MY REVIEW:
Once again Jaime Jo Wright has provided her readers with a masterpiece of storytelling. The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater has just the right blend of spooky legends, intriguing characters, mystery and romance within the pages of the dual time novel.
The story bounces back and forth between 1915 and present day in the Wisconsin town of Kipper’s Grove and most of the action centers around the infamous Barlowe Theater where people have died and/or disappeared.
The historical account features poor Greta Mercy and her wealthy friends Oscar and Eleanor Boyd. When Greta’s brother disappears, she will do anything to discover what happened to him. With the aid of Oscar and Eleanor, she takes multiple risks to discover the truth.
Present day narrative features Kit Boyd who agreed to be present with her friend for a taping of a popular psychic show in the theater. When her friend disappears, Kit too is determined to solve the mystery, With the help of one of the show’s hosts, Evan Fischer, they are met with roadblocks at every step. As they search for clues, they discover some of the past history of the theater.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater with all its unexpected twists and surprises. As is always the case with Wright’s books, there is eventually a logical explanation for everything. However, it is always fun to experience her delightfully spooky tales that hint of supernatural involvement. It was a perfect tale for autumn reading.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
It promises beauty but steals life instead. Will the ghosts of Barlowe Theater entomb them all?
Barlowe Theater stole the life of Greta Mercy’s eldest brother during its construction. Now in 1915, the completed theater appears every bit as deadly. When Greta’s younger brother goes missing after breaking into the building, Greta engages the assistance of a local police officer to help her unveil the already ghostly secrets of the theater. But when help comes from an unlikely source, Greta decides that to save her family she must uncover the evil that haunts the theater and put its threat to rest.
Decades later, Kit Boyd’s best friend vanishes during a ghost walk at the Barlowe Theater, and old stories of mysterious disappearances and ghoulish happenings are revived. Then television ghost-hunting host and skeptic Evan Fisher joins Kit in the quest to identify the truth behind the theater’s history. Kit reluctantly agrees to work with him in hopes of finding her missing friend. As the theater’s curse unravels Kit’s life, she is determined to put an end to the evil that has marked the theater and their hometown for the last century.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jaime Jo Wright (JaimeWrightBooks.com) is the author of ten novels, including Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill and Carol Award winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. She’s also a two-time Christy Award finalist, as well as the ECPA bestselling author of The Vanishing at Castle Moreau and two Publishers Weekly bestselling novellas. Jaime lives in Wisconsin with her family and felines.
