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A Murder in the Mountains #1
Miranda Warning
Child of the Appalachian mountains, Tess Spencer has experienced more than her share of heartache. The Glock-wielding, knife-carrying housewife knows how to survive whatever life throws at her.
But when an anonymous warning note shows up in her best friend Miranda’s mailbox—a note written in a dead woman’s handwriting—Tess quickly discovers that ghosts are alive and well in Buckneck, West Virginia. Hot on a cold trail, she must use limited clues and her keen insight into human nature to unmask the killer...or the next victim might be Tess herself.
Tinged with the supernatural and overshadowed by the mountains' lush, protective presence, this twisting psychological mystery is the first in A Murder in the Mountains series.
But when an anonymous warning note shows up in her best friend Miranda’s mailbox—a note written in a dead woman’s handwriting—Tess quickly discovers that ghosts are alive and well in Buckneck, West Virginia. Hot on a cold trail, she must use limited clues and her keen insight into human nature to unmask the killer...or the next victim might be Tess herself.
Tinged with the supernatural and overshadowed by the mountains' lush, protective presence, this twisting psychological mystery is the first in A Murder in the Mountains series.
364 pages, ebook
First published May 27, 2014
2211 people are currently reading
2746 people want to read
About the author
Heather Day Gilbert
40 books867 followersHeather Day Gilbert, an RWA Daphne du Maurier Award-winning author and 2-time ECPA Christy Award finalist, enjoys writing contemporary mysteries/psychological thrillers and Viking historicals. She brings authentic family relationships to the page, and she particularly delights in heroines who take a stand to protect those they love. Avid readers say Heather's realistic characters—no matter what century—feel like best friends. When she's not plotting stories, this native West Virginian can often be found hanging out with her husband and four children, playing video games, or reading Agatha Christie novels.
Find out more at heatherdaygilbert.com.
Find out more at heatherdaygilbert.com.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 300 reviews
June 23, 2024
Miranda Warning
is the first book in the A Murder in the Mountains series. Tess Spencer had a tough childhood, but is now married to a lawyer, Thomas, who is trying to build his client base. When her friend Miranda gets an anonymous warning note written in a dead woman’s hand, Tess starts to investigate. Set in Buckneck, West Virginia and nearby Point Pleasant, the story has a hint of the supernatural, a mystery, and a Christian fiction tone at times.
Tess is currently a housewife, doesn’t take most things at face value, and doesn’t believe what’s sail until she backs it up with facts. She’s observant, approachable, intuitive, and has a gift for reading people. She also occasionally carries a gun or a knife for protection. However, she wasn’t as strong a main character as I was expecting based on the synopsis for the book.
While the characterization and world-building are good, the pacing was off for me. This was affected by the flashback scenes at the beginning of the chapters that depicted the dead woman’s life (Rose) from her perspective. After a short look at her life, the story jumps to current times and Tess’s investigation. This happens for most chapters. I enjoyed the humor that was sprinkled throughout the storyline as well as the interactions with Thomas’s family. Loyalty to Tess’s friend and the family relationships were high points in this story for me.
Overall, this is a suspenseful mystery that captured my interest. While this one didn’t quite work for me, it had its moments and many other readers thoroughly enjoyed it.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was May 27, 2014.
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My 3.48 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
Tess is currently a housewife, doesn’t take most things at face value, and doesn’t believe what’s sail until she backs it up with facts. She’s observant, approachable, intuitive, and has a gift for reading people. She also occasionally carries a gun or a knife for protection. However, she wasn’t as strong a main character as I was expecting based on the synopsis for the book.
While the characterization and world-building are good, the pacing was off for me. This was affected by the flashback scenes at the beginning of the chapters that depicted the dead woman’s life (Rose) from her perspective. After a short look at her life, the story jumps to current times and Tess’s investigation. This happens for most chapters. I enjoyed the humor that was sprinkled throughout the storyline as well as the interactions with Thomas’s family. Loyalty to Tess’s friend and the family relationships were high points in this story for me.
Overall, this is a suspenseful mystery that captured my interest. While this one didn’t quite work for me, it had its moments and many other readers thoroughly enjoyed it.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was May 27, 2014.
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My 3.48 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
June 30, 2018
Note, June 30, 2018: I edited this just now, because I discovered I'd left the "I would recommend to..." box blank.
Although the author is a Goodreads friend of mine (and graciously autographed the book!), this series-opening contemporary mystery didn't come to me as a free review copy; I purchased it as a gift for my wife Barb, and it was one that she and I read together. My prior acquaintance with Gilbert's work was through her Vikings of the New World duology (she's an outstanding new voice in historical fiction). Barb's not a historical fiction fan, on the whole; but I thought this novel, having a West Virginia mountain setting much like the Virginia Appalachian milieu where she grew up and we currently live, and featuring a strong female main character, might appeal to her.
A West Virginia native (like her protagonist), Gilbert sets her novel in her own stamping grounds. The fictional small town of Buckneck is in west-central WV, near the Ohio River; the closest largish town is real-life Point Pleasant, which she describes with an assurance that suggests she genuinely knows the place. (At one point, she refers in passing to the 1774 battle there between the Virginia militia and the Shawnee Indians during Lord Dunmore's War, which had a resonance for me --that battle plays a significant part in Mary Schumann's Strife Before Dawn, which I read as a kid.) The rural country around Buckneck is home to the well-to-do Spencer clan, into which series sleuth Tess, now pregnant with her first child, has married. Like her fairly newly-fledged lawyer husband Thomas, she's college-educated, but she didn't grow up in affluence: she comes from a trailer park, with a father who abandoned her and her mother when she was small, and a mother who's in prison for drug dealing. She's not a professional detective; but she's observant, inquisitive, temperamentally inclined to suspect hidden meanings in statements and circumstances, and gifted with near photographic memory –all qualities that come in handy for investigation. And while she doesn't have a concealed carry permit, she does carry a spring knife (and sometimes packs a Glock anyway). Loyalty to a friend is deeply ingrained in her makeup. So when her elderly best friend, who's recently begun seeing a widowed gentleman caller, gets a note warning her off –written in the handwriting of the man's wife Rose, who was pronounced dead 40 years ago-- Tess takes it on herself to investigate.
Two narrations alternate here: Rose's, in italics and past tense, at the beginning of each chapter, and Tess' own, in present tense and normal script, in the main body of the text. (The reader actually gets the hang of this arrangement quickly.) The mystery is well-constructed and baffling, and very little is as it initially seems. Only one thing is sure –secrets have been concealed for decades, and they're ready to impact the present. Amateur snooping mixes with very well-evoked daily life in contemporary Appalachia, drawn with affection and sensitivity. The characters are absolutely real and life-like, even the minor ones. As a Christian author, Gilbert eschews objectionable language or lewd sexual content, but the religious content of the book is low-key, and more simply theistic than specifically Christian. The Spencers are a Christian family, but Tess herself, despite being exposed to church as a kid, starts off as a young woman who's not even entirely sure if she still believes in God. She's also not without a certain amount of emotional baggage from her formative years, and she's got a hot temper that's quick to take offense at times. She and Thomas love each other, but their marriage isn't without its fights and friction. IMO, these foibles tend to make her relateable to most readers, Christian and non-Christian. (She does have very strong pro-life views, which are expressed, in her thoughts, very forcefully at one point; so if that would horrify and offend you, this is your “trigger warning.”) Barb found the novel “dark” overall, and it certainly has dark elements; but she also found a good deal of comic relief in Tess' wry narrative voice, and frequently laughed out loud at some comments. (I didn't, but I enjoyed the leavening of humor.) At a thematic level, the storyline explores the relationship of mother and child in its various permutations; and there's going to be some character growth by the end, always a plus.
This is a series I definitely intend to follow –and hope to get caught up to date on sooner rather than later.! (There are, so far, two sequels.)
Although the author is a Goodreads friend of mine (and graciously autographed the book!), this series-opening contemporary mystery didn't come to me as a free review copy; I purchased it as a gift for my wife Barb, and it was one that she and I read together. My prior acquaintance with Gilbert's work was through her Vikings of the New World duology (she's an outstanding new voice in historical fiction). Barb's not a historical fiction fan, on the whole; but I thought this novel, having a West Virginia mountain setting much like the Virginia Appalachian milieu where she grew up and we currently live, and featuring a strong female main character, might appeal to her.
A West Virginia native (like her protagonist), Gilbert sets her novel in her own stamping grounds. The fictional small town of Buckneck is in west-central WV, near the Ohio River; the closest largish town is real-life Point Pleasant, which she describes with an assurance that suggests she genuinely knows the place. (At one point, she refers in passing to the 1774 battle there between the Virginia militia and the Shawnee Indians during Lord Dunmore's War, which had a resonance for me --that battle plays a significant part in Mary Schumann's Strife Before Dawn, which I read as a kid.) The rural country around Buckneck is home to the well-to-do Spencer clan, into which series sleuth Tess, now pregnant with her first child, has married. Like her fairly newly-fledged lawyer husband Thomas, she's college-educated, but she didn't grow up in affluence: she comes from a trailer park, with a father who abandoned her and her mother when she was small, and a mother who's in prison for drug dealing. She's not a professional detective; but she's observant, inquisitive, temperamentally inclined to suspect hidden meanings in statements and circumstances, and gifted with near photographic memory –all qualities that come in handy for investigation. And while she doesn't have a concealed carry permit, she does carry a spring knife (and sometimes packs a Glock anyway). Loyalty to a friend is deeply ingrained in her makeup. So when her elderly best friend, who's recently begun seeing a widowed gentleman caller, gets a note warning her off –written in the handwriting of the man's wife Rose, who was pronounced dead 40 years ago-- Tess takes it on herself to investigate.
Two narrations alternate here: Rose's, in italics and past tense, at the beginning of each chapter, and Tess' own, in present tense and normal script, in the main body of the text. (The reader actually gets the hang of this arrangement quickly.) The mystery is well-constructed and baffling, and very little is as it initially seems. Only one thing is sure –secrets have been concealed for decades, and they're ready to impact the present. Amateur snooping mixes with very well-evoked daily life in contemporary Appalachia, drawn with affection and sensitivity. The characters are absolutely real and life-like, even the minor ones. As a Christian author, Gilbert eschews objectionable language or lewd sexual content, but the religious content of the book is low-key, and more simply theistic than specifically Christian. The Spencers are a Christian family, but Tess herself, despite being exposed to church as a kid, starts off as a young woman who's not even entirely sure if she still believes in God. She's also not without a certain amount of emotional baggage from her formative years, and she's got a hot temper that's quick to take offense at times. She and Thomas love each other, but their marriage isn't without its fights and friction. IMO, these foibles tend to make her relateable to most readers, Christian and non-Christian. (She does have very strong pro-life views, which are expressed, in her thoughts, very forcefully at one point; so if that would horrify and offend you, this is your “trigger warning.”) Barb found the novel “dark” overall, and it certainly has dark elements; but she also found a good deal of comic relief in Tess' wry narrative voice, and frequently laughed out loud at some comments. (I didn't, but I enjoyed the leavening of humor.) At a thematic level, the storyline explores the relationship of mother and child in its various permutations; and there's going to be some character growth by the end, always a plus.
This is a series I definitely intend to follow –and hope to get caught up to date on sooner rather than later.! (There are, so far, two sequels.)
July 4, 2025
A crackling read with plenty of twists and turns! Be warned, though: This is not for the faint of heart!
January 1, 2018
Tess Spencer has been thrown some curveballs throughout her life, so she is no stranger to pain and heartache. She carries a knife and can handle a Glock on any day, ready to take on whatever comes her way. When an anonymous warning note, in the handwriting of a woman long dead, appears in her best friend Miranda’s mailbox, Tess starts to follow a trail that went cold years ago. With very little go on but a handful of clues and her own tenacity, Tess attempts to unmask the killer before she or someone she loves becomes the next victim.
Sometimes I fall for a male lead. Sometimes I admire a main characters fortitude, faith or courage. And sometimes I seriously wish that a character is real and would be my best friend, because, you know, that’s a healthy reaction to have toward a fictional character, right? Well, right or wrong, I simply adored Tess Spencer! She is so quirky and unique, yet so utterly normal, I just wanted to find her and give her a hug and go out for coffee. In my head, we are totally besties, and our husbands should be besties too. They could go camping and do guy stuff while Tess and I do something girly and then…oh, right, she isn’t real! Heather has created a character that has lodged in my head like a real person, and that to me is a sign of her superb abilities as a writer.
Tess isn’t the only great thing about this novel. As someone who tends to shy away from the thriller/suspense genre, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Miranda Warning, but since I already trusted Heather as an author, it seemed logical that I would enjoy it. The setting of Buckneck, West Virginia has a very realistic quality to it that seems specific to areas located in the Appalachian Mountains. I can’t put my finger on it specifically, but it’s the way that the characters related to each other, the way they look out for each other and just an overall mysterious quality to the sense of place. There is a particularly beautiful set of sentences where Tess describes walking through the mountainous woods, describing its magnetism like “gravity for my soul.” So true and so simple, yet it feels very profound and is very telling of who Tess is as a character.
The plot has a lot of twists and turns – just when I thought I knew what was coming, Heather adds another facet to the mystery – the story is compulsively readable, and while I’m a quick reader in general, I think I read this one in only a handful of sittings. I’m also a big fan of first-person narration, and Heather does it really well. Although the story follows Tess, there is another character that speaks throughout the story as well, and it was easy to differentiate between their two voices.
The secondary characters are all multi-faceted and have their individual idiosyncrasies that provide depth and extra layers to the mystery of the story. The friendship between Tess and Miranda was so endearing and humorous. It is obvious that they have been close for a long time, and that Tess won’t let anyone mess with Miranda. Throughout the story, it is revealed that Miranda took Tess under her wing when she was going through some things years before. I liked the way that Heather revealed things about Tess and the other characters, but still leaves some things to be revealed later in the series. Although I’m sure the revelations were purposeful and planned, they feel very natural and realistic within the story. Tess and Thomas are so refreshing as a couple; whether it was bantering, bickering or a more romantic moment, all of their interactions feel genuine. I really loved his family as well; I’m pretty sure they should really exist, too!
Though the spiritual aspect of the story is not obvious on the outset, it is woven throughout the story gradually, and propels to a hopeful ending. Tess’s inner dialogue of her fears, frustrations and triumphs feel true and real, and I found myself relating to her many times (besides wanting to be her bestie and all that). I highly recommend Miranda Warning for readers that like a mystery with a psychological bend to them. It is one of my favorite reads of 2015, and I’m eager to read the continuation of Tess’s story, Trial by Twelve!
Sometimes I fall for a male lead. Sometimes I admire a main characters fortitude, faith or courage. And sometimes I seriously wish that a character is real and would be my best friend, because, you know, that’s a healthy reaction to have toward a fictional character, right? Well, right or wrong, I simply adored Tess Spencer! She is so quirky and unique, yet so utterly normal, I just wanted to find her and give her a hug and go out for coffee. In my head, we are totally besties, and our husbands should be besties too. They could go camping and do guy stuff while Tess and I do something girly and then…oh, right, she isn’t real! Heather has created a character that has lodged in my head like a real person, and that to me is a sign of her superb abilities as a writer.
Tess isn’t the only great thing about this novel. As someone who tends to shy away from the thriller/suspense genre, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Miranda Warning, but since I already trusted Heather as an author, it seemed logical that I would enjoy it. The setting of Buckneck, West Virginia has a very realistic quality to it that seems specific to areas located in the Appalachian Mountains. I can’t put my finger on it specifically, but it’s the way that the characters related to each other, the way they look out for each other and just an overall mysterious quality to the sense of place. There is a particularly beautiful set of sentences where Tess describes walking through the mountainous woods, describing its magnetism like “gravity for my soul.” So true and so simple, yet it feels very profound and is very telling of who Tess is as a character.
The plot has a lot of twists and turns – just when I thought I knew what was coming, Heather adds another facet to the mystery – the story is compulsively readable, and while I’m a quick reader in general, I think I read this one in only a handful of sittings. I’m also a big fan of first-person narration, and Heather does it really well. Although the story follows Tess, there is another character that speaks throughout the story as well, and it was easy to differentiate between their two voices.
The secondary characters are all multi-faceted and have their individual idiosyncrasies that provide depth and extra layers to the mystery of the story. The friendship between Tess and Miranda was so endearing and humorous. It is obvious that they have been close for a long time, and that Tess won’t let anyone mess with Miranda. Throughout the story, it is revealed that Miranda took Tess under her wing when she was going through some things years before. I liked the way that Heather revealed things about Tess and the other characters, but still leaves some things to be revealed later in the series. Although I’m sure the revelations were purposeful and planned, they feel very natural and realistic within the story. Tess and Thomas are so refreshing as a couple; whether it was bantering, bickering or a more romantic moment, all of their interactions feel genuine. I really loved his family as well; I’m pretty sure they should really exist, too!
Though the spiritual aspect of the story is not obvious on the outset, it is woven throughout the story gradually, and propels to a hopeful ending. Tess’s inner dialogue of her fears, frustrations and triumphs feel true and real, and I found myself relating to her many times (besides wanting to be her bestie and all that). I highly recommend Miranda Warning for readers that like a mystery with a psychological bend to them. It is one of my favorite reads of 2015, and I’m eager to read the continuation of Tess’s story, Trial by Twelve!
December 12, 2016
This was the first contemporary novel I've read by Heather Day Gilbert, and it will not be the last! I knew the author was extremely talented from reading her Viking fiction, God's Daughter and Forest Child. Now that I have seen how skilled she is with contemporary (and mystery, no less!) I am even more impressed.
I loved the structure of the book, how it was told from two points of view with two different timelines, so I was given clues along the way in addition to what Tess Spencer, the main protagonist was uncovering herself. I enjoyed all the characters, and I must say that listening to it on Audible gave it an extra layer of dimension. The narrator did a fabulous job of making each voice distinctive.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with Tess in Buckneck, West Virginia, and can't wait to see what's brewing in the next novel, Trial by Twelve.
I loved the structure of the book, how it was told from two points of view with two different timelines, so I was given clues along the way in addition to what Tess Spencer, the main protagonist was uncovering herself. I enjoyed all the characters, and I must say that listening to it on Audible gave it an extra layer of dimension. The narrator did a fabulous job of making each voice distinctive.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with Tess in Buckneck, West Virginia, and can't wait to see what's brewing in the next novel, Trial by Twelve.
January 5, 2022
I feel like I fairly flew through this book. The author had a way of telling the story that drew me in from the very beginning, and I was trying to put together the pieces of what had happened. (Which, I somewhat did, but it was usually just before Tess figured it out, or not until she did.)
Speaking of Tess . . . I loved her! Spunky woman, but very real. I liked how she wanted to protect those she loved, even if she didn't know how to do it. I also really enjoyed that people around her witnessed to her of her need for God to be the author of her story, and I liked how Tessa did return to the faith of her childhood.
This is my first book by this author, but I loved her writing 'voice', and it will definitely not be my last!
Speaking of Tess . . . I loved her! Spunky woman, but very real. I liked how she wanted to protect those she loved, even if she didn't know how to do it. I also really enjoyed that people around her witnessed to her of her need for God to be the author of her story, and I liked how Tessa did return to the faith of her childhood.
This is my first book by this author, but I loved her writing 'voice', and it will definitely not be my last!
November 5, 2021
This is kind of a ghost story or is it? Based in Buckneck, West Virginia in the mountains. Tess is friends with Miranda who is about 40 years older than her and lives in assisted living. She asks Tess to help her with something from her past, a mystery involving her friend Rose who committed suicide 40 years ago under suspicious circumstances. Tess decides to help her friend and investigate and before she knows it she is being followed and getting strange flower deliveries. Even sees a woman in a tree outside her bedroom window. Someone is getting worried that she is getting close to the truth but Tess still has no idea what the truth is. I gave it 4 stars as I was able to guess some of it way before the ending. I will read book 2 as I want to know what happens next.
March 1, 2016
Tess Spencer's friend, Miranda, receives a note from her friend who died 40 years ago. Tess is wondering who would do this and why and starts to look into Rose's death.
If you would ask me if I prefer 3rd person to 1st person, I would always choose 3rd person. However, the 1st person narrative in this mystery novel were laid out well and drew me in from the start. Tess was a quirky fun, lovable character, with her faults and I found myself smiling at a lot of her sayings and the fights she had with her husband (scenes where I could totally picture myself and my husband). Not only was the main character very enjoyable, but the secondary characters were equally great - I adored Nikki Jo.
At the beginning of each chapter, we got a glimpse of events from the past. I was totally intrigued with Rose's story and found myself reading page after page whenever I could to see what was happening. It also helped that the chapters were short so I was possible to squeeze in a chapter or 2 when I had a few minutes here and there.
The mystery was enjoyable with lots of events and twists. The author also did a great job of taking you as reader from disliking one character to totally understand and liking that character by the end of the book. The twists and turns were placed at the right times in the mystery. There was however 1 or 2 twists which was revealed later in the story which I started to consider as possibilities, so I was not totally thrown when these were revealed.
This was my first book by Heather Day Gilbert. Looking forward to read more from Tess and her friends.
If you would ask me if I prefer 3rd person to 1st person, I would always choose 3rd person. However, the 1st person narrative in this mystery novel were laid out well and drew me in from the start. Tess was a quirky fun, lovable character, with her faults and I found myself smiling at a lot of her sayings and the fights she had with her husband (scenes where I could totally picture myself and my husband). Not only was the main character very enjoyable, but the secondary characters were equally great - I adored Nikki Jo.
At the beginning of each chapter, we got a glimpse of events from the past. I was totally intrigued with Rose's story and found myself reading page after page whenever I could to see what was happening. It also helped that the chapters were short so I was possible to squeeze in a chapter or 2 when I had a few minutes here and there.
The mystery was enjoyable with lots of events and twists. The author also did a great job of taking you as reader from disliking one character to totally understand and liking that character by the end of the book. The twists and turns were placed at the right times in the mystery. There was however 1 or 2 twists which was revealed later in the story which I started to consider as possibilities, so I was not totally thrown when these were revealed.
This was my first book by Heather Day Gilbert. Looking forward to read more from Tess and her friends.
June 20, 2014
Don’t you love it when you find a new fictional character to root for? As all mystery lovers know, it’s important to love a series’ main character, and I love Tess Spencer, the heroine of Miranda Warning. She’s intensely loyal, she’s both kind and tough, she carries a Glock or a knife when she does her sleuthing (the woman lives in the West Virginia mountains, after all, and she is no fool), and she says things like “More coffee is never a bad thing.”
But this book’s plot is also terrific--full of unforeseen twists and turns--and the writing is top-notch. The book is rich in every sense of the word--rich in characters (all of them complex and realistic), in details and clues, in setting, and in suspense. Gilbert knows how to ratchet up the tension until you can’t put the book down because you must know who did what and why.
I can’t wait for book 2 in the series!
But this book’s plot is also terrific--full of unforeseen twists and turns--and the writing is top-notch. The book is rich in every sense of the word--rich in characters (all of them complex and realistic), in details and clues, in setting, and in suspense. Gilbert knows how to ratchet up the tension until you can’t put the book down because you must know who did what and why.
I can’t wait for book 2 in the series!
January 17, 2022
Nice introduction to a new to me author! Main character Tess is spunky, down to earth and intuitive. When she finds out her best friend Miranda received an odd and somewhat threatening letter, Tess begins to dig into the past to unearth what happened years ago. Several twists and turns. Particularly enjoyed that each chapter begins with the point of view of Rose, Miranda's friend 40 years prior.
August 14, 2014
Miranda Warning is an interesting and intriguing mystery read.
The story introduces Tess and Thomas Spencer. Tess is a Glock
packing, knife toting wife who becomes involved in a mystery
surrounding an older woman, Miranda.
Miranda befriended Tess when the Spencers moved into the
house on her husband’s parents property in the West Virginia
mountains.
Miranda is dating a widower named Paul. His wife died over
40 years ago and was a friend of Miranda. Then a handwritten
warning is received by Miranda, telling her not have anything
to do with Paul.. The warning was penned by Paul‘s dead wife,
Rose???? How is this possible?? Tess becomes involved by
Investigating which is putting her in danger.
The author weaves the past and present together effortlessly
throughout the story.
The characters are dynamic and so realistic that the reader will
feel like you know them.
The plot has twists and turns that make this a fast paced
adventure. And the ending…What a surprise!!!
I received this ebook from book fun.org. My opinion is my own.
The story introduces Tess and Thomas Spencer. Tess is a Glock
packing, knife toting wife who becomes involved in a mystery
surrounding an older woman, Miranda.
Miranda befriended Tess when the Spencers moved into the
house on her husband’s parents property in the West Virginia
mountains.
Miranda is dating a widower named Paul. His wife died over
40 years ago and was a friend of Miranda. Then a handwritten
warning is received by Miranda, telling her not have anything
to do with Paul.. The warning was penned by Paul‘s dead wife,
Rose???? How is this possible?? Tess becomes involved by
Investigating which is putting her in danger.
The author weaves the past and present together effortlessly
throughout the story.
The characters are dynamic and so realistic that the reader will
feel like you know them.
The plot has twists and turns that make this a fast paced
adventure. And the ending…What a surprise!!!
I received this ebook from book fun.org. My opinion is my own.
August 24, 2022
I'm a little over 50% done with this book and felt the need to write. I'm really enjoying this. I had just finished a Viking book by Heather Day Gilbert, and knew I had another of her books in my cloud stash, so I downloaded it and started right in.
So.....only two things are similar about these two books....female lead and use of weapons. But the female leads couldn't be more opposite. In Forest Child the Viking heroine's favorite weapons were her sword, her bow and arrows, and her small curved knife she kept razor sharp. In this story, the heroine (Tess) is modern, not nearly as sure of herself as the Viking (Freydis), she loves her husband and his family, and her best friend is an elderly woman named Miranda.
This book just cracks me up. It's not like it was specifically meant to be a comedy, but the way this woman reacts to everything is just plain funny. She's clearly not afraid of weapons because she picks up anything close by to use in the event something is a threat. I mean I'm halfway through the book and I can count at least seven times she's picked up a weapon of some sort, from a Glock to a kitchen knife.
Threatening notes, a long dead friend's words that seem to come from her grave, a woman stalking her, more threats, a huge blonde florist named Axel showing up everywhere keep me turning these pages!!
Tess doesn't trust nor care for Miranda's new beau, nor does she trust the doctor treating Miranda, nor does she trust at least two of the employees at Miranda's nursing home. This character! 😁
Will write more later when I get to the end....
Well, finished it and it continued to be just as good as the previous half. Plus there were a few surprises I seriously didn't expect!
I really liked Miranda Warning. I just can't get over how different it was from this author's Viking book, and that they were both so well done! That to me is indicative of an exceptional author!
One thing I might point out is the switch back and forth in voices. It's first person, and switches from Tess to Rose every few pages. Sometimes I had to stop and ponder, who's talking?
But it was fun, well done, and I recommend it for a light yet intelligent read.
So.....only two things are similar about these two books....female lead and use of weapons. But the female leads couldn't be more opposite. In Forest Child the Viking heroine's favorite weapons were her sword, her bow and arrows, and her small curved knife she kept razor sharp. In this story, the heroine (Tess) is modern, not nearly as sure of herself as the Viking (Freydis), she loves her husband and his family, and her best friend is an elderly woman named Miranda.
This book just cracks me up. It's not like it was specifically meant to be a comedy, but the way this woman reacts to everything is just plain funny. She's clearly not afraid of weapons because she picks up anything close by to use in the event something is a threat. I mean I'm halfway through the book and I can count at least seven times she's picked up a weapon of some sort, from a Glock to a kitchen knife.
Threatening notes, a long dead friend's words that seem to come from her grave, a woman stalking her, more threats, a huge blonde florist named Axel showing up everywhere keep me turning these pages!!
Tess doesn't trust nor care for Miranda's new beau, nor does she trust the doctor treating Miranda, nor does she trust at least two of the employees at Miranda's nursing home. This character! 😁
Will write more later when I get to the end....
Well, finished it and it continued to be just as good as the previous half. Plus there were a few surprises I seriously didn't expect!
I really liked Miranda Warning. I just can't get over how different it was from this author's Viking book, and that they were both so well done! That to me is indicative of an exceptional author!
One thing I might point out is the switch back and forth in voices. It's first person, and switches from Tess to Rose every few pages. Sometimes I had to stop and ponder, who's talking?
But it was fun, well done, and I recommend it for a light yet intelligent read.
January 29, 2019
Whenever you embark on reading a new author for the first time, you don't know quite what to expect. Sometimes you are disappointed; sometimes you are mesmerized. But I love moments like these when an author writes in such an authentic way, full of messy, broken characters that point towards grace and hope.
Heather Day Gilbert has blown me away with Miranda Warning, which is part Christian fiction, part suspense thriller, and part Southern fiction. The dialogue is realistic and it is clear that Heather Day Gilbert knows West Virginia well. I also enjoyed that Thomas, the main character's husband, went to the University of Virginia, which is where my brother went to college! And speaking of characters, Tess Spencer was great! I found her to be the perfect mix of strength and spunk as well as vulnerable. One minute she is carrying a Glock or sawing down a tree with a rifle strapped to her back and the next minute she is leaning on her husband and husband's family for moral support. I also loved the realistic marriage and interplay between Tess and Thomas, which was a great representation of the stress, flirtations, disagreements, and love that those married can relate to. Their marriage is another great example of the messy, broken characters that we all can identify with since no person nor relationship is perfect.
I recently discovered another new author, Jaime Jo Wright, who's first novel I had read (The Curse Of Misty Wayfair) also blew me away. I can see many similarities between these two authors actually, and I must say this: we need more Christian authors and books that aren't afraid to present realistic, authentic, gritty, powerful, and poignant stories to readers.
So well done, Heather Day Gilbert, on the first novel of yours that I have read. It was a great read and I definitely will read more of your books!
For more of my reviews, please visit my blog at: https://wadeurspider01.wixsite.com/we...
Heather Day Gilbert has blown me away with Miranda Warning, which is part Christian fiction, part suspense thriller, and part Southern fiction. The dialogue is realistic and it is clear that Heather Day Gilbert knows West Virginia well. I also enjoyed that Thomas, the main character's husband, went to the University of Virginia, which is where my brother went to college! And speaking of characters, Tess Spencer was great! I found her to be the perfect mix of strength and spunk as well as vulnerable. One minute she is carrying a Glock or sawing down a tree with a rifle strapped to her back and the next minute she is leaning on her husband and husband's family for moral support. I also loved the realistic marriage and interplay between Tess and Thomas, which was a great representation of the stress, flirtations, disagreements, and love that those married can relate to. Their marriage is another great example of the messy, broken characters that we all can identify with since no person nor relationship is perfect.
I recently discovered another new author, Jaime Jo Wright, who's first novel I had read (The Curse Of Misty Wayfair) also blew me away. I can see many similarities between these two authors actually, and I must say this: we need more Christian authors and books that aren't afraid to present realistic, authentic, gritty, powerful, and poignant stories to readers.
So well done, Heather Day Gilbert, on the first novel of yours that I have read. It was a great read and I definitely will read more of your books!
For more of my reviews, please visit my blog at: https://wadeurspider01.wixsite.com/we...
August 28, 2017
Thought I'd take a break from reading my favorite genre, historical fiction. This mystery was just what I needed. The author kept me in suspense from beginning to end. Characters were believable and enduring. Reader is led through an investigation with strategic clues that keeps the story intriguing.
October 24, 2017
I was a little worried about this book when I first started reading some of the reviews listing it a Christian fiction. I have to say the author did a fabulous job of balancing the characters Christian beliefs with a great little mystery.
The author also introduced me to a great new heroine in Tess Spencer. I really love strong women who can still be vulnerable and really like reading books where the lead is happily married. And no they are sickly sweet married, they have fights but still manage to show a good strong relationship takes work.
The mystery is phenomenal even though I had it figured out about halfway through and I think most other readers will too but the author balances that with her small clues with great writing. You find yourself rooting for Tess and loving the Spencer clan.
If this book has a downside it is the thoughts Tess has in her mind, in one conversation she can go from thinking a person is a complete psychopath to sensing they are as innocent as a lamb. It was kind of crazy when after about the fourth character introduction she had gone through the whole thought process with each of them.
Becky Doughty does a fabulous job as a narrator – even with the story being told from two perspectives I never got lost or confused. I will listen to more books by her.
The author also introduced me to a great new heroine in Tess Spencer. I really love strong women who can still be vulnerable and really like reading books where the lead is happily married. And no they are sickly sweet married, they have fights but still manage to show a good strong relationship takes work.
The mystery is phenomenal even though I had it figured out about halfway through and I think most other readers will too but the author balances that with her small clues with great writing. You find yourself rooting for Tess and loving the Spencer clan.
If this book has a downside it is the thoughts Tess has in her mind, in one conversation she can go from thinking a person is a complete psychopath to sensing they are as innocent as a lamb. It was kind of crazy when after about the fourth character introduction she had gone through the whole thought process with each of them.
Becky Doughty does a fabulous job as a narrator – even with the story being told from two perspectives I never got lost or confused. I will listen to more books by her.
January 2, 2025
"Yellow Begonia . . . .Warning or I am fanciful."
The warnings have begun, in spite of the fact that Tess Spencer has no idea who or why someone might be sending her veiled messages of impending danger. Her dear seventy year old friend has just informed Tess that she is considering a serious relationship with a widower whose wife tragically took her own life; or was it really suicide and what are this man's motives in securing the admiration of this very wealthy widow? Why now, after so many years? So many questions and so few answers.
Tess has a knack for uncovering the truth and stubbornly pushes aside her husband's caution to leave the past in the past, because there's just something that isn't adding up about Paul Campbell's sudden interest in Miranda Michaels. And then there is the doctor, and the waitress, who has an uncanny resemblance to the dead woman. A heinous web begins to spin and Tess is determined to find the "spider", especially after strange coincidences and anonymous deliveries continue to appear.
If you love a good mystery, with doses of details that hint at the truth, but don't reveal it, then "Miranda Warning" is the kind of suspense that will compel you to read every page.
The warnings have begun, in spite of the fact that Tess Spencer has no idea who or why someone might be sending her veiled messages of impending danger. Her dear seventy year old friend has just informed Tess that she is considering a serious relationship with a widower whose wife tragically took her own life; or was it really suicide and what are this man's motives in securing the admiration of this very wealthy widow? Why now, after so many years? So many questions and so few answers.
Tess has a knack for uncovering the truth and stubbornly pushes aside her husband's caution to leave the past in the past, because there's just something that isn't adding up about Paul Campbell's sudden interest in Miranda Michaels. And then there is the doctor, and the waitress, who has an uncanny resemblance to the dead woman. A heinous web begins to spin and Tess is determined to find the "spider", especially after strange coincidences and anonymous deliveries continue to appear.
If you love a good mystery, with doses of details that hint at the truth, but don't reveal it, then "Miranda Warning" is the kind of suspense that will compel you to read every page.
March 26, 2014
I just this minute finished reading 'Miranda Warning' by Heather Day Gilbert and let me tell you, she takes the reader on quite a fast paced roller coaster ride. From the first line, 'I chose the day I would die', to the last word, this book totally had me hooked!
I finished in less than 24 hours because I absolutely could not tear myself away from this book! The author creates a mystery so intense tht I was guessing up until the last chapter! For a while, I'd think one thing was going on, then the mystery shifted a bit and I'd have another conclusion. None of which were correct.
Rose Campbell dies one night in 1973, apparently a suicide. She'd lived a miserable life ever since her marriage and apparently she chose the only way out she could.
Fast forward 40 years and her once best friend, Miranda, receives a warning note, seemingly from Rose herself. However, Rose is dead. Miranda, whose health is declining, lives in an assisted living family. Tess Spencer is one of her dearest friends, even though young enough to be Miranda's granddaughter. Tess decides she is going to solve this mystery of who sent Miranda the note.
Tess totes a knife and a Glock, but when suddenly odd things begin happening, she finds herself in a mystery that she did not even think was possible.
The reader is totally swept into this mystery from the first page and is kept guessing till the last page.
Heather Day Gilbert has created a scenario that is entirely believable, full of darkness, lies, ghosts, and long kept secrets. Each character is well developed so that the reader truly feels they know each person in this book. I felt as if I were part of this story as I read along.
I have learned that this book is the first in a series and I am absolutely tickled to hear this good news!
Do NOT miss this book. You will LOVE it!
I finished in less than 24 hours because I absolutely could not tear myself away from this book! The author creates a mystery so intense tht I was guessing up until the last chapter! For a while, I'd think one thing was going on, then the mystery shifted a bit and I'd have another conclusion. None of which were correct.
Rose Campbell dies one night in 1973, apparently a suicide. She'd lived a miserable life ever since her marriage and apparently she chose the only way out she could.
Fast forward 40 years and her once best friend, Miranda, receives a warning note, seemingly from Rose herself. However, Rose is dead. Miranda, whose health is declining, lives in an assisted living family. Tess Spencer is one of her dearest friends, even though young enough to be Miranda's granddaughter. Tess decides she is going to solve this mystery of who sent Miranda the note.
Tess totes a knife and a Glock, but when suddenly odd things begin happening, she finds herself in a mystery that she did not even think was possible.
The reader is totally swept into this mystery from the first page and is kept guessing till the last page.
Heather Day Gilbert has created a scenario that is entirely believable, full of darkness, lies, ghosts, and long kept secrets. Each character is well developed so that the reader truly feels they know each person in this book. I felt as if I were part of this story as I read along.
I have learned that this book is the first in a series and I am absolutely tickled to hear this good news!
Do NOT miss this book. You will LOVE it!
October 13, 2014
When Miranda receives a threatening note from someone posing as her fiancé’s deceased wife, Tess Spencer puts her Nancy Drew skills to work, determined to protect her elderly friend and expose the culprit. As Tess encounters suspects and uncovers new aspects of the mystery, she's pulled into a web of danger. Will she back off and abandon Miranda to risk, or will her continued pokes at the hornet's nest jeopardize her new family, her marriage, and even her life and unborn baby?
The author has a uniquely compelling voice, and I absolutely love her first-person, present-tense style. My usual reading pace is a month or two (I’m very slow), but I devoured this one within a couple of days. A twisty, just-out-of-reach mystery worked with endearing characters to make this a story I didn't want to put down. Tess and Thomas had natural chemistry, and they were so cute and funny together. The cupcake scene, oh my, and Nicki Jo—I looked forward to every scene involving that wonderful woman. The sock monkeys . . . this book had some great comic relief.
One of my favorite aspects of the story was the nods toward BBC’s “Doctor Who”. Tess deems one of the characters “the Good Doctor” and even sets him up with a “Doctor Who” ring tone on her cell phone. Seriously, I grinned every time it went off.
I would recommend “Miranda Warning” to those who aren’t opposed to ghosts in fiction, and those who enjoy mysteries that keep them guessing. Though the ending didn't come as a complete shock, I was surprised. Plot twists provided a constant challenge to my evolving theories, and made "Miranda Warning" a fun and riveting read, far from predictable. I’m looking forward to the next in the series, and more time with the Spencer family.
The author has a uniquely compelling voice, and I absolutely love her first-person, present-tense style. My usual reading pace is a month or two (I’m very slow), but I devoured this one within a couple of days. A twisty, just-out-of-reach mystery worked with endearing characters to make this a story I didn't want to put down. Tess and Thomas had natural chemistry, and they were so cute and funny together. The cupcake scene, oh my, and Nicki Jo—I looked forward to every scene involving that wonderful woman. The sock monkeys . . . this book had some great comic relief.
One of my favorite aspects of the story was the nods toward BBC’s “Doctor Who”. Tess deems one of the characters “the Good Doctor” and even sets him up with a “Doctor Who” ring tone on her cell phone. Seriously, I grinned every time it went off.
I would recommend “Miranda Warning” to those who aren’t opposed to ghosts in fiction, and those who enjoy mysteries that keep them guessing. Though the ending didn't come as a complete shock, I was surprised. Plot twists provided a constant challenge to my evolving theories, and made "Miranda Warning" a fun and riveting read, far from predictable. I’m looking forward to the next in the series, and more time with the Spencer family.
April 3, 2018
Tess's quest for the truth of what happened to Rose Campbell all started Miranda Warning that came in an anonymous note to stay away from Paul Campbell in Rose's handwriting. The problem was that Rose was suppose to be dead for over forty years.
Rose was a troubled woman, became a recluse, left clues and journals behind when she disappeared on New Years 40 years earlier. This troubled woman left a series of conflicting clues that Tess is determined find her way through the confusing spider's web to the truth. She first wants to protect her friend, Miranda and then the truth of really what happened to Rose and the people she pulled into her web.
The ending was a surprise but not an unexpected one. This is a great mystery full of mountain lore, superstitions and characters that all have secrets related to the mysterious Rose. I loved the mystery and all the twists in the plot.
Rose was a troubled woman, became a recluse, left clues and journals behind when she disappeared on New Years 40 years earlier. This troubled woman left a series of conflicting clues that Tess is determined find her way through the confusing spider's web to the truth. She first wants to protect her friend, Miranda and then the truth of really what happened to Rose and the people she pulled into her web.
The ending was a surprise but not an unexpected one. This is a great mystery full of mountain lore, superstitions and characters that all have secrets related to the mysterious Rose. I loved the mystery and all the twists in the plot.
April 29, 2014
Love a good mystery that keeps you guessing and is loaded with great plot twists, quirky characters, and set in the Appalachian Mountains? If so, Heather Gilbert’s Miranda Warning is the perfect book.
Her strong, unique voice will hook you on the first page while the story unravels at a fast pace leaving you starved for more. I had to make myself slow down while reading!
Her heroine is strong, compassionate, savvy, and full of spunk. I enjoyed traveling with her as she hunted down the truth, and I thoroughly loved the moments with her husband. Who says there can’t be romance between married couples?!
Can’t wait to read more about these characters and their town.
Her strong, unique voice will hook you on the first page while the story unravels at a fast pace leaving you starved for more. I had to make myself slow down while reading!
Her heroine is strong, compassionate, savvy, and full of spunk. I enjoyed traveling with her as she hunted down the truth, and I thoroughly loved the moments with her husband. Who says there can’t be romance between married couples?!
Can’t wait to read more about these characters and their town.
September 28, 2015
What a terrific mystery! The snippets of memories at the beginning of each chapter were so intriguing, and I was a bit unsure what the mysteries would unveil for a good deal of the novel. In the end I even felt empathy for a character that I started out disliking because there had been such a twist. And I loved Tess - each little snippet of information that rounded out her character made her even more endearing. She was serious yet quirky, with a fun side and a propensity to be delightfully nerdy. She would be such a fun friend in real life! Can't wait to read another Tess mystery.
March 3, 2016
If you're looking for a great mystery with unique characters and setting, Miranda Warning is it. This mystery kept me guessing and a plot with plenty of layers kept it interesting. Tess was my kind of heroine: smart, flawed, and someone I'd want to be friends with (plus anyone with a Doctor Who ring tone gets my vote!) The best part is that there's more of Heather Day Gilbert's books to look forward to!
September 10, 2025
I was really into this until the mental illness stuff showed up. There is also mention of miscarriage and abortion. It was too heavy for me. I think the character was schizophrenic. It was said, but she was having helusinations.
I did like the setting in WV near Point Pleasant. I've been to that town and it was described perfectly.
I did like the setting in WV near Point Pleasant. I've been to that town and it was described perfectly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2017
Fantastic. What a read from a first time author for me. Suspense all the way. Couldn’t get enough.
August 11, 2019
I enjoyed this mystery/suspense! It's very realistic with relatable characters. It was free on Kindle when I read it but it would be worth paying for.
August 21, 2014
I first discovered Heather Day Gilbert’s writing through her book
God’s Daughter
, the first in her Vikings of the New World Saga, which I thoroughly enjoyed and reviewed over at the Edgy Inspirational Romance blog. When I found out her next book was taking the leap from historical fiction to contemporary mystery, I was curious and eager to see what this one would be like. I found it highly enjoyable, sharing some of the best features of the author's earlier work, including vivid settings and a strong and relatable heroine.
Just like in God's Daughter, Miranda Warning features settings vividly described with just the right details to put you in the scene with the characters without bogging down the action. In this case the setting is modern day West Virginia... and West Virginia from forty years ago.
Each chapter features a short segment from the past, followed by more lengthy scenes set in the present. Tess Spencer is trying to figure out just what happened in the past before her friend Miranda makes what could be a dangerous mistake in the present. Meanwhile, someone or something is threatening her and her investigation. I thought the format worked very well, with the details from the past being revealed at just the right times to keep suspense high and complement the modern day investigation. The mystery and suspense elements definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.
Then there's the strong and spunky heroine. I really liked Tess, especially her dry sense of humor, and I found myself relating to her in a number of areas. Loved her line about preferring a throwing star to practice her ninja skills. She's friendly and down-to-earth, but she keeps a knife or gun in her pocket just in case. I have a feeling I'd really enjoy hanging out with her ... if she were a real person ... except maybe for the danger she seems to attract. With that in mind, it's probably safer for me to just continue reading the series as it's published. ;)
Faith played a relatively small part in this story, but I enjoyed what was there. Miranda makes an interesting point when she compares Tess's situation to another character's, saying, "She wouldn't go to church or read her Bible. So her views of God got warped, like wet floorboards." (Page 273. I loved the wet floorboards comparison so I had to include that quote.) Anyway, I'm curious to see how Tess's faith might develop over the course of the series.
A big thank you to the author for providing me with an electronic review copy for purposes of this review.
To learn more about Heather Day Gilbert and her books, check out her Web site and Facebook page. You can also connect with her on Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
Just like in God's Daughter, Miranda Warning features settings vividly described with just the right details to put you in the scene with the characters without bogging down the action. In this case the setting is modern day West Virginia... and West Virginia from forty years ago.
Each chapter features a short segment from the past, followed by more lengthy scenes set in the present. Tess Spencer is trying to figure out just what happened in the past before her friend Miranda makes what could be a dangerous mistake in the present. Meanwhile, someone or something is threatening her and her investigation. I thought the format worked very well, with the details from the past being revealed at just the right times to keep suspense high and complement the modern day investigation. The mystery and suspense elements definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.
Then there's the strong and spunky heroine. I really liked Tess, especially her dry sense of humor, and I found myself relating to her in a number of areas. Loved her line about preferring a throwing star to practice her ninja skills. She's friendly and down-to-earth, but she keeps a knife or gun in her pocket just in case. I have a feeling I'd really enjoy hanging out with her ... if she were a real person ... except maybe for the danger she seems to attract. With that in mind, it's probably safer for me to just continue reading the series as it's published. ;)
Faith played a relatively small part in this story, but I enjoyed what was there. Miranda makes an interesting point when she compares Tess's situation to another character's, saying, "She wouldn't go to church or read her Bible. So her views of God got warped, like wet floorboards." (Page 273. I loved the wet floorboards comparison so I had to include that quote.) Anyway, I'm curious to see how Tess's faith might develop over the course of the series.
A big thank you to the author for providing me with an electronic review copy for purposes of this review.
To learn more about Heather Day Gilbert and her books, check out her Web site and Facebook page. You can also connect with her on Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
August 10, 2019
This story seemed like a straightforward mystery at first, but it turned out to be a multi-faceted introduction to what I expect will be a long series.
The author has created a refreshingly original world. I wouldn’t classify the book as “Christian Fiction.” Instead, Ms. Gilbert writes from a Christian worldview, and her setting includes a realistic mix of Christians and nonbelievers in community. None of them are perfect, and they live naturally according to their convictions. The heroine is a unique character. She bears some scars from a dysfunctional childhood, but she went to college, married into a healthy family and doesn’t wallow in angst. As a mother-in-law, I was pleased to see the loving relationship between Tess and Nicky Jo. The politically conservative characters are portrayed as intelligent and sensible instead of rednecks or greedy industrialists. A young boy is allowed to be an ordinary young boy who enjoys his family. An older woman is both lucid and sometimes vague. Tess’s husband is allowed to be grouchy and jealous sometimes without being a bully. He is macho and vulnerable. She is vulnerable, too, but also willful and sometimes intrepid. And she doesn’t hide (too many) things from her husband; she can be foolhardy and she has common sense. On these and several other points, Ms. Gilbert succeeds in breaking free of stereotypes. Refreshing!
There were some inconsistencies that struck me as jarring: Miranda initiated the whole mystery and then became disinterested. The doctor was too accommodating, too fast. Why didn’t Tess have a concealed carry permit? Axel provided insight to Thomas’s character and feelings for Tess, but he seemed extraneous otherwise. He felt like a subplot that never developed, and then he left the country to tie up the loose end. Rosemary’s actions were odd. The friendship with Charlotte happened too quickly and conveniently. The ending felt rushed. And yet, it was still an engrossing story. I wonder if the book was originally much originally and then cut back to meet modern publishing standards.
The author’s creativity and skill were displayed in the two parallel story lines that linked all of the characters. Rose’s story unfolded slowly, changing our perceptions of each character with every installment. THAT was superbly written.
Trial by Twelve, the second book in this series, features the same characters two years later and is more of a murder mystery than this one. I look forward to reading it soon!
I purchased Miranda Warning and was already reading it when the author approached me with an offer of a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review. It was nice to have both versions. The reader did a very good job, but of the two formats, I preferred the text book. The first-person, present tense style sounds a little dreamy and “stream of consciousness” when it’s read aloud.
There are quite a few female characters in the book, and the reader was consistent and distinct in each voice. She had to create separate young and old voices for three of the characters, since there are separate timeline passages, and she did great with that. She also did the child's voice quite well. The Appalachian dialect was just right – not overdone.
The author has created a refreshingly original world. I wouldn’t classify the book as “Christian Fiction.” Instead, Ms. Gilbert writes from a Christian worldview, and her setting includes a realistic mix of Christians and nonbelievers in community. None of them are perfect, and they live naturally according to their convictions. The heroine is a unique character. She bears some scars from a dysfunctional childhood, but she went to college, married into a healthy family and doesn’t wallow in angst. As a mother-in-law, I was pleased to see the loving relationship between Tess and Nicky Jo. The politically conservative characters are portrayed as intelligent and sensible instead of rednecks or greedy industrialists. A young boy is allowed to be an ordinary young boy who enjoys his family. An older woman is both lucid and sometimes vague. Tess’s husband is allowed to be grouchy and jealous sometimes without being a bully. He is macho and vulnerable. She is vulnerable, too, but also willful and sometimes intrepid. And she doesn’t hide (too many) things from her husband; she can be foolhardy and she has common sense. On these and several other points, Ms. Gilbert succeeds in breaking free of stereotypes. Refreshing!
There were some inconsistencies that struck me as jarring: Miranda initiated the whole mystery and then became disinterested. The doctor was too accommodating, too fast. Why didn’t Tess have a concealed carry permit? Axel provided insight to Thomas’s character and feelings for Tess, but he seemed extraneous otherwise. He felt like a subplot that never developed, and then he left the country to tie up the loose end. Rosemary’s actions were odd. The friendship with Charlotte happened too quickly and conveniently. The ending felt rushed. And yet, it was still an engrossing story. I wonder if the book was originally much originally and then cut back to meet modern publishing standards.
The author’s creativity and skill were displayed in the two parallel story lines that linked all of the characters. Rose’s story unfolded slowly, changing our perceptions of each character with every installment. THAT was superbly written.
Trial by Twelve, the second book in this series, features the same characters two years later and is more of a murder mystery than this one. I look forward to reading it soon!
I purchased Miranda Warning and was already reading it when the author approached me with an offer of a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review. It was nice to have both versions. The reader did a very good job, but of the two formats, I preferred the text book. The first-person, present tense style sounds a little dreamy and “stream of consciousness” when it’s read aloud.
There are quite a few female characters in the book, and the reader was consistent and distinct in each voice. She had to create separate young and old voices for three of the characters, since there are separate timeline passages, and she did great with that. She also did the child's voice quite well. The Appalachian dialect was just right – not overdone.
September 8, 2014
Whether writing contemporary suspense or Viking historicals, Heather Day Gilbert delivers novels with vibrant characters and a strong sense of place. Miranda Warning is a compelling mystery that kept me thinking about it when I couldn't be reading.
Miranda Warning tells two stories in one, tying them into one satisfying ending. Tess is a young woman whose best friend, Miranda, happens is in her 70's. When Miranda gets a letter in a dead woman's handwriting, Tess starts asking questions.
The bulk of each chapter is in the first person, as told by Tess. However, each chapter opens with a third-person, past tense segment from 40 years earlier, narrated by Rose, the dead woman.
The warnings turn into threats, but Tess is determined to protect her elderly friend. Tess is a strong yet vulnerable character. She and her husband, Thomas, live in a cottage behind his family home. Tess loves her in-laws; they're the family she never had. But she hasn't been able to find work, and now she's pregnant. And she doesn't measure up to her mother-in-law's talent of baking and decorating.
Although the suspense is the main plot, I found it interesting to see hints of how Tess' self-comparisons kept her from realizing her true worth. How often do we, as real people, fall into this trap? It was also fun to watch her as a young bride under the combined stresses of the mystery, her husband's long hours on the job, and pregnancy hormones. Tess didn't see a positive example of marriage as a child, so she's figuring this out as she goes along, with her in-laws as proof that a marriage can last.
Heather Day Gilbert plans to release another Viking novel, Forest Child, as well as to continue her A Murder in the Mountains series. For more about the author and her books, visit her website: http://heatherdaygilbert.com/.
[Review copy provided by the author.]
Miranda Warning tells two stories in one, tying them into one satisfying ending. Tess is a young woman whose best friend, Miranda, happens is in her 70's. When Miranda gets a letter in a dead woman's handwriting, Tess starts asking questions.
The bulk of each chapter is in the first person, as told by Tess. However, each chapter opens with a third-person, past tense segment from 40 years earlier, narrated by Rose, the dead woman.
The warnings turn into threats, but Tess is determined to protect her elderly friend. Tess is a strong yet vulnerable character. She and her husband, Thomas, live in a cottage behind his family home. Tess loves her in-laws; they're the family she never had. But she hasn't been able to find work, and now she's pregnant. And she doesn't measure up to her mother-in-law's talent of baking and decorating.
Although the suspense is the main plot, I found it interesting to see hints of how Tess' self-comparisons kept her from realizing her true worth. How often do we, as real people, fall into this trap? It was also fun to watch her as a young bride under the combined stresses of the mystery, her husband's long hours on the job, and pregnancy hormones. Tess didn't see a positive example of marriage as a child, so she's figuring this out as she goes along, with her in-laws as proof that a marriage can last.
Heather Day Gilbert plans to release another Viking novel, Forest Child, as well as to continue her A Murder in the Mountains series. For more about the author and her books, visit her website: http://heatherdaygilbert.com/.
[Review copy provided by the author.]
June 4, 2014
4.5 stars
Spine-tingling fun! Heather Day Gilbert captures the mysterious appeal of the mountains well, combining it with superbly-drawn characters, unusual plot twists, a quick pace, and a satisfying conclusion.
The author used her first-person, present-tense voice to her advantage, giving a strong sense of immediacy to this murder-in-the-past tale. Tess is a quirky but not over-the-top narrator with a good sense of humor, a past with which we can sympathize, and concerns that we understand. She is not a passive protagonist, yet neither is she obnoxiously “in-your-face.” I liked how she could admit wrongdoing, change her opinions of people, and acted with the best interests of others foremost in her mind.
The supporting characters were well-rounded and three-dimensional, from Tess’ somewhat-flamboyant mother-in-law Nikki Jo to the distasteful Paul! I loved the diversity portrayed in the Spencer family overall.
Gilbert threw in a twist toward the end that I hadn’t expected, which lent a rather melancholy (in a good way) sense to the ending. Glad she did that; it made this go from a good whodunit into really intriguing territory. The ending resolved loose ends well yet gave me something to look forward to in the next book.
Any cons? I wish the Christian element had flowed throughout the book a little more strongly. The references to Christianity tended to be fairly vague until toward the end. And there were a few instances where the language edged toward crudeness, which disappointed me.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable – somewhat frightening! – read with good writing, well-shaped characters, and a fast-paced storyline. I look forward to Book 2!
*I received this book free from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. I have not received compensation of any kind for my review of this work.*
Spine-tingling fun! Heather Day Gilbert captures the mysterious appeal of the mountains well, combining it with superbly-drawn characters, unusual plot twists, a quick pace, and a satisfying conclusion.
The author used her first-person, present-tense voice to her advantage, giving a strong sense of immediacy to this murder-in-the-past tale. Tess is a quirky but not over-the-top narrator with a good sense of humor, a past with which we can sympathize, and concerns that we understand. She is not a passive protagonist, yet neither is she obnoxiously “in-your-face.” I liked how she could admit wrongdoing, change her opinions of people, and acted with the best interests of others foremost in her mind.
The supporting characters were well-rounded and three-dimensional, from Tess’ somewhat-flamboyant mother-in-law Nikki Jo to the distasteful Paul! I loved the diversity portrayed in the Spencer family overall.
Gilbert threw in a twist toward the end that I hadn’t expected, which lent a rather melancholy (in a good way) sense to the ending. Glad she did that; it made this go from a good whodunit into really intriguing territory. The ending resolved loose ends well yet gave me something to look forward to in the next book.
Any cons? I wish the Christian element had flowed throughout the book a little more strongly. The references to Christianity tended to be fairly vague until toward the end. And there were a few instances where the language edged toward crudeness, which disappointed me.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable – somewhat frightening! – read with good writing, well-shaped characters, and a fast-paced storyline. I look forward to Book 2!
*I received this book free from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. I have not received compensation of any kind for my review of this work.*
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