Friday, September 7, 2012

The Key on the Quilt by Stephanie Grace Whitson


As a reader and writer of historical fiction, a quilter and a fan of Stephanie Grace Whitson, I was so excited to find out about this new quilt-themed series.  The Key on the Quilt is the first book in Whitson's Quilt Chronicles and it's captivating from the very first sentence: 

If it wasn't for the occasional night when he tried to kill her, Owen wouldn't be a bad husband.

How can you possibly put the book down after that?

One of the most interesting things about this book is its setting:  a nineteenth-century women's prison.  And in that setting, Whitson tells the stories of three women, the prisoner, the matron and the warden's wife, each in a unique position to impact the lives of the others.  And, even in this grim place, there is still a romantic interest for each of these heroines, another reminder of grace threaded through the story.  And, of course, being a quilter and a studier of old quilts herself, Whitson makes the quilt-related portions of the book interesting and authentic.  (You can read about some of her research here:  http://footnotesfromhistory.blogspot.com/2011/09/quilts-and-historical-fiction.html )




I'm so looking forward to reading the next two books in the series:  The Shadow on the Quilt and The Message on the Quilt.

RT Book Reviews

Whitson captures the reader's attention from the first sentence. You will not want to put the book down. The characters in the first Quilt Chronicles book are well thought out and well defined and wonderful to read about as we learn their stories.

— Patsy Glan

“Whitson’s The Key on the Quilt is much deeper and richer than the usual historical romance. I devoured it in one gulp and couldn’t put it down. No one immerses me in a story world like Whitson. Highly recommended!”

-Colleen Coble, author of the Lonestar series and the Rock Harbor series

"In a richly textured novel about the sting of betrayal and the power of truth, three women discover what it means to love, and be loved. Equally tender and stirring, The Key on the Quilt is not to be missed!"

- Tamera Alexander, bestselling author of A Lasting Impression and The Inheritance

"From the opening line, The Key on the Quilt held me captive. Three women, their lives connecting in a hard place, must each learn lessons about the power of love and truth. As their faith grows, so will yours. Don't miss this excellent novel!"

- Robin Lee Hatcher, bestselling author of Belonging and Heart of Gold

Learn more about Stephanie Grace Whitson and her marvelous books at:

http://stephaniewhitson.com/new/index.htm

11 comments:

  1. Wow, DeAnna. That opening is definitely a keeper. This series sounds absolutely fascinating!

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  2. I think I have this book on my wish list. Now I know it's a must read! Thanks DeAnna!

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  3. This story certainly as some great praise, and knowing you liked it so much reminds me of the power of word-of-mouth.
    I might have passed this by but I'll be on the watch for it now.
    Thanks DeAnna!

    And I want to remind readers that we are still taking comments for our drawing on Sunday night (9/9). The information is at the bottom of the last four days' posts. Comment here about DeAnna's review and say you'd like to be in the drawing. One of the five great gifts is a choice of one of three DeAnna Julie Dodson novels!

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  4. Isn't that a great opener? Plus I have NEVER read a book set in a 19th century women's prison. Makes a change from your usual pioneer story, doesn't it? :)

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  5. sounds like it's a bit of a genre' bender, eh?

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  6. That's a fabulous first line. WOW. The story sounds intriguing...I'm glad you introduced the book to us. Except that now, my TBR pile is towering over me!

    Oh yes, thanks for reminding us about the drawing, Deb! We have several cool giveaways.

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  7. Oh my! That does sound like a winner.

    Deb, I must say, I love the term "genre bender." Sounds like a fabulous idea for a post.

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  8. Thanks so much for your great comments, everyone. The idea for this book came from reading about an actual event in which the warden's wife was ... well. Amazing. I didn't know if I could ever make the setting work, but once I started learning about the history, Mamie, Jane, and Ellen emerged and helped out. Blessings!

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  9. Stephanie, that's something that must come through your book - the excitement you found in discovering their stories. Thanks for stopping in!

    Niki,
    yes, remember that I coined the phrase, will you?

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  10. Stephanie's books are wonderfully researched and well written -- I look forward to each new one. After you finish this excellent book you will want to also enjoy Sixteen Brides, A Claim of Her Own and Unbridled Dreams, plus many others. But don't plan on doing much else besides reading -- I find it hard to put the book down to get some work done.

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