Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelley Gray (Blog Tour Review)

Whispers in the Reading Room (The Chicago World's Fair Mystery #3)Whispers in the Reading Room
(Chicago World's Fair Mystery #3)
by Shelley Gray
Christian Historical Romantic Suspense
Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
November 10th 2015 by Zondervan
Summary

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 the Chicago 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 a 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.

   
    
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My Review

WHISPERS IN THE READING ROOM was engaging from the first page to the last. With well-drawn characters, witty dialogue that included a play on words, a constant feeling of coming danger, a leading man who is a mystery, and a budding romance, the story was so much more than expected. A delicious read, inspiring, dramatic, and romantic, and one not easily forgotten. 

From the first chapter I knew I would thoroughly enjoy this book! I loved the initial library setting. I loved that both Lydia and Sebastian had noticed each other from the beginning, but hid that fact. I loved that they were intrigued and eventually, through unfavorable circumstances, were thrown together. Their relationship developed slowly and was definitely unique. That's one thing that made this story so interesting, besides the fact that their characters were so interesting. 


I also loved the building suspense. I literally could feel the climax building, which led to quite a fright for Lydia, and then further climaxes that continued to shake her relationship with Sebastian while also driving the story. I also loved Vincent and Bridget. I loved that the suspense wasn't the focal point of the story. The inspirational element was slightly abrupt and that would be my only criticism. Regardless, I still loved the story. The ending especially was so very sweet and perfect.

If you've enjoyed the other books in this series or enjoy reading Christian romance with some suspense, then I'd highly recommend WHISPERS IN THE READING ROOM. I will be going back to read the first two books in the series and am looking forward to seeing what Gray releases next.

Content: Some innuendo and violence, but clean

Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Litfuse Publicity, which did not affect my review in any way.

About the Author

Shelley Shepard Gray

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.



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