Lynn Austin is well known for her historical and biblical fiction, with more that 2.5 million copies of her books sold through the years. Her newest is sure to continue that trajectory as she takes on a dual-timeline story. She also stays close to her West Michigan home, setting her novel in an 1873 lumber town along Lake Michigan and in the same town in the present day.
Hannah and John Wagner move from New York City to the wilds of Michigan, a fresh start after a devastating loss. Lumber baron Henry Abernathy, a friend of John’s, offers to build them a house if he’ll become a doctor in the lumber town. Abernathy’s new mansion and new wife Kate make major waves in the city, while Hannah grieves her loss and John struggles to help his wife and the townspeople who need his doctoring.
In the present day, David and Ashley Gilbert also move to the lakeshore town for a new job, purchasing the doctor’s house. Ashley, a museum expert, takes an interest in helping restore the Abernathy mansion and becomes enmeshed in the mystery of what happened to Kate Abernathy, who disappeared and was never found.
Austin moves back and forth in time with ease as she tells two different but entwined tales. Hannah struggles to overcome her grief and share her faith with Kate, while Kate struggles to fit into the high society her husband is eager to join. The pair help each other despite their differences, but all is not well in Kate’s life. Her past is beginning to catch up with her, and her husband is no gem. When a fire destroys part of the town, events take a turn for both women.
Ashley is struggling to find joy in her new surroundings while her husband struggles with his past and his fears as they face surprises in their marriage. The stories come together as Ashley and her team of renovation experts restore the Abernathy mansion, bringing to light events and stories from the past.
Especially interesting is that Austin’s tale is based on true stories. There was indeed a missing lumber baron’s wife whose disappearance is still a mystery today, and there is the lumber baron’s mansion that has been restored. Austin doesn’t solve the real mystery, but she offers a fitting ending that will satisfy readers who love historical fiction and contemporary tales. This is a tale well worth reading by a master storyteller. (Tyndale Fiction)
About the Author
Ann Byle is author of Chicken Scratch: Lessons on Living Creatively from a Flock of Hens. She is a freelance writer and author of several other books, magazine articles, and reviews. She lives in Grand Rapids, Mich.