A Mountain of Mystery

Mysteries of Silver Peak #1

by Carole Jefferson

When Sadie’s old friend Edwin retires to his parents’ Victorian home, he finds a gorgeous antique wedding gown hidden in the attic. It’s in perfect condition, except for one important thing — a bullet hole in the bodice. When he shows it to Sadie, he also reveals another antique that suggests one of Sadie’s relatives knew how that bullet hole got there. As she is investigating the history of the dress, a mysterious visitor arrives who wants the gown — at any cost. Will the stranger be the key to unlocking the secret past of the dress? Will she uncover what happened to the bride so long ago?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Christian, Cozy, Christian Fiction

283 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

A Guideposts pen name used by a team of authors who write the Silver Peak mysteries, including Susan Page Davis, Nancy Mehl and Lisa Harris.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silver Peak is such a lovely setting, it's easy to picture a quaint town and idyllic mountain scenery, and reading about the town, its residents, and the mystery gives you a cozy, homey feeling. I enjoyed the varied characters, most were pleasant, but some had characterizations that left room for doubt as to their true nature. I have an interest in family history and genealogy so the legend of the runaway bride was appealing and at the end it made me wonder what mysteries lie buried all around us just waiting to be discovered.

Some reviewers noted that the dates are off in the story, it is noticeable if you are keen on the details when reading, or easily glossed over like I did. I guess I'm too trusting that editors would find and correct these types of mistakes!

[Melmo2610 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful story. An intriguing mystery, a picturesque location, great characters and a feel of comfort for me much like a Murder, She Wrote made for a new favorite series. This will fill the void left when I read finished the MSW series a couple weeks ago. This book didn't feature a murder but had a decades old family mystery the heroine of the book is trying to unravel. I am already devouring the next book in the set an look forward to reading them all!

[Mary Lou Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the plot and the characters, but the author somewhat lost my trust with the lack of math skills. Rachel, the "runaway bride", was supposed to get married in 1897, but ran away on her wedding day, supposedly shot herself, and was presumed dead. That's fine, in and of itself, but when her granddaughter shows up with a death certificate dated 2003 and stated she was 96 when she died, that puts her being born in 1907, the same year the granddaughter states Rachel married her grandfather. She hadn't even been born in 1897, much less be old enough to get married. Had Rachel been the great-grandmother rather than the grandmother, the story would have been more believable, especially if the death certificate had been dated a reasonable year to fit with the other facts. There are other inconsistencies with age as well.

[Kaitlyn Bubolz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Resub
Name: Kaitlyn Bubolz

Book title: A Mountain of Mystery

Personal Response

In my opinion, A Mountain of Mystery, written by Carole Jefferson, was an interesting mystery book. I, and you probably know this by now, get easily distracted when I try to read, but it was quite easy for me to finish this book without wanting to stop not even halfway through.

Plot Summary

The book started out with a letter, written by a perceived dead family member. The whole town believed in the old story of the ¨Runaway Bride,” and as they know it they all assumed she had shot herself in the river with her brother´s gun. Later in the book, a long lost relative of Sadie, the main character, came into town and showed up at Sadie's quiet home. Laura brought it to her attention that the bride never killed herself, but only faked her death to start a new life somewhere far away. Many mysteries about the bride's dress and the treasures hidden in it came up, and everyone wanted to know if it was true. Eventually, everyone knows the truth and Sadie finally has a friend and got to keep the legendary dress.

Characterization

Sadie was the main character. As the book progressed, she was more open to about her feelings to her past boyfriend that came into her life. Laura, was always open but she was not always telling the truth about her situations, but that eventually changed. Hank was a dog so he stayed the same.

Recommendation

I would recommend this to someone who likes mysteries, but not scary ones. The book is pretty light-hearted, so I would recommend it to middle schoolers or high schoolers. I definitely would not recommend this book to anyone older than me.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadie is known as the antique lady because of her shop the Antique Mine. Her high school boyfriend moves back to town to restore his family home and finds a wedding dress that he thinks belonged to Sadie’s great aunt. It has a bullet hole and blood on the front. A woman shows up claiming to be a relative of Sadie’s and Sadie lets her stay with her. She claims that the great aunt didn’t die in the 1800’s from the bullet shot and lived a long life. Sadie sets out to find out the truth.

[Julie Shrauger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the plot of this story because it was so unusual. I wanted to find out the answer to the mystery. I give credit to the author for keeping me interested. The downside of the book is the author put too much unnecessary information in the book. Every time the heroine got in her vehicle the author described it as a Tahoe. Every person was described with first and last name, eye color and hair color. Even people who she waved to across the street were tagged with a first and last name. Those people never appeared again in the story. Every time the heroine put on her vest it was the "North Face" vest. Her friend's purse was a Coach purse. It escapes me why the author found it necessary to mention these things once, much less multiple times. If these numerous descriptions don't annoy you then I think you will enjoy the book. I don't believe I will look for another book by this author. Kristen Eckhardt writing as Carole Jefferson.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series, Mysteries of Silver Peak, is set in a small old silver mining town in Colorado. It is a Guideposts Christan series, not preachy but does include praying and Bible reading. It's also a great mystery series, although I found too many typos. They don't distract from the story.

Widowed Sadie Speers is known as the "Antique Lady" because she runs an antique shop in the town of Silver Peak. She has an appreciation for history and also has a healthy curiosity. When her old High School boyfriend, Edwin, moves back to the old family home he finds an old wedding dress in the attic with a bullet hole in it. He brings it to Sadie who realizes that it could have belonged to her great aunt, who is a home-grown legend known as the "Runaway Bride" because she ran away on her wedding day rather than marry a man she disliked, shot and drowned herself. Sadie with the luck of coincidence and some sleuthing searches for the truth of what happened to Rachel Wright over 100 years ago!

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a delightful book. It was an easy read and it kept me interested in the characters and plot. This is a series about a fictional town, Silver Peak, CO, and a retired history teacher, Sadie Spears, who now runs a wonderful antique store called Antique Mine. She is a widow with a daughter and two grandchildren and an old high school boyfriend, Edwin, who has just moved back to town.

Of course, there's a mystery! Edwin finds an old wedding gown in the house he bought and got Sadie involved in finding out who the dress belonged to. It turns out there is an old legend about a runaway bride and she suspects the dress might have belonged to her. There are many twists and turns in the story, which I won't give away. Just read and enjoy!

I would give it 3.5 stars if I could and I'm reading the whole series, so you can tell I'm enjoying the characters and lovely town. It's the kind of book that's quick to read, interesting, and delightful and great to read in-between books.

[Mtl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beauty of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains is the backdrop for this cozy, inspirational mystery. Antique shop owner Sadie Speers uncovers some surprising things about her great Aunt Rachel, who was the famous “Runaway Bride” of Silver Peak. She is assisted by Edwin, her high school sweetheart, who recently returned to his hometown. When Edwin discovers the Runaway Bride’s wedding dress with a bullet hole in his attic, it adds to the clues and the mystery. A turn of events occurs when Laura comes to town, claiming to be the granddaughter of Rachel, as well as Sadie’s cousin. When Sadie’s house and car are vandalized, is it related to the Runaway Bride mystery and the people who want the dress? Is Laura who she claims to be? This story of a 100-year-old mystery is the first in the “Mysteries of Silver Peak” series.

[Mandy Burkhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly did not expect much of this book. Don't judge a book by it's cover, but I picked this book up 100% because of the beautiful illustration on the cover of a quaint Main Street in a small town nestled in the mountains. I started it with a grain of salt, because I noticed it was published by a small printing house I had never heard of, and seemed to be more of a Reader's Digest type of novel. Speaking of don't judge a book by it's cover, though, the mystery was actually really well written and was entirely plausible, which is more than I can say of some of these cozy mysteries I've read. I really enjoyed this one.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadie Speers owns the Antique Mine, an antique store in the Rocky Mountain area of Colorado. Her great aunt Rachel died many years ago while trying to escape an arranged marriage, or so everyone thought. An old high school sweetheart gives her Rachel's alleged wedding dress with a bullet hole in it. And a young woman comes to town claiming to be a long lost relative. Sadie must figure out the mystery regarding the past and the present.

This book is a nice, clean, easy-to-read Christian mystery. I enjoyed the descriptions of the Colorado scenery.

[Linda Husvar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cozy mystery is an interesting introduction to a new Guideposts series. I liked the Rocky Mountain setting in a small town with a rich history. The story line revealed very subtle clues to a multi-generational mystery. I appreciated the author's surprise exclamation that was hidden until the end of the book. The tone was skillfully set for other books to follow. Highly recommended!

[Shonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic characters in a small Colorado town that just feels like you’ve come home! I enjoyed the mystery and intrigue of the run away bride. I love history and this story had plenty. I wish this story didn’t have to end. I was hanging on the edge of my seat the entire time. An incredible ending that had me smiling and forgetting that this was a fictional story. Well done Carole Jefferson!

[Koliver36 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Hooks you from the very begining! With family in Colorado our visits have been plenty and the author captures the Colorado beauty at its finest! I felt as though I was there in the story. Great read! Already almost finished with the second one and onto the third in the series!

[Makenzie]

A wonderful cozy mystery that was easy to read, but hard to put down! This little town has more to it than meets the eye and I personally enjoyed exploring the streets with Sadie and meeting her friends and family. :) I hope to read the rest of the series eventually!

[LeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to miss my post work "trips" to the Rocky Mountains and all the "friends" I've met there. This mystery kept me on my toes, and I look forward to the others in this series.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great start to another great Guideposts mystery series. I really enjoyed this mystery and an looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Bess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Circling back to my awesome Guideposts Christian Mysteries for a bit.... I totally understand why they call them "cozy."

[Lis Sigona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice easy read with some twist and turns. Appreciate the touch of Christianity in the book. Very nice series to read.

[Christy Wv Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cozy mystery that was so easy to sit and enjoy. Makes me want to read the whole series...

[Piper Wagstaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. I didn't want to put the book down. Good mystery in this story.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy mystery, Christian but not over-the-top (limited extemporaneous praying and no actual miracles).

I have read The Map In The Attic and Rag Doll In The Attic in the Annie's Attic series, so I already knew what to expect from a Guideposts series. These books are very cozy, no sex, no swearing, and the mysteries are mild. More angst than violence. Murders, if there are any, happen way off stage or in the distant past.

This particular book is an Un-murder mystery. Sadie Speer's great-aunt, Rachel, committed suicide in 1897 (or 1923, the author seems to be confused about that detail) but now a young woman has turned up in Silver Peak claiming to be Rachel's grand daughter. Is she who she says she is or is she just a scam artist? Meanwhile, Sadie is trying to run her antique business, take over organizing the Founders' Day picnic, trouble-shooting her best friend's marriage, looking for her missing ring, and dabbling in a little romance on the side.

[Jacquie Stricklind · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew reading a book about a lady, Sadie Speers, who owns an antique shop, who is known as the "Antique Lady" would be so suspenseful! Sadie's boyfriend from high school, Edwin, who is a retired judge from Chicago moves back to Silver Peak, contacts Sadie to look at an old wedding dress that belonged to Sadie's great-aunt, Rachel Wright. In a hole in the bodice of the dress there is a pistol that has Sadie's grandfather's initials on it. Rachel Wright was known as "the runaway bride." Later , a woman arrives at Sadie's house claiming to be her cousin. There are so many twists and turns in this story. Sadie has to deal with broken windows at her house and car. Find out who wants the wedding dress and the history behind it. Is Laura really her cousin? Read this really good book to find out!

[Jo Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reviewing yet another of these easy to read cozies put out by Guideposts. "Mountain" is from a 3 book series set in Colorado. The main character, Sadie Speers runs an antique shop and solves mysteries. She is older, a widow and she has the best friends in the world! She probably should put in security cameras and an alarm system since both her house and shop are constantly being broken into.
The books can be considered Nancy Drew for the adult set, and they are clean, so if swearing and hot sex that goes on for 5 pages isn't your thing, these are what you want. Under 300 pages, it's a book you can knock out in an afternoon.

[Karlie Nyte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. And I don't really know why. It was really well written, and I loved the characters. The location makes me want to run further west to the mountains higher than my own back yard. The story was interesting, and made me want to keep reading until I was done with the entire story. I look forward to reading book 2 in the series!

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book in the mail the other day from Guideposts, I didnt order it..looks like a free trial thing. I took the chance to read it and was suprised I enjoyed it so much.
I dont read mysteries much at all but I really did enjoy this, it kept me guessing..I had just about everyone as a suspect at one time lol

[Brittney Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a fun and cozy mystery! It actually reminds me of Nancy Drew if Nancy was a 60-something year old widow living in a small Colorado town and owned an antique shop.

---//---

Warnings:
- Clean on all marks!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mountain of Mystery proved to be a pleasant read. In addition to the intrigue of the mystery, Sadie shares her love of antiques in this novel. Highly controversial subjects do not grace the pages. Small-town living, family ties, and beautiful Rocky Mountain scenery complement the story.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 star
Storyline great, writing good. A but to much “filler “ data for me.