Review: The Haunting of Brynn Wilder by Wendy Webb

Title: The Haunting of Brynn Wilder

Author: Wendy Webb

Published: November 2020, Lake Union Publishing

Format: ARC Paperback, 288 pages

Source: Publisher

Summary: 

After a devastating
loss, Brynn Wilder escapes to Wharton, a tourist town on Lake Superior,
to reset. Checking into a quaint boardinghouse for the summer, she hopes
to put her life into perspective. In her fellow lodgers, she finds a
friendly company of strangers: the frail Alice, cared for by a married
couple with a heartbreaking story of their own; LuAnn, the eccentric and
lovable owner of the inn; and Dominic, an unsettlingly handsome man
inked from head to toe in mesmerizing tattoos.

But in this
inviting refuge, where a century of souls has passed, a mystery begins
to swirl. Alice knows things about Brynn, about all of them, that she
shouldn’t. Bad dreams and night whispers lure Brynn to a shuttered room
at the end of the hall, a room still heavy with a recent death. And now
she’s become irresistibly drawn to Dominic—even in the shadow of rumors
that wherever he goes, suspicious death follows.

In this chilling
season of love, transformation, and fear, something is calling for
Brynn. To settle her past, she may have no choice but to answer.

My thoughts: I
have really become a fan of Wendy Webb’s Gothic ghost stories and this
latest one is just so good. I was completely
mesmerized by this story – once I started reading it, I had a hard time
putting it down.

I was completely captivated by the story and found myself completely immersed in it. While it is a little slow to start, it totally kept me engaged and I loved that it ended up being more emotional than I expected it to be. It deals with grief and lucid dreaming, which I found to be so fascinating and loved how the author incorporated into the story. The mix of charming, quirky characters really makes this book come to life and the mix of themes – not only the grief, but also the Alzheimer’s story line and the romance – really help propel the story line to the ultimate ending, an ending I was not expecting but loved all the same.

I had no idea where this story was heading and I absolutely loved where it ended. It has that supernatural element that gives this book that slight edge and while I normally don’t read a lot of books in that genre, it just works here. This one tugs at every heartstring and I was all for it.

I love Wendy Webbs books and while this is slightly different from her usual books, it was still just as enjoyable. It’s atmospheric and mesmerizing and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!