Charlotte Anne Mattas longs to turn back the clock. Before her husband, Sam, went to serve his country in the war, he was the man everyone could rely on--responsible, intelligent, and loving. But the person who's come back to their family farm is very different from the protector Annie remembers. Sam's experience in the Pacific theater has left him broken in ways no one can understand--but that everyone is learning to fear.
Tongues start wagging after Sam nearly kills his own brother. Now when he claims to have seen men on the mountain when no one else has seen them, Annie isn't the only one questioning his sanity and her safety. If there were criminals haunting the hills, there should be evidence beyond his claims. Is he really seeing what he says, or is his war-tortured mind conjuring ghosts?
Annie desperately wants to believe her husband. But between his irrational choices and his nightmares leaking into the daytime, she's terrified he's going mad. Can she trust God to heal Sam's mental wounds--or will sticking by him mean keeping her marriage at the cost of her own life?
Debut novelist Janyre Tromp delivers a deliciously eerie, Hitchcockian story filled with love and suspense. Readers of psychological thrillers and historical fiction by Jaime Jo Wright and Sarah Sundin will add Tromp to their favorite authors list.
My thoughts:
This intriguing debut
novel surprised me because it seemed like it was penned by a seasoned author. Ms.
Tromp brought her characters to life in the story of Sam and Annie as they are reunited
when Sam returns from WWII. As you can
imagine, things are difficult for this couple, especially since he is struggling
with PTSD. Sam has to adjust to being
home, fatherhood and trying to be a good husband.
There are highs and lows
with his homecoming with the lows far more prevalent the highs throughout much
of the storyline. I found myself questioning Sam’s sanity a time or two at
first but then became clearer as the story progressed that something was very
wrong even though those around him didn’t believe him at first. A perfect blend
of mystery, family and love made this a truly wonderful read.
I voluntarily
reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Janyre Tromp is a historical novelist whose loves spinning tales that, at their core, hunt for beauty, even when it isn’t pretty. She’s the author of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye and coauthor of It’s a Wonderful Christmas.
She’s also a book editor, published children’s book author, and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her family, two crazy cats, and a slightly eccentric Shetland Sheepdog. And if you ever meet in person, you pronounce that first name Jan-ear.
You can find her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and her website, www.JanyreTromp.com (where you can grab a free copy of her novella Wide Open).
GIVEAWAY
The book giveaway will end one week after the tour so that those on the end of the tour can share it.
The prize pack includes:
- A copy of Shadows in the Mind's Eye,
- A custom made silver peach tree necklace inspired by the book,
- A "Light speaks through the broken places" t-shirt also inspired by the book.
I'm so glad you enjoyed Sam and Annie's story, Cathy!
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