Miranda Warning

A Murder in the Mountains Novel Volume 1

By: Heather Day Gilbert

Narrated by: Becky Doughty

Child of the Appalachian mountains, Tess Spencer has experienced more than her share of heartache. The Glock-wielding, knife-carrying housewife knows how to survive whatever life throws at her. But when an anonymous warning note shows up in her best friend Miranda's mailbox - a note written in a dead woman's handwriting - Tess quickly discovers that ghosts are alive and well in Buckneck, West Virginia. Hot on a cold trail, she must use limited clues and her keen insight into human nature to unmask the killer...or the next victim might be Tess herself. Tinged with the supernatural and overshadowed by the mountains' lush, protective presence, this twisting psychological mystery is the first in A Murder in the Mountains series.

©2014 Heather Day Gilbert (P)2015 Heather Day Gilbert

Compelling

This is a well written a compelling story. The characters are interesting and it's easy to get drawn into the story. However it was a little slow in the beginning.

A mystery full of twists and turns

What I liked:
• Tess was trying to determine the facts from the past regarding Rose, Paul, Miranda, and Bartholomew.
• The story was told from the viewpoints of Rose and Tess.
• Are there ghosts or is Rose dilusional?
• There are twists and turns to the plot. Some of them predictable and some not.
• I love a good suspense.

The narrator does a wonderful job. This is a clean book. No swearing or sex. I will be listening or reading more by this author.

just OK

didn't really go anywhere
kept thinking something big coming up but just kept going flat for me
narrator did well with what she had to work with. hope next one is better

Wonderful

Loved the book. It has twists and turns to keep you guessing. Would recomend it.

More Complex Than I Expected

I purchased Miranda Warning in Kindle form and was already reading it when the author approached me with an offer of a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review. It was nice to have both versions.

This must have been a challenging book to read. In addition to changes in time period, there were quite a few female characters in the book, and Ms. Doughty was consistent and distinct in each voice. She successfully created both young and old voices for three of the characters. The Appalachian dialect was just right – not overdone. She was good with the child's voice, too.

This story seemed like a straightforward mystery at first, but it turned out to be a multi-faceted introduction to what I expect will be a long series.

The author has created a refreshingly original world. I wouldn’t classify the book as “Christian Fiction.” Instead, Ms. Gilbert writes from a Christian worldview, and her setting includes a realistic mix of Christians and nonbelievers in community. None of them are perfect, and they live naturally according to their convictions. The heroine is a unique character. She bears some scars from a dysfunctional childhood, but she went to college, married into a healthy family and doesn’t wallow in angst. As a mother-in-law, I was pleased to see the loving relationship between Tess and Nicky Jo. The politically conservative characters are portrayed as intelligent and sensible instead of rednecks or greedy industrialists. A young boy is allowed to be an ordinary young boy who enjoys his family. An older woman is both lucid and sometimes vague. Tess’s husband is allowed to be grouchy and jealous sometimes without being a bully. He is macho and vulnerable. She is vulnerable, too, but also willful and sometimes intrepid. And she doesn’t hide (too many) things from her husband; she can be foolhardy and she has common sense. On these and several other points, Ms. Gilbert succeeds in breaking free of stereotypes. Refreshing!

There were some inconsistencies that struck me as jarring: Miranda initiated the whole mystery and then became disinterested. The doctor was too accommodating, too fast. Why didn’t Tess have a concealed carry permit? Axel provided insight to Thomas’s character and feelings for Tess, but he seemed extraneous otherwise. He felt like a subplot that never developed, and then he left the country to tie up the loose end. Rosemary’s actions were odd. The friendship with Charlotte happened too quickly and conveniently. The ending felt rushed. And yet, it was still an engrossing story. I wonder if the book was originally much originally and then cut back to meet modern publishing standards.

The author’s creativity and skill were displayed in the two parallel story lines that linked all of the characters. Rose’s story unfolded slowly, changing our perceptions of each character with every installment. THAT was superbly written.

Trial by Twelve, the second book in this series, features the same characters two years later and is more of a murder mystery than this one. I look forward to reading it soon!

The reader did a very good job, but of the two formats, I preferred the text book. The first-person, present tense style sounds a little dreamy and “stream of consciousness” when it’s read aloud.

Wonderful!

Having read Miranda Warning already, I was eager to hear my bestie Tess brought to life, and the audio does not disappoint. The narrator's portrayal of the different characters is spot on, even down to different accents. I enjoyed the mystery of the story just as much as I did when I read it, and I hope to listen to the second book as well. Highly recommended!

Colorful and entertaining

This was the first contemporary novel I've read by Heather Day Gilbert, and it will not be the last! I knew the author was extremely talented from reading her Viking fiction, God's Daughter and Forest Child. Now that I have seen how skilled she is with contemporary (and mystery, no less!) I am even more impressed.

I loved the structure of the book, how it was told from two points of view with two different timelines, so I was given clues along the way in addition to what Tess Spencer, the main protagonist was uncovering herself. I enjoyed all the characters, and I must say that listening to it on Audible gave it an extra layer of dimension. The narrator did a fabulous job of making each voice distinctive.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with Tess in Buckneck, West Virginia, and can't wait to see what's brewing in the next novel, Trial by Twelve.

Good suspense story

This was a very good book, the story was great, the narrator was great. I enjoyed the characters as well.
The story was very suspenseful.

Excellent! Couldn't stop listening!

This story was so well developed and not at all predictable. I loved the pop references and the descriptive language made the story come to life. The narrator was fantastic and really added another layer to the story. Deep and interesting. I definitely had a few late nights listening to this stirring mystery. I was sad when it was over. I will definitely read and/or listen to all of the books by this author.

Surprisingly gripping

Would you listen to Miranda Warning again? Why?

I don't typically listen to a book twice

Who was your favorite character and why?

So hard to choose - Tess, Charlotte, Miranda also seem so real

Which character – as performed by Becky Doughty – was your favorite?

Probably Tess

If you could rename Miranda Warning, what would you call it?

Nope - name is fitting

Any additional comments?

This is my first book by Heather Day Gilbert. I enjoyed it so much I bought the next one - on Kindle as it wasn't available on audible.