Echoes Among the Stones by jaime jo wright

So maybe Imogene Grayson is obsessed.

So maybe she has a dollhouse in which she's recreated the scene of her sister's murder in minute detail. So maybe she took a job at an ammunition plant just to try and snatch a clue as to what happened. And so maybe she completely lied about that broken hip thing to get her granddaughter Aggie to come with her.

So maybe she's obsessed. So what?

The things to praise about this book as as multiple as the echoes among the stones themselves. Imogene's devotion to her sister is touching--albeit in a creepy sort of way. The images in the book are crackling--the dollhouse, for instance. I am usually largely unaffected by creep, but that image spiked a shiver down my spine and back up again. And made me turn the page. The small Wisconsin town of Mill Creek comes to life in all its small-towniness--which is largely made up of the quirky characters within.

The ending may seem broken, imperfect, cracked like the stones Aggie and Collin try to restore at the graveyard. But there is a bittersweet echo that ripples back--an echo that speaks of a well-thought out ending. So maybe it's perfect after all?  Right up to the last page, Jaime Jo Wright keeps you guessing. And right up to the last page, the message echoes strong, like a voice just over your shoulder--a strong message of letting go . . . and hanging on. Jaime Jo Wright certainly doesn't shy away from talking about God in unique, creative ways.

The one piece of advice I do have is to PAY. ATTENTION. Due to this novel switching from the 1940's and the present-day, it's easy to lose track of your players and the clues you've gathered.

Listen? Do you hear the echoes among the stones? No? Just open the book and pay attention. I think you'll like what you hear.