Customer Reviews

Edith and the Mysterious Stranger

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4 star:		(1)
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Set in 1904, this story takes place seven years after the end of the first book, Melinda and the Wild West. Melinda is now "with child", and having a difficult pregnancy. She's supposed to stay in bed and off her feet as much as possible, although she can't stand the restrictions. Her cousin, Edith, a nurse living in Salt Lake City, Utah, decides to visit her parents in Idaho and help Melinda get through her precarious pregnancy.

While caring for her cousin in Paris, Idaho, beautiful and "spunky" Edith attracts the attention of more than one suitor. Whereas Melinda and the Wild West focuses on the romance between Melinda and Gilbert, this book focuses on multiple romances. The first is the continued romance between Melinda and Gilbert, married now and more in love than ever. There's also a budding romance between Jenny and her father's young helper, David. Last but not least, admirers have taken a romantic interest in Edith. The first is Henry, a school administrator, who's educated and polite, but who believes a woman's place is in the home. Also interested in Edith is Joseph, a farmer and cowhand, who's self-educated and plays the guitar. But Edith is extremely picky when it comes to men.

"Many men had courted Edith, but she inevitably found fault with each one. Either he was too shy or too bold, too ignorant or too proud, too arrogant or too quiet, too short or too tall, too old or too young."
~Edith and the Mysterious Stranger, Linda Weaver Clarke

Edith begins to get letters from a "mysterious stranger", and she shares these romantic letters with Melinda. The author based this story around the courtship of her parents, who wrote letters to each other before they ever met.

As with the first book, history is woven into the story. I learned that Irish immigrants brought the concept of dressing up on Halloween to America, and about the opening of the New York subway in 1904, a response to the terrible blizzard of 1888. An important aspect of this book, also evident in the first book, is the value of equality between the sexes, the emergence of early feminism, and the right to vote in some states. In these books, the central women have professions. Melinda is a teacher and Edith is a singer and a nurse. Traditional women's work--taking care of children and a home--is also appreciated and valued as real work. Even though his tone is stern, what Gilbert says here made me cheer:

'Don't talk to me about these so-called wifely duties. If a man can't help with the household chores, then what kind of husband is he, anyway? I tell you this, I enjoy helping and serving whenever I can. A man who comes in the house after his job is done and then sits down to read a newspaper while his wife is fixing the meal is no example of a husband who truly loves his wife. Why can't a husband help? Is there a written law that wives should wait on their husbands? I don't think so.'
~Edith and the Mysterious Stranger, Linda Weaver Clarke

This book is an enticing combination of genres--Wild West, historical fiction, romance, Christian, mystery--that any reader age twelve and older should enjoy. I certainly did, and look forward to reading the third novel in the series, Jenny's Dream. Linda Weaver Clarke's books are fun to read, and full of adventure and romance.


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I thought this book was amazing. It has adventure, romance and keeps you guessing who the mysterious stranger is. You wonder what is going to happen throughout the book. I highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the suspense and mystery around not knowing who the mysterious stranger was. A mysterious romance written for anyone to read. It was refreshing in that respect. I would definitely recommend it.

I really enjoyed this second in the series. I liked the way the characters had matured and new characters were introduced with ties to the old characters. It felt like family and new friends. I really enjoy the way Linda makes the stories come alive - I can picture the time period and the life they lived - but still has the timelessness of emotions and actions that place the characters in a light to which I could relate. Excellent book for teens especially, without all the garbage in so many "modern" novels. Good wholesome values and spunk that never goes out of style!

A stressful life on top of a child that is due into one's life soon - it could be a breaking point. "Edith and the Mysterious Stranger" is Edith's story, as she moves across the globe to care for Melinda who is with child - a child who might not make it. But letters start to arrive from the far west - where Edith once called home. The stranger's thoughts intrigue Edith in this deftly written historical fiction novel with a blend of romance. "Edith and The Mysterious Stranger" is well deserving of a place in community library historical fiction collections.

This book was a disappointment. I selected it for my book club group based on other Amazon reviews I had read and was embarrassed to have picked it. The writting felt like it was on a 7th grade level and the story was very predictable. Also, the writer goes on asides about herbal medicine that feel forced. I was expecting a period romance novel and was given very little romance and a lot of random bits of fact. I do not recommend this book.