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Mysteries of Sparrow Island #18
Out of the Ashes
Sparrow Island novel.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
1 person is currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Carter
20 books25 followersCharlotte has authored more than 50 books for Harlequin, Dorchester, Guideposts Books and Love Inspired. She lives in Southern California with her husband of 50 years. They have two married daughters and 5 grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 6, 2018
As usual for this series, this book was an engaging mystery.
June 6, 2020
I remember enjoying earlier books in this Mysteries of Sparrow Island series, and so when I saw a bunch of them in a used bookstore, I took the chance to get some more. I like the gentle flow of the stories, and how the Bible is woven throughout. They would be good for a light beach read. You do have to be in the mood for savoring a slow pace.
This is a gentle, leisurely mystery. Not suspenseful, although it had some exciting parts in various fire escapes. Much of it seemed to be at a slower pace than others in the series. I did like the idea of a Lavender Festival. I would attend something like that.
I did not guess who the arsonist was, but I'm not sure we had enough clues beforehand, either.
One of my kids reminded me just yesterday that we shouldn't always suspect someone with bipolar disorder as being the one with faulty reasoning. It's a good point. Other people can have faulty reasoning, too, and sometimes those with bipolar can be thinking clearly, particularly if they are on meds.
One of my friends would mention that an amateur sleuth not giving information to the police is cliche, although the sisters did give their clues after awhile.
I have read others in the "Mysteries of Sparrow Island" before, and have enjoyed their leisurely plots. Much of cozy literature uses friendships and relationships for that feeling of comfort.
I'm afraid I like this series much better than the parent organization, Guideposts. Guideposts has wandered further and further away from anything substantiated by scripture, although this series may have been written before that detachment from the Bible, and these author, (Charlotte Carter) is a different one than Norman Vincent Peale, founder of Guideposts and author of "Positive Thinking," who, in my thinking, set up people for disillusionment with faith by making it sound like God has promised things He has not, and that that all we have to do to get something is to think positively about it. But if you consider only this series, and not its parent establishment, it's a very good series indeed.
This is a gentle, leisurely mystery. Not suspenseful, although it had some exciting parts in various fire escapes. Much of it seemed to be at a slower pace than others in the series. I did like the idea of a Lavender Festival. I would attend something like that.
I did not guess who the arsonist was, but I'm not sure we had enough clues beforehand, either.
One of my kids reminded me just yesterday that we shouldn't always suspect someone with bipolar disorder as being the one with faulty reasoning. It's a good point. Other people can have faulty reasoning, too, and sometimes those with bipolar can be thinking clearly, particularly if they are on meds.
One of my friends would mention that an amateur sleuth not giving information to the police is cliche, although the sisters did give their clues after awhile.
I have read others in the "Mysteries of Sparrow Island" before, and have enjoyed their leisurely plots. Much of cozy literature uses friendships and relationships for that feeling of comfort.
I'm afraid I like this series much better than the parent organization, Guideposts. Guideposts has wandered further and further away from anything substantiated by scripture, although this series may have been written before that detachment from the Bible, and these author, (Charlotte Carter) is a different one than Norman Vincent Peale, founder of Guideposts and author of "Positive Thinking," who, in my thinking, set up people for disillusionment with faith by making it sound like God has promised things He has not, and that that all we have to do to get something is to think positively about it. But if you consider only this series, and not its parent establishment, it's a very good series indeed.
April 3, 2022
I no longer remember how I discovered this series. I enjoy spending time with Sparrow Island's residents. This particular book was shared to me by a friend.
The lavender festival sounds like a fun event. I liked the idea of lavender in lemonade, tea, and some foods--I'm not sure I've tried it as a drink or food. In some cases, the scent can be a bit overpowering--so I might have avoided some of the shops indoors that had an abundance of lavender scented products.
I'm glad the fires got the islanders thinking about disaster preparedness--though I wish it hadn't had to be arson fires that did so. (At least a couple of the fires were not arson--the one at the camp that started by dry lightning, Mary's kitchen fire, and a boat motor fire.) I was sorry it made Mary conscious of her disability again--but it was nice that the neighbors redirected that to others in their neighborhood that might need help more than Mary.
I didn't suspect who the arsonist was but I'm not sure we, as readers, were given enough information to solve it until shortly before the identity was revealed.
The lavender festival sounds like a fun event. I liked the idea of lavender in lemonade, tea, and some foods--I'm not sure I've tried it as a drink or food. In some cases, the scent can be a bit overpowering--so I might have avoided some of the shops indoors that had an abundance of lavender scented products.
I'm glad the fires got the islanders thinking about disaster preparedness--though I wish it hadn't had to be arson fires that did so. (At least a couple of the fires were not arson--the one at the camp that started by dry lightning, Mary's kitchen fire, and a boat motor fire.) I was sorry it made Mary conscious of her disability again--but it was nice that the neighbors redirected that to others in their neighborhood that might need help more than Mary.
I didn't suspect who the arsonist was but I'm not sure we, as readers, were given enough information to solve it until shortly before the identity was revealed.
February 10, 2019
This wasn't my favourite, but still a good mystery in the series.
April 18, 2019
This is a very good series. Great story and characters you wish were friends of yours.
August 8, 2022
Good series. I thought Abby was a little obnoxious in her questioning of various people especially the one young couple but overall good book.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews