What do you think?
Rate this book
Winds of Graystone Manor
Roman St. Clare, a Civil War photographer, was haunted by the slaying of his wife and unborn child. His relentless quest to find their murderer leads him to a remote area on Staten Island, where he must confront and be confronted by his own dark past. Amanda (Andy) Fairchild the petite, auburn-haired beauty who, as owner of Graystone Manor, a secluded resort hotel, is suspicious of the stranger who has arrived at a time of great mystery and intrigue on the Island. Niles Rutherford a brilliant young physician and Andy's lifelong friend, who, as her self-proclaimed protector, guards her well and, in return, demands more than her loyalty. Caught up in conflicting emotions and danger, these three find themselves ensnared in the age-old battle between Light and Darkness, fighting for their very lives - and their love.
318 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1995
76 people want to read
About the author
B.J. Hoff
51 books147 followersBJ Hoff’s writing is known for her historical settings, her unforgettable characters, and her lyrical prose. She is the bestselling author of numerous historical fiction series, including the Riverhaven Years, the Mountain Song Legacy, the Song of Erin saga, the American Anthem series, An Emerald Ballad series, and her newest book Harp on the Willow.
Her five-volume Emerald Ballad series was the first major work of fiction to bring the Irish immigration experience to the CBA marketplace, and the work that first brought BJ an international reading audience.
Her readers know they can expect to meet some memorable people in her novels and also know that many of those people will be immigrants; Irish immigrants particularly but not exclusively.
BJ admits to a passion for building worlds. Whether her characters move about in small country towns or metropolitan areas, reside in Amish settlements, secluded mansions, or coal company houses, she creates communities where people can form relationships, raise families, pursue their faith, and experience the mountains and valleys of life.
She’s intent on making her historical novels relevant to the present by developing characters and settings that, while staying true to the history and culture of their times, reflect many of the spiritual trials and social problems faced by contemporary readers. Her novels are meant to be stories that build a bridge from the past to the present.
Her literary awards include the Christianity Today’s Critics Choice Book Award for fiction; a Gold Medallion Award finalist; and a number of Excellence in Media Silver Angel awards. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, and she frequently hears from her international readers in countries such as Ireland, England, Norway, and Germany.
A former church music director and music teacher, BJ writes from her home in a small town in east central Ohio. She and her husband share a love of music, books, and time spent with their family: two daughters and three lively young grandsons.
Her five-volume Emerald Ballad series was the first major work of fiction to bring the Irish immigration experience to the CBA marketplace, and the work that first brought BJ an international reading audience.
Her readers know they can expect to meet some memorable people in her novels and also know that many of those people will be immigrants; Irish immigrants particularly but not exclusively.
BJ admits to a passion for building worlds. Whether her characters move about in small country towns or metropolitan areas, reside in Amish settlements, secluded mansions, or coal company houses, she creates communities where people can form relationships, raise families, pursue their faith, and experience the mountains and valleys of life.
She’s intent on making her historical novels relevant to the present by developing characters and settings that, while staying true to the history and culture of their times, reflect many of the spiritual trials and social problems faced by contemporary readers. Her novels are meant to be stories that build a bridge from the past to the present.
Her literary awards include the Christianity Today’s Critics Choice Book Award for fiction; a Gold Medallion Award finalist; and a number of Excellence in Media Silver Angel awards. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, and she frequently hears from her international readers in countries such as Ireland, England, Norway, and Germany.
A former church music director and music teacher, BJ writes from her home in a small town in east central Ohio. She and her husband share a love of music, books, and time spent with their family: two daughters and three lively young grandsons.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 2, 2008
It's been years since I read it, but when I read it, I really liked it, and said this:
This book held me captivated the whole way through...from page one on. The mystery and romance was great, with an intriguing plot, characters, and surroundings, as well as a good message.
I've been waiting for book two and three, but I haven't seen any sign of them, which is very disappointing. This book leaves me wanting to know what happens next...Maybe I'll have to let my imagination fill it in.
This book held me captivated the whole way through...from page one on. The mystery and romance was great, with an intriguing plot, characters, and surroundings, as well as a good message.
I've been waiting for book two and three, but I haven't seen any sign of them, which is very disappointing. This book leaves me wanting to know what happens next...Maybe I'll have to let my imagination fill it in.
August 23, 2019
Spoiler marker only for the end of my review. Can be read without fear until final paragraph:
I found this book buried at the bottom of a children’s activity bin- while looking for a story for my nephew, in an instant hotel type of cottage my family rented for two weeks while we vacationed on Manitoulin Island Ontario. It immediately appealed to me because the book itself, Hardcover and its plastic covering that included the title and author long lost, was a mystery.
After reading the prologue and the first few chapters I became immediately intrigued with the happenings on their own island surrounding their own inn. It really spiced up my vacation! I thoroughly enjoyed the book, as it kept me hooked in every moment, and the short chapters lead to convenient breaking points and memorable page marked for when I had to set it down to do something else.
The mystery within the story that carried throughout was a real rush of adrenaline. Excitement and anticipation runs through ones veins when they finally know exactly what’s happening but they’re simply waiting on the action to take place and for the vile actions and happenings on Staten Island to finally be put to rest.
The book itself covers two main themes within it, the effects of mental illness and instability and with faith and Christianity. The first of which I found really intriguing. Being an atheist myself I was surprised to be unbothered by the theism, instead being interested in the ways a belief in God had apparently affected many of the characters so positively. I found myself actually rather relieved that the troubled characters had some sort of crutch in which for them to bear their weight (hehe!). I was not at all opposed or disappointed in that respect.
Spoiler incoming now:
What did disappoint me what that we never do find out who murdered St.Clare’s wife, Kathleen, along with the other women who’d had relations to photographers and had fates similar to Roman’s wife. That was what initially pulled me in. At the end I had hope because I expected there must be a sequel, as I had looked up the book online and saw that it was listed as a trilogy... now imagine my disappointment when I then discovered the the second and third books were never yet released, and likely wouldn’t as the tale has been seemingly forgotten about since it was first published 24 years ago in 1995... what an awful pity...
But overall, I actually quite loved this book, it may actually be one of my new favourites and I’m considering ordering myself a personal copy to add to my shelf in case I should want to revisit the mysteries of Staten Island again one day.
I found this book buried at the bottom of a children’s activity bin- while looking for a story for my nephew, in an instant hotel type of cottage my family rented for two weeks while we vacationed on Manitoulin Island Ontario. It immediately appealed to me because the book itself, Hardcover and its plastic covering that included the title and author long lost, was a mystery.
After reading the prologue and the first few chapters I became immediately intrigued with the happenings on their own island surrounding their own inn. It really spiced up my vacation! I thoroughly enjoyed the book, as it kept me hooked in every moment, and the short chapters lead to convenient breaking points and memorable page marked for when I had to set it down to do something else.
The mystery within the story that carried throughout was a real rush of adrenaline. Excitement and anticipation runs through ones veins when they finally know exactly what’s happening but they’re simply waiting on the action to take place and for the vile actions and happenings on Staten Island to finally be put to rest.
The book itself covers two main themes within it, the effects of mental illness and instability and with faith and Christianity. The first of which I found really intriguing. Being an atheist myself I was surprised to be unbothered by the theism, instead being interested in the ways a belief in God had apparently affected many of the characters so positively. I found myself actually rather relieved that the troubled characters had some sort of crutch in which for them to bear their weight (hehe!). I was not at all opposed or disappointed in that respect.
Spoiler incoming now:
What did disappoint me what that we never do find out who murdered St.Clare’s wife, Kathleen, along with the other women who’d had relations to photographers and had fates similar to Roman’s wife. That was what initially pulled me in. At the end I had hope because I expected there must be a sequel, as I had looked up the book online and saw that it was listed as a trilogy... now imagine my disappointment when I then discovered the the second and third books were never yet released, and likely wouldn’t as the tale has been seemingly forgotten about since it was first published 24 years ago in 1995... what an awful pity...
But overall, I actually quite loved this book, it may actually be one of my new favourites and I’m considering ordering myself a personal copy to add to my shelf in case I should want to revisit the mysteries of Staten Island again one day.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2024
Excellent suspense thriller (4 stars)
I was expecting what is typical of a lot of Christian fiction: a historical romance with a small dash of mystery thrown in. This definitely has a strong romance element, but first and foremost it's a suspense thriller that will have you turning pages rapidly to get to the end.
Set in the second half of the 19th century, a widower photographer is staying at an old manor run by a young woman. But all is not what it seems in this quiet rural setting, because a series of horrible deaths and mysterious grave robberies is taking place. The threat soon comes closer, and the final part of this story is suspenseful and even a bit frightening.
Sadly this seems not to have become the trilogy that the cover promised, which is a pity, because presumably the author intended to give room for a further story where the protagonist uncovered who was behind the murder of his wife. This does leave some plot aspects unexplored and unanswered, and it's the only reason I'd give this four rather than five stars. Even so it is still a satisfying and independent story in its own right.
The romance elements can be a bit much at times, and definitely overshadow any Christian themes. But the Christian elements that are there are pleasantly present without erring on the side of being superficial or on the side of being preachy. It’s not perfect, but it’s still rather good.
I was expecting what is typical of a lot of Christian fiction: a historical romance with a small dash of mystery thrown in. This definitely has a strong romance element, but first and foremost it's a suspense thriller that will have you turning pages rapidly to get to the end.
Set in the second half of the 19th century, a widower photographer is staying at an old manor run by a young woman. But all is not what it seems in this quiet rural setting, because a series of horrible deaths and mysterious grave robberies is taking place. The threat soon comes closer, and the final part of this story is suspenseful and even a bit frightening.
Sadly this seems not to have become the trilogy that the cover promised, which is a pity, because presumably the author intended to give room for a further story where the protagonist uncovered who was behind the murder of his wife. This does leave some plot aspects unexplored and unanswered, and it's the only reason I'd give this four rather than five stars. Even so it is still a satisfying and independent story in its own right.
The romance elements can be a bit much at times, and definitely overshadow any Christian themes. But the Christian elements that are there are pleasantly present without erring on the side of being superficial or on the side of being preachy. It’s not perfect, but it’s still rather good.
February 14, 2018
I've read this book approximately three times and never tire of it. There were several subplots continuing throughout the book. I was surprised at the end by the deception of the killer to those he loved and the community he served. This is the first book to be developed in the St. Claire trilogy. Presently, the trilogy is not being finished, which is a great disappointment to this reader.
December 18, 2016
"Winds of Graystone Manor" - written by B J Hoff and published in 1995 by Turtleback Books. A pretty good, mildly Christian romance/mystery.
August 19, 2020
Very complicated and interesting hero.
March 1, 2022
Great read
April 16, 2019
It was just OK... rather slow going ..... I just didn't feel drawn in as though I was right there like I am in so many novels. Where in some novels I don't want to reach the last page.... I was happy to
reach the end here. It was just that the end of a story, I don't feel as though I've left good friends to go on there way.
reach the end here. It was just that the end of a story, I don't feel as though I've left good friends to go on there way.
April 3, 2015
I picked up this book because of it's tentatively Jane Eyre-esque plot line and because I was in the mood for some Gothic romance/suspense. The novel switches back and forth from a third-person limited POV of the main characters - mostly Amanda and Roman - which was a little off-putting for me. Mostly because their feelings of insecurity and interest in each other just kept being repeated as both characters had mostly the same thoughts. And the romance itself was ... nice, I guess - mostly predictable, with nothing to really surprise me about how their relationship develops. It is also very slow to develop as well, because the characters take their time in even considering the other interested in them. It was a little too drawn out.
The suspense comes from the mystery of a series of disappearances on the island, and what I found surprising in the mystery is how early it's revealed who is behind it. It does help to create more tension, because none of the other characters are suspicious of the culprit, but towards the end of the novel, I felt that the pace of the reveal was too slow, and there was little suspense in it for me, since it was clear how things would go. I feel I am nit-picking a bit in this regard though, as I'm sure there are other readers who would not be so bothered. And I do think the suspense of the story was the highlight of the book. Also the dog was a highlight - I so wish I had a dog as true and loyal as Conor!
One aspect that was unexpected was the strong religious leaning of the characters and their feelings. This book could be classed as Christian literature, since their unspecified religion is mentioned a few times. I suppose that accounts for the somewhat grandiose claims in the plot summary of "Light vs. Darkness" when this is more of a straightforward story. There are no paranormal aspects for example which I was almost expecting given the synopsis.
This book was absorbing in many ways, but in the end, I felt more disappointed in my hopes for a strong romance and nail-biting suspense. It was just a nice read.
The suspense comes from the mystery of a series of disappearances on the island, and what I found surprising in the mystery is how early it's revealed who is behind it. It does help to create more tension, because none of the other characters are suspicious of the culprit, but towards the end of the novel, I felt that the pace of the reveal was too slow, and there was little suspense in it for me, since it was clear how things would go. I feel I am nit-picking a bit in this regard though, as I'm sure there are other readers who would not be so bothered. And I do think the suspense of the story was the highlight of the book. Also the dog was a highlight - I so wish I had a dog as true and loyal as Conor!
One aspect that was unexpected was the strong religious leaning of the characters and their feelings. This book could be classed as Christian literature, since their unspecified religion is mentioned a few times. I suppose that accounts for the somewhat grandiose claims in the plot summary of "Light vs. Darkness" when this is more of a straightforward story. There are no paranormal aspects for example which I was almost expecting given the synopsis.
This book was absorbing in many ways, but in the end, I felt more disappointed in my hopes for a strong romance and nail-biting suspense. It was just a nice read.
September 12, 2007
This was an intense suspence/romance novel. I'm sorry BJ Hoff never finished the series
Read
March 12, 2009JF-YAHof
March 2, 2015
My memory is a bit vague on this, however I loved it when I was 13, though I was sad there were no more books in the "trilogy."
June 30, 2011
neat setting, romantic, great chracters and mystery
August 15, 2012
read in jail. Actual rating: 3.2
March 20, 2015
I enjoyed the book but was very disappointed and lowered my rating after learning there are not 2nd and 3rd books in the "trilogy."
September 14, 2015
It seems there's no second book to this "trilogy"...wish there were more!
September 12, 2015
Very strange, but good.
January 31, 2016
Nice easy read. Parts of the story were a bit predictable.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews