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Title of Book: Hidden Motives Click on title in order to purchase your copy. By Carol Cox, et.al.. Then Came Darkenss by Gail G. Martin At the End of the Bayou by DiAnn Mills Buried in the Past by Jill Stengl Watcher in the Woods by Carol Cox: Watcher in the Woods is the first book in an anthology that was the first Christian Gothic I’d ever read. Gothic in case you didn’t know, is a genre of books that is similar to Rebecca. You know, remote spooky old house, weird, possibly dangerous dwellers, innocent maiden brought to the house and trapped there. And, if they’re half trying, the book starts, “It was a dark and stormy night.” I really enjoy the gothic style, and I really enjoy that Christian fiction is tackling all styles of writing these days. Cox kicks things off in Watcher with a mysterious grandmother who contacts Laurel just months after her mother died. Laurel’s mother had cut herself off from her grandmother and refused to say why. Now Laurel has a chance to meet the grandmother she never knew. When Laurel gets to the remote spooky house (oh, come on, you knew that was coming) she is greeted by some weird, possibly dangerous dwellers. And we’re off. It was a fun book. Laurel has the spunk of any good gothic heroine. She stays in there, trying to connect with her grandmother even when anyone with half a brain would say, “I’m getting out of this nuthouse.” Where would we be if she left, huh? Without a story that’s where. And why Laurel chooses a ‘thinking spot’ that’s right next to a cliff is anybody’s guess. Cox does it all with a flair and I really enjoyed. Then Came Darkness by Gail Gaymer Martin: The sprawling mansion stood before her like a weight pressing on her spirit. How perfect is that? Gail Gaymer Martin takes us to the brooding remote mansion, which hides the identity of a murder. Our damsel, Gerri, has plenty of guts but, as all gothic romances require, maybe not quite enough sense or she wouldn’t be there. Actually she has plenty of sense. The beauty of a great gothic is giving the heroine a good enough reason to risk her safety and sanity. Martin does this well. Who wouldn’t move into that spooky old house with that weird and possibly dangerous man to save their grandfather? At the End of the Bayou by DiAnn Mills: At the End of the Bayou is another take on the gothic, the heroine who is possibly insane herself. Is she or isn’t she? Only searching through the wreckage of her suppressed memories can save her sanity. So, of course, blinded by headaches that might be the beginning of the same madness that keeps her mother locked in a mental institution, Shelby goes to – where else? – a remote, spooky old house. Mills sets her mystery in a Louisiana swamp, full of snakes and secrets. I really enjoyed this one. Fragile Shelby, running on guts despite her fear. Lost childhood memories that, once retrieved, might save Shelby’s sanity. But if those memories uncover a murderer, will he kill again to protect himself? Buried in the Past by Jill Stengl: Buried in the Past may be the creepiest one of the four books. I mean that in a good way. Jill Stengl takes us out of America. Stephanie inherits, what else? A spooky old house. She drives there on a dark and stormy night, of course. The electricity is out, naturally, and did she just see someone weird and possibly dangerous skulking around outside? And did she go in and stay the night alone anyway? Admit it, we’d all do that. It was a long drive back to the closest motel and she was tired! Who is she kidding? Who is going to get any sleep anyway? I can’t sleep if I’ve got a good book, how would I ever nod off with skulking and lightning and someone weird and possibly dangerous near-by. Buried in the Past was great. Somehow the English setting dragged me deeper into the spookiness. The denizens of the area are particularly weird and almost certainly dangerous. And is the man Stephanie is falling in love with going to save her – or is he possibly dangerous? Hidden Motives was pure fun. I love a well done gothic novel and this is the first Christian one I’ve read. You know you’ve put your damsel in really serious distress when she needs a miracle to survive until morning. I think you’ll find this pure spine tingling fun. But don’t read it at night. It’ll not only rob your sleep, it’ll also make your own home seem like a spooky old house filled with weird and possibly dangerous dwellers. Oh, wait, that’s just me. I do live in a spooky old house filled with…never mind. |