inspector Finlay Cole, who is new to the area and now finds himself with a murder case in his lap.

Nora and her actress sister Tamsyn decide to investigate for themselves. They look into the entangled dealings of their newly arrived guests, while also getting hints from Sir Percival, one of the castle ghosts. As they learn, Sir Percival’s tragic death centuries ago sheds light on present-day crimes. Surely they can get to the bottom of this mystery while keeping their new business afloat . . .

My Thoughts

Elizabeth Penney is hands-down one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. She has a couple series out there and starts a new one with this delightful mystery set in an ancient castle on the English Yorkshire coast. Our protagonist is the usual plucky heroine/business owner intent on running a successful venture – here it’s a family castle turned B&B. We have the faithful family retainers, the somewhat eccentric parent, the requisite adorable pets and family ghosts, the hunky policeman, and a smattering of family & friends to round out an appealing cast of characters.

The mystery blends a new murder with a fatal accident from the past, and the author deftly introduces all sorts of red herrings and complications until she winds everything up with a confrontation in an old smuggler’s cave. The setting in the old castle, complete with extensive gardens and grounds, is captivating and lends interest to the murder mysteries. The author does a great job of setting up events for future entries in the series, which I will eagerly await.

Recommended for cozy mystery fans.

Publication Date: May 27, 2025
Published By: St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Family, Fantasy, Magical, Magical Realism, Women

The Moonlight Healers by Elizabeth Becker

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Netgalley Description

A powerful debut with a magical twist about one woman’s discovery of her family’s secret healing abilities and the mysterious consequences she must contend with when she uses them on someone she loves.

For generations, the Winston women have possessed an unspoken magical gift: they can heal with the touch of a hand. It’s a tradition they’ve always had to practice in secret, in the moonlight hours, when the fireflies dance and the whippoorwill birds sing.

But not every healer has rightfully passed on this knowledge to her descendants, and for young Louise Winston, the discovery of her abilities comes in less-than-ideal circumstances—she brings her best friend back from death following an accident, the day after he professed his long-held feelings for her, five days before she’s supposed to move away.

Desperate for answers, and to avoid this new reality between them, Louise escapes to her grandmother’s lush Appalachian orchard. There, she uncovers her family’s hidden history in a tattered journal, stemming back to her brave great-grandmother who illicitly healed Allied soldiers in war-torn France. But just as Louise begins to embrace her unique legacy, she learns that it can also come with a mysterious cost. And with a life hanging in the balance, she’ll be forced to make the most impossible of choices…

Spanning eighty years, The Moonlight Healers is a deeply empathetic, heartfelt novel about mothers and daughters, life and death, and the beautiful resilience of love.

My Thoughts

There are many great stories out there about women’s power and knowledge passed through generations, and I find I gravitate to this concept time and again. In The Moonlight Healers, I found a lovely, tender, and sometimes tragic story about the power of women healers and the joy and heartbreak the gift has had on past and present generations.

The relationships between mothers and daughters is especially poignant and emotional. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about each member of the family, from Agnes to Helene on down to Camille, Bobbie, and Louise. The overarching theme of how, in history, the persecution of women healers forced them to move their activities to nighttime to avoid scrutiny is not only the source of the title, but also a stark reminder of how dangerous it was to be a woman knowledgeable in the healing arts.

There’s some romance included here, but it’s not the core of the story, which is all about mothers and daughters, endings and beginnings. If you’ve keenly felt the loss of a mother, a grandmother, sister, or a mother figure, I recommend a box of kleenex by your side as you approach the ending.

Highly recommended.

Publication Date: February 11, 2025
Published By: Harlequin Trade Publishing Graydon House
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy