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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Lightkeeper's Ball, April 10, 2011
This review is from: The Lightkeeper's Ball (A Mercy Falls Novel) (Paperback)
Eleanor Stewart leaves her home in New York to marry Harrison Bennett, but when her mother gets word that Eleanor is dead, a drowning no less, Olivia, Eleanor's sister thinks something isn't right, her sister was afraid of water so why would she have drowned. She thinks the fiance might have had something to do with it and decides to take hop a ship to Mercy Falls to get some answers. When she is pushed off the ship before arriving at Mercy Falls she begins to think someone is out to get her. The man that saves her turns out to be Harrison Bennett, but he has no idea who she is because she is using the families formal English title of Lady Devonworth. As the story unfolds its obvious that Olivia's life is in jeopardy, can she figure out the truth before its to late? The author weaves together suspense, romance, action and mystery along with several plot twists which held my attention until the final pages as I tried to guess who-dun-it. While there is a definite christian message it isn't preachy or overwhelming. While I enjoyed the mystery in this story, but the historical flavor of the book was what drew me to the story, that and the beautiful cover. Sometimes you can judge a book by the cover, and this one is a real winner! Even though this is the third book in the Mercy Falls series it can easily be read as a stand alone work, I didn't read the first two and had no problems jumping right into this story, but I liked the story so well I will be checking out the first two in the series. I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Murder AGAIN near the Mercy Falls lighthouse, March 29, 2011
This review is from: The Lightkeeper's Ball (A Mercy Falls Novel) (Paperback)
1 cup suspense + ¾ cup romance + ½ cup mystery + dash of action = recipe of new murder mystery in Mercy Falls. This third in Colleen Coble's series is as compelling as 1 & 2. Although the stories from Mercy Falls do have a few characters carrying over, the primaries involved are new and this can be read as a stand-alone book. After reading "The Lightkeeper's Ball," expect to return to the scene of the crime for the two earlier murder/romance mysteries, "The Lightkeeper's Daughter" and "The Lightkeeper's Bride." Coble's recipe for murder mystery gets spiced up with history. Haley's Comet visits (April 20, 1910 for real) and plays a part in Harrison's bi-plane adventures. He desires to defy the commoner belief that the comet will bring the worlds end, by flying through the comet's tail. Well before any of this can happen, Harrison's father attempts to have him wedded to Olivia, an arranged affair after Olivia's sister is drowned. Sis had been engaged to Harrison, but to his status-seeking dad, either sister will gain him the society influence he craves. There is a tangle of family members in NYC and California society, Mercy Falls locals, and even among the servants. And a beach-full of secrets. Olivia travels to Mercy Falls and the family's Stuart Hall, under a different name in an attempt to look into her sister's suspicious death. Murder almost takes her own life, and Harrison proves to be as suspect as anyone. She is saved and housed at the lighthouse, till a gale & disaster strikes. Here you get reacquainted with the Jesperson's and North's. While sleuthing for her sister's murderer, Olivia plans "The Lightkeeper's Ball" to replace what was lost in the storm. But can she ever find out the truth about Harrison? And in Coble fashion, a touch of romance begins to burn as bright as the Haley's Comet tail. A delightful novel look at the northern California redwood coast at the end of the 20th century's first decade. The books descriptions of aeroplane flight action and surroundings are as vivid as any Victorian DVD. Mystery is paramount (good news for us guys), but love (her joy) is wedged in this fast-paced story that includes financial espionage, revenge, envy, and greed. Enough for every reader, from an author who seems to defy classification into a single genre. Reading Guide Questions provided at the book's end for group discussions or personal contemplation. Coble's Mercy Falls is to Christian Murder Mystery, what Karon's Mitford is to quirky small-town life. Hopefully the series will continue to a similar number of books.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
best of the three, May 8, 2011
This review is from: The Lightkeeper's Ball (A Mercy Falls Novel) (Paperback)
This is the third and strongest novel in the Mercy Falls series. As a whole this series was pleasant and the books were literary snacks to unwind with at the end of the day. I hate to say it, but what stayed with me the most after finishing all three books was the stunning cover work. There are two common links between the three books in this series: the setting and the men moving from deceptive spoiled women to their heroine sisters. -The Lightkeeper's Daugher: John was married to Addie's sister -The Lightkeeper's Bride: Katie's mother is actually her aunt because her father first had a relationship with his wife's sister, Katie's biological mother. (There has to be an easier way to summarize that) -The Lightkeeper's Ball: Harrison was engaged to Olivia's sister Eleanor I don't know if this was an intentional theme but I wondered why this recurred in all three books-by the third time the approach was a little stale. Olivia was a heroine that I could not empathize with; she was too hoity-toity, self-righteous and manipulative. I actually didn't think she deserved the humble and honorable Harrison. She did have redeeming qualities that made her more endearing towards the end but it took me a while to warm up to her, especially since after a certain point it was no longer "necessary" to continue her deception. But then again, if she was perfect it wouldn't be nearly as interesting, would it? There were several highly implausible scenarios surrounding Harrison and Olivia's courtship and inconsistencies that were conveniently overlooked. On the other hand, there were also some lovely romantic moments that drove the story forward. For me, the star of this book was Harrison. I really enjoyed learning about the pioneers in airplane engineering through his entrepreneurial enterprise and his excitement about aviation was contagious. Rating: 7/10 **A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for a positive review**
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