Book Review: The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jaime Jo Wright
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Synopsis of the book:
Left at an orphanage as a child, Thea Reed vowed to find her mother someday. Now grown, her search takes her to turn-of-the-century Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin. When the clues she finds lead her to a mental asylum, Thea uses her experience as a postmortem photographer to gain access and assist groundskeeper Simeon Coyle in photographing the patients and uncovering the secrets within. However, she never expected her personal quest would reawaken the legend of Misty Wayfair, a murdered woman who allegedly haunts the area and whose appearance portends death.
A century later, Heidi Lane receives a troubling letter from her mother—who is battling dementia—compelling her to travel to Pleasant Valley for answers to her own questions of identity. When she catches sight of a ghostly woman haunting the asylum ruins in the woods, the long-standing story of Misty Wayfair returns—and with it, Heidi’s fear for her own life.
As two women across time see answers about their identities and heritage, they must overcome the threat of the mysterious curse that has them inextricably intertwined.
My review:
Eerie and page turning. Once again, this author has woven two compelling tales separated by a century but connected by the haunting effects of mental illness. I couldn’t put the book down until the truth of Misty Wayfair was brought to light.
In the past books I found the present day story more interesting and I expected that to be the case for this one as well. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed the historical story of Thea Reed so much. In a society where postmortem photography is unheard of, I found the practice interesting to learn about.
I really liked the way that the author handled mental illness in the modern day characters and how Heidi struggled to battle her own anxiety. Very well done.
What I enjoyed most about this book:
Thea’s story and the information on the practice of postmortem photography was really intriguing.
What I didn’t like about this book:
I liked Heidi, but I didn’t enjoy her story as much as Thea’s.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. The storytelling and the way this author brings you into the haunting settings is definitely worth the read.
Note: I received this book complimentary in a giveaway. I was not required to give a review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.
Where can I learn more about this author and their books?
Jaime Jo Wright, author website
-Loraine Nunley
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2 Comments
Dianna
I really liked this book! It was the first Jaime Jo Wright novel I’d read, and after that I applied to be on her street team. So excited to read her newest book!
Loraine
Jaime is a really gifted author. Thanks for reading my review Dianna. 🙂