Whispers In The Reading Room - Book Review

A cheery good day to you, friends!

I hope November is treating you well - 

we have been enjoying cold weather and SNOW! :)

I simply love it!

'Tis perfect weather for sitting by the fire 

while enjoying a good book and a cup of coffee.

I am popping in to share another book review.

I am greatly appreciative of all of your support while taking a break,

and I wanted to let you know that I will be back to blogging full time sometime next week.

I can't stay away any longer as I miss all of you!

Enjoy your weekend dear ones, and I will "see " you soon.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lydia's job at the library is her world-

until a mysterious patron catches her eye. . .and perhaps her heart.

Just months after the closure of Chicago's World's Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft

finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron

He has never given her his name; 

he actually never speaks to a single person.

All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.

Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel 

does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks.

She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel

and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.

Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship,

but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn't merely a very wealthy gentleman,

but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.

Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is suspect to a murder.

She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent,

and if Sebastian Marks - the man so many people fear - 

is actually everything her heart believes him to be.

My Thoughts

Whispers in the Reading Room written by the talented Shelley Gray

is the third and final book in the Chicago World's Fair Mystery series.

You can easily read this book as a stand-alone 

as it does not really relate to the previous two books.

A few characters from the previous books were mentioned 

and it was a joy to "catch up" with them,

but there was nothing that made this book difficult to read 

due to being tied in with the other books.

You can read my reviews for the first and second book by clicking on the links:

Secrets of Sloane House - book 1

Deception on Sable Hill - book 2

I would have to say Whispers in the Reading Room

was my ultimate favorite out of the series.

It was truly a page-turner that had me reading late up into the night.

Indeed, there is a murder in this book, {and no, it is not gory and nasty},

and from the moment I found out who had been killed 

I was continually trying to figure out who did it.

I even pinned it on one of the main characters 

thinking surely he was the one who committed the crime.

I loved the fact that I wasn't completely sure about who would do such a thing

and I was surprised at the end when the individual was revealed.

That is what I like in a mystery book, my friends, I like to be surprised and shocked.

Well done, Shelley Gray!

Now, onto the characters. . .

Lydia Bancroft was truly a delight.

Saying she loves to read would be an understatement, but yes, she loves to read 

and it's a joy for her to bury her head in books - ah, my kind of lady!

She has a tender heart and she pours her adoration and love into her mother

who, unfortunately, is very ungrateful and dare I say it, selfish.

Lydia's father passed away some time ago

and he left her and her mother in a dire financial situation

so Lydia does all that she can to earn money at the reading room 

in order to provide for her mother.

Then, along comes the mysterious Sebastian Marks. . . 

Oh, I just loved Sebastian!

His character was different from the "typical" male characters

and I was instantly won over by his mysterious personality.

He has lived quite the life, a hard life, and had a difficult childhood,

but through it all he pushed himself to better his circumstances.

When he meets Lydia a part of his heart begins to thaw

and his senses are awakened to sincere kindness and love.

He begins to realize that maybe there is more to life than simply having 

never ending funds, a head full of knowledge, and a position of authority where men fear him.

As his heart softens he also begins to remember the words from Scripture

that he read in the past and as he remembers these words

he begins to think upon the great God and all that He has done for him.

A beautiful story that captivated me from the beginning,

and as I look back on the lives of Lydia and Sebastian

I am aware of how I, WE, can touch a life with gentleness and compassion.

May we always keep in mind that God can use us in a mighty way

in the lives of the broken-hearted.

** I was given a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers

for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and no other compensation was received. **

About the Author

Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series.
Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector,
recently made the New York Times best seller list.
A native of Texas, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Colorado
and taught school for ten years.
She and her husband have two children and live in Southern Ohio.
Visit her website at www. shelleyshepardgray.com