THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL
by Jaime Jo Wright
October 20 - November 14, 2025 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
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 Review:
Wright is a master at creating the scary atmosphere of a spooky novel, structured on a dual timeline. She builds up our anticipation of family secrets revealed as current events relate to ones over a century ago. The possibility of secrets revealed means danger and there is plenty of it, both in the current time and in the time long ago. Wright's characteristic plot structure is deftly relating the progression of historical events with revelations in the current day. While not as tightly coordinated as I have seen in previous novels (and I have read them all), the parallels in suspense make for an exciting read. There were twists near the end that, upon reflection, were foreshadowed well. The character development was well done too. A subtle faith element is included.
Several aspects of this novel were so fun. One was the cameo appearance of Foo, Wright's own cat, described as a pampered little prince. Another was the novel being inspired by actual events, explained in the Author's Notes. Another aspect was the interesting death watch traditions.
I highly recommend this delightfully spooky novel. A Reading Group Discussion Guide is included so it would be a good choice for group readers.
My rating:4/5 stars.
Book Details:
Genre: Dual Timeline Gothic Suspense
Published by: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: October 21, 2025
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780764243806, paperback
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Baker Book House
Read an excerpt:
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.
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
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(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)
Awesome review! Sounds like a great book. I do love this author. I definitely need to read this one!
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