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    The Curse of Misty Wayfair
    The Curse of Misty Wayfair
    The Curse of Misty Wayfair
    Audiobook13 hours

    The Curse of Misty Wayfair

    Written by Jaime Jo Wright

    Narrated by Pilar Witherspoon

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Left at an orphanage as a child, Thea Reed vowed to find her mother someday. Now grown, her search takes her to Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin, in 1908. When clues lead her to a mental asylum, Thea uses her experience as a post-mortem photographer to gain access and assist groundskeeper Simeon Coyle in photographing the patients and uncovering the secrets within. However, she never expected her personal quest would reawaken the legend of Misty Wayfair, a murdered woman who allegedly haunts the area and whose appearance portends death. A century later, Heidi Lane receives a troubling letter from her mother--who is battling dementia--compelling her to travel to Pleasant Valley for answers to her own questions of identity. When she catches sight of a ghostly woman who haunts the asylum ruins in the woods, the long-standing story of Misty Wayfair returns--and with it, Heidi's fear for her own life. As two women across time seek answers about their identities and heritage, can they overcome the threat of the mysterious curse that has them inextricably intertwined?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateJan 22, 2019
    ISBN9781980018469
    Author

    Jaime Jo Wright

    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.

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    Reviews for The Curse of Misty Wayfair

    4.5/5

    55 ratings9 reviews

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    • 5/5
      It carries a duel story line that follows the lives of two women born a century apart. I thought to start with that it was a ghost story but found that even though there was a ghost...and one of the women goes door to door taking photographs of the recently dead...it is more a case of reincarnation than an actual case of a haunting. Both Thea and Heidi share similar lifestyles. Other than looks they are both lonely...they both often display unorthodox behaviors...both had similar sad childhoods with mothers that shared a type of mental illness. The missteps that Thea made in the past have impacted Heidi's present and may still impact dead Thea. I found the book only somewhat creepy but high on suspense. The only problem I had with it was that the ending was very predictable if you read very many of these type of books. It was well written...engaging and well worth the 4.5 star rating.
    • 5/5
      Heidi and Thea, separated by a century, find themselves in the same small Wisconsin town searching for answers about their identities and where they came from. The more they dig, the more they reawaken the local ghost legend of a woman named Misty Wayfair. A woman whose tragic story is intertwined with their own and is begging to be told.To say I loved this book is an understatement. I hung on every single word, desperate to solve the mystery that connected these women as if it were mine. And in the end it kind of was. I found myself in their story in ways I never expected. Their struggles and the battles they fought within themselves were so similar to my own and it was a breath of fresh air to see anxiety and mental illness depicted in such an authentic light. Jaime has a real God given gift and I can’t wait to read her other novels.
    • 5/5
      I had looked forward so long to read The Curse of Misty Wayfair. Jaime Jo Wright lived up to all expectations. At first, it was hard to get into this dual-time novel, but before too long something clicked. I was hooked on the apparition that keeps appearing in both generations. Take one insane asylum, a familial curse, a post-mortem photographer, and a modern-day woman who can’t rise above her family’s opinions; you have the recipe for a very gloomy story. (Thankfully, the story doesn’t stay gloomy.) Both Thea and Heidi are absolutely lost, looking for their identity. Their searches are leaving them unfulfilled. “We weren’t created to find our identity in life. We were created to discover our Creator. In doing so, our identity is defined.” Wise words. The ultimate light of the book is the light of Scripture and finding one’s self in God’s attitude toward you, instead of others.’ However, humor, a look at autism, family secrets, and progress from old-time asylums also help round out the novel to make it fully appealing. (I loved the “creative cussing.”) Being from a rural area, it was hard to imagine someone who would be “suffocating by woods,” but I imagine, if one is used to the big city, it is quite possible. Wright knows how and when to play the shock card. She does this with great aplomb. While I had some things figured out, other things I wouldn’t have figured out in my wildest dreams. Now I am glad there are other Jaime Jo Wright books out there. Must go find...must go find...must go read... I was given a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher. I am under no obligation to leave a positive review, and all opinions are solely my own.
    • 5/5
      Title: The Curse of Misty WayfairAuthor: Jaime Jo WrightPages: e-bookYear: 2019Publisher: Bethany House PublishersMy rating is 5 out of 5 stars.This novel uses flashbacks between the early 1900s and present day to tell its story. The year is 1908. Thea Reed is a young woman who was left at an orphanage at a young age. She was adopted by a married couple who traveled the Midwest as photographers. They were not ideal parents by any stretch of the imagination. They have died and now Thea has taken up their occupation. She arrives in the small town of Pleasant Valley as she is trying to find her birth mother. She meets Simeon Coyle, learns his troubled history and is unexpectedly drawn to him. His sister Rose also becomes a friend. Simeon helps Thea in her efforts to try to find her birth mother, who she knows is from this general area. What she discovers will stun her.In the present day, Heidi Lane has received a letter from her mother who is in a nursing home, suffering from dementia. The letter begs Heidi to come home and hints at secrets that have been buried a long time. Heidi has stayed away from her family for years. They just don’t understand her impulsive, free spirit and are too straight-laced. Her father died a few years ago and she didn’t attend his funeral, so now her only relative is a sister who is quite a bit older than Heidi. Her sister lives in Pleasant Valley and runs a B&B. She expects Heidi to move back home, help her take care of their mother and help at the B&B. Heidi has no plans on staying for long but makes a unique discovery in an antique store. She gets a few vague clues to the past from her mother when she is clear minded on rare occasions. Rhett Crawford and his sister worm their way into Heidi’s heart, but she is used to running away when she has a conflict or problem. When she is presented with a challenge that will change her life, will she run again or stick around?I thought this book was great! The gothic spookiness was spot-on, and the mysteries in the past and present were intriguing. I was involved from the story from beginning to end. There was suspense, romance and characters searching for faith all woven together seamlessly for a tightly knit story. The mental health issues added a unique and interesting dimension that I very much appreciated. Great job Jaime!! I’m already on the look-out for the next story from this talented author!
    • 5/5
      I first discovered Jaime Jo Wright last year when my book club read The House on Foster Hill — a unanimous thumbs up from the group. After reading her sophomore offering, The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond, it became apparent that Wright would become a must-read author. The Curse of Misty Wayfair, another dual-time line suspense with some serious creepiness, has confirmed it! If you like suspense, mystery, a bit of romance, and some really weird goings-on, you will love this book. Another 5-star read from this talented writer.The legend of Misty Wayfair has been circulating in the town of Pleasant Valley for over 150 years. Each successive generation in the Northwoods of Wisconsin has added to the myths, while speculating on who she was and how she was murdered. Her haunting of a local family has led to even more gossip and innuendo — just what were the Coyle’s sins? And while the details are lost in the murkiness of time, Misty never forgets!Two women strive to uncover just who Misty Wayfair is, and why she is tied to each of them. Both Thea Reed, who in the early 1900s has the very interesting (and creepy) job of photographing the dead, and Heidi Lane, a modern-day woman with anxiety issues, are tied to the dead woman, though neither knows how. Like Misty, they feel identity-less, one an orphan, another a misfit in her family. In fact, identity — what it means and who (or Who) establishes is it — is the underlying theme of the novel. Wright beautifully expresses the concept of a Creator who gives each of us a unique identity because of who He is, not who we are or what we do. As Thea and Heidi search for answers to the mystery of Misty Wayfair, they come to understand more about themselves and their relationship to a God who loves, cares, and provides. There’s another message in the novel concerning the identity we assign to others. A number of labels are given to past and present characters — melancholic and crazy just two. While many of the characters suffer from "maladies of the mind", I found myself thinking that while convenient labels may explain what a person is going through, they do not define who that person is. Wright gave me a lot to think about. As one character states — Beautifully and wonderfully made. No exceptions.By The way, secondary characters shine in this novel. The Curse of Misty Wayfair can be described as atmospheric, but I think I prefer just plain creepy (there’s that word again), but creepy in a good way. There are no graphic scenes involving knives in a shower, but the chills continued to run up and down my back. I puzzled and puzzled, and was pretty much wrong about many of my suppositions. That’s a big plus! I love to be surprised by twists and turns, and this book did just that.My book club will be discussing The Curse of Misty Wayfair later this year. I cannot wait! I anticipate some really good conversations. I also CAN. NOT. WAIT. for another book by Wright.Very Highly RecommendedAudience: adults.(Thanks to Bethany House for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
    • 5/5
      The author has captured a story that intensifies with each page. I absolutely love the way she weaves the story from the past to the present. She has a way of making the story flow with ease while grabbing the readers full attention. The details in the story pop off the pages and I really felt like I was a part of the story watching it unfold.Thea is a wonderful character who didn't have a great life. Growing up in an orphanage was very hard and its easy to see how someone would feel abandoned. I love the time period set in 1908 with Thea on a journey to find her mother. Her job as a postmortem photographer really sent shivers down my spine. Such a creepy thing to have to do, but I guess people wanted to remember their loved ones even in death. The asylum was very intriguing and I felt darkness and despair through the hallways of such a sad place. The treatment of the patients at the asylum is deplorable and oh how I ached for them. When one of the characters describes the asylum as, "Hell cannot be much worse than being banished to a place such as this," the author painted a picture that I will never forget. Thea encounters a curse that seems to have been placed on a family called the Coyles. Just reading about the curse made me want to run and hide. Can you imagine unexplained deaths in your family and sightings of a ghost of a woman who was murdered? Thea has to continue her journey even if it puts her in danger or if she crosses path with the mysterious ghost.When we travel to present day, we encounter Heidi who has wants to find out why a strange letter from her mother has been put in Heidi's hands. They certainly haven't had the best relationship. As her mother slips more in to dementia , will Heidi find out why her mother is so desperate to see her? Heidi does seem to run when things get to hard for her so I wasn't sure how long she would stay in town. The connection between Thea and Heidi is written with such deep history and really made me want to help them both.One of the things the book talks about is mental illness. It is a subject many people are uncomfortable discussing. The author handles it in a compassionate way . I'm glad the author brings to the surface about this issue and how we need to be more caring and understanding of someone going through a mental issue. The stigma of mental illness seems to not have changed much, but there is always hope.Thea and Heidi are both trying to find out about their path and seek confirmation that they were not a mistake. The faith elements in the story are strong and give people hope that God is always right there with you in good times and bad. When I hurt I shut down just like one of the characters did. I get worried that I will be made fun of or feel inadequate. All this stems from my childhood , just like the characters. Will Thea and Heidi find the answers they need to heal from their past? The story is beautifully written and I loved how it emphasized that we are all important. Mental illness is something that has been misunderstood for centuries, but as I read this book I soon discovered that really its the unknown that scares us. We need to keep our eyes fixed on God and let Him guide us. The ending of the book is filled with compassion and ties up all loose ends very gracefully. This story has opened doors to mental illness and shined a light on how easy a person can feel unwanted, lonely and scared. The author has written her best story to date in this intriguing journey of faith and hope.I received a copy of this book from the author and Bethany House. The review is my own opinion." We weren't created to find our identity in life. We were created to discover our Creator . In doing so, our identity is defined."
    • 5/5
      I loved this story. There was a lot of suspense and some creepiness. This is a story that goes back and forth between the present and the past. By going back and forth you learn what happened and what is currently happening. I did not want to stop reading so stayed up later than I should on work days. I loved the characters from the past and present. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
    • 5/5
      The author has us spanning centuries with the same family in a small area of Wisconsin, and how are they connected, they are but? We keep guessing and was surprised how the pieces all fell together.People hiding deep secrets, and wow when they begin to unfold, I never saw some of them coming.A compelling page turner that will keep you up late reading and searching for answers.I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.
    • 5/5
      "You're like a sailor's siren, Thea. Dangerous. I don't know why, but you call me with a silent song. I'm afraid you will wreck me."Wow. Just wow. This is the first book by Jaime Jo Wright that I have read and it is absolutely amazing! The writing is lyrical, melodic, and haunting. The plot has delicious twists and turns as Thea works out her heritage in 1908 and Heidi works our her own in current day Wisconsin. The characters are so real and memorable. And the author manages to provide stark, vivid, and somewhat chilling description of the asylum and the awful practices in early 1900s, as well as an inside look at anxiety and dementia during the current day, while painting a high level of eerie suspense into the background.I truly enjoyed meeting Thea and Simeon from 1908 Pleasant Valley, WI. Thea is a tender, loyal, and loving woman who comes to Pleasant Valley to try to find her mother. Her work as a traveling post-mortem photographer has her meeting Simeon who is a faithful, loyal, and sweet man from an ostracized family in the town. The folklore of Misty Wayfair and her supposed ghost that is haunting Simeon's family become central to their relationship as Thea and Simeon work together to figure out what happened to Thea's mother.Heidi, with her flighty and rebellious ways, and Rhett, with his brooding yet intelligent and loyal ways, work together in current day Pleasant Valley to figure out why Heidi's mother, who is suffering from dementia, has called her to the town where she now resides in a memory unit. The folklore of Misty Wayfair, which is tied to the town itself, resurfaces in Heidi and Rhett's relationship but you will be surprised at how the "curse" plays out in the end.The spiritual truths, given by Simeon in 1908 and Rhett and his mother Connie in current day, are spot on and provide the needed light in both Thea and Heidi's life as they both navigate their dark pasts.What an incredible read! I must go back and read The House on Foster Hill and The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. If you enjoy well-written suspense, you will love this book. And it has a dual timeline as an added bonus!I was given a copy of this book by the author and Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.