I had put off reading Whispers in the Reading Room, just due to family situations and holiday busyness. It was getting close to my deadline when I finally started the book. I honestly didnt put the book down until it was finished. It was that good! I loved meeting Lydia and Sebastian, and watching them find each other.
Set in Chicago in 1893, Shelley Gray shows us both the underside of Chicago and the crumbling edge of its high society. She brings together two unlikely people, from very different upbringings, connected by a love of books and an ability to look beyond the other person's facade.
The mystery unfolded well, leaving me uncertain who was involved until very near the end. Even then, I hadn't guessed at one aspect of the mystery. I also wasn't expecting some of the twists and turns in Lydia and Sebastian's relationship. Thankfully, all works out for the best in the end.
I had never read any of Shelley Gray's books before, but I loved Whispers in the Reading Room so much, that I will be looking for her other books. This wasn't an overtly Christian book. Through the story, different characters are reminded of their need for God, but it is a minimal part of the story. This is a well-written, clean story that will appeal to many readers of historical fiction and mystery-romances.
April E.
