The Lightkeeper’s Ball

The Lightkeeper's Ball

A Mercy Falls Novel by Colleen Coble

reviewed by Suzie Johnson

History, mystery, suspense and romance....

These are my favorite elements in a novel, and when they’re all combined in to one, it equals a book that’s hard for me to put down – especially when written by Colleen Coble who excels at creating and building suspense. Being a huge fan of her Aloha Reef and Rock Harbor suspense series, I was more than willing to give her historical novels a try.

A mysterious letter from her sister, written before her tragic death, sends Olivia Stewart to Mercy Falls, California at the turn of the last century. Using her little-known title Lady Devonworth, Olivia intends to discover the true circumstances behind her sister’s tragic death. Her number one suspect is her sister’s fiancé, Harrison Bennett.

Before she even arrives in Mercy Falls someone attempts to take Olivia's life, increasing her determination to prove her sister’s death was a murder and not a suicide.

It seems someone is willing to kill to keep secrets hidden forever; secrets surrounding a partnership between her father and Harrison’s father, her sister and Harrison’s relationship, and the dwindling funds in her father’s estate.

Still certain that the “someone” is Harrison, Olivia plots to spend time with him. What she doesn’t count on is the man she discovers Harrison to be. His goals, his dreams, they all make up the kind of man she could fall in love with. Her heart keeps telling her he’s innocent of her sister’s murderer, but there’s too much evidence pointing at him. The mystery thickens when Olivia begins to hear her late father’s voice in the middle of the night, and she discovers just how much danger she’s really in.

For some reason, I’ve reached a point where I need books (and movies) that are more than just a hero and heroine who are thrown together for whatever reason, who don’t really like each other for whatever reason, but end up falling in love. These are all good and wonderful elements for a storyline, however I need something a little more out-of-the-ordinary to keep me engaged. 

Author Colleen Coble provides that extra spark in Harrison and Olivia. Harrison’s character – a man from a wealthy family, more interested in pursuing his dream than in spending his father’s money – is far from your typical hero. I love his dreams. And I love that Olivia shows more than a little interest in them. Her kindness and generosity toward others also show she definitely isn’t your ordinary debutant simply out to regain the family fortune.

This book was a surprising delight, and though it is the third book in the Mercy Falls series, I didn’t need to read the first two in order to enjoy this one. It’s a great stand-alone, but it was so well written, I’m planning to go back and read the first two books in the series.

This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for my review, and I’m willing to give away my copy. Please leave a comment with your email address before midnight tonight PST if you’re interested, and if you don’t mind that the bottom corner of the cover was accidentally bent by my husband.

For those who are interested, I’ve posted an interview with the author on my personal blog – Suzie’s Writing Place.

Visit Colleen Coble's website.

Suzie Johnson has won several awards for her inspirational novels (writing as Susan Diane Johnson), including the Maggie, Lone Star, Heart of the West, and Beacon awards, as well as finaling in the Touched by Love, Finally A Bride, Linda Howard Award for Excellence, and Virginia's Fool For Love contests. She is a member of ACFW, RWA, and is a cancer registrar at her local hospital. The mother of a wonderful young man who makes her proud every day, she lives with her husband and little kitten on an island in the Pacific Northwest. And although the beaches are rocky instead of sandy, lined with Madronas and Evergreens instead of Palm trees, and the surf is much to cold for wading, it is still the perfect spot for writing romantic fiction. You can visit her blog, Suzie's Writing Place at http://suzieswritingplace.blogspot.com/.