MoonglotexasBenjamin Booker sat in the Old Bailey, pulse pounding. His most important case to date had finally been called to trial—his chance to prove himself to the firm’s partners.
Opening lines of “The Bridge to Belle Island” by Julie Klassen
This Julie Klassen novel is full of mystery! It had me hooked from the first page to the last! In “The Bridge to Belle Island”, our leading man, Benjamin, finds himself at a murder scene with his mentor and the law firm’s senior partner. When the investigation doesn’t progress swiftly enough, Benjamin is sent to Belle Island to observe our leading lady, Isabelle, and establish if she’s involved in the murder.
Both Benjamin and Isabelle are wonderful characters supported by interesting and complex ones. The mystery is multi-layered and full of twists! The writing is beautiful, descriptive without slowing the pace of the story. To this, Julie adds a delightful romance, slow-growing and realistic. The principles of Christianity form a backbone to the story and something to think over once the novel ends.
If you love historical mysteries, with a touch of romance, this one is for you! It’s a five out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale and highly recommended!
From the back cover:
After a humiliating mistake, lawyer Benjamin Booker resolves to never again trust a beautiful woman. When an old friend is killed, the senior partner isn’t satisfied with Bow Street’s efforts and asks Benjamin to investigate. Eager to leave London for a while, Benjamin agrees. Evidence takes him to a remote island on the Thames, a world unto itself, shrouded in mist and mystery. Soon he finds himself falling for the main suspect–a woman who claims not to have left the island in ten years. But should he trust her?
On Belle Island, Isabelle feels safe and leads a productive life, but fear keeps her trapped there. When Mr. Booker arrives with news of her trustee’s murder in London, Isabelle is stunned. She has not left the island, yet she has a recurring dream about the man’s death. Or is it a memory? She had been furious with him, but she never intended . . . this.
When a second person dies and evidence shockingly points to her, Isabelle doesn’t know who to trust: the attractive lawyer or the admirer and friends who assemble on the island, each with grudges against the victim. Can she even trust her own mind? While they search for the truth, secrets come to light and danger comes calling.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Bethany House. through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
