Review
By Jaime Jo Wright
Traeger Hall is a mansion haunted by the past, perhaps even cursed by its cruel and vindictive owner. In 1890 Leopold Traeger had a stranglehold on Newton Creek, Wisconsin. He owned the sawmill, the bank, as well as several other endeavors. Then he and his wife were brutally murdered inside the home. His will decreed his ward, Waverly Pembrooke leave the house with only the clothing with which she arrived and Traeger Hall be sealed for one hundred years. Over a hundred years have passed and Newton Creek is no longer a vibrant community and the Hall remains sealed. Jennie Phillips has arrived in town, inheriting Traeger Hall, one of her father's acquisitions. But a skeleton on the property and a unique codicil thwart Jennie's plans. Has the evil of two men passed down into the house? Will opening Traeger Hall mean the discovery of treasure or will it open the world to the evil trapped inside?
Subtle unease, unspoken danger that makes the hair on your arms raise, knowing that things just aren't right infuse this atmospheric novel. What is it that haunts Traeger Hall and Newton Creek itself? Ghosts are real, but are they just the impressions left by the evil of men?
Traeger Hall is itself an allegory. What will you find if you dare to enter? Hidden secrets, lost masterpieces, should it be sealed forever, opened up, or razed to the ground? What does that mean for the people involved, including the reader?
I really enjoyed the period detail, manners, and stifled repression of the historical portion of the book. However, I did feel a bit cheated when I discovered one trope used as its resolution, although it did explain a lot and brought things full circle. The 1950 interviews added a unique perspective. As for the modern aspect, I appreciated how the repression continued and how it slowly released, just as it did in the 1890. I liked the modern day ending, which served also as a beginning.
THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL is a winding journey of self discovery where emotions and secrets boarded up, just like Traeger Hall itself.
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THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL
by Jaime Jo Wright
October 20 - November 14, 2025 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
An abandoned estate encased in stagnant darkness . . .
A haunting legacy intent on silencing all within reach . . .
In 1890, the ominous tolling of the bell announces that death has come to Traeger Hall, leaving orphaned Waverly Pembrooke to piece together the puzzle behind her uncle's and aunt's murders. Bound by the terms of her uncle's eccentric will, Waverly finds herself alone in a manor shrouded by death and questioning the reasons for her uncle's paranoia. A madness hovers over Traeger Hall, and Waverly--as well as the people of nearby Newton Creek--are ill-prepared for the woe that has descended.
In present day Newton Creek, whispers of a family curse still cling to the century-old, abandoned property of Traeger Hall. When Jennie Phillips takes possession of the estate after her mother's passing, she is intent on solving the mystery of the Traeger murders. Yet a modern cold case suggests that untimely deaths and mysterious occurrences still plague the property. And as thorny truths surface, Jennie realizes the dark legacy threatens not only the town and the Traeger descendants . . . but also, chillingly, Jennie herself.
Book Details:
Genre: Dual Timeline Gothic Suspense
Published by: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: October 21, 2025
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780764243806, paperback
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Baker Book House
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Author Bio:
Jaime Jo Wright is the author of thirteen novels, including Christy Award-winner and ECPA bestseller The Vanishing at Castle Moreau, Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill, and Carol Award-winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. Jaime has also written two Publishers Weekly bestselling novellas. She lives in Wisconsin with her family and fabulous felines.
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