REVIEW: The Spirit of Grace

The Spirit of Grace
Author: Terry Lynn Thomas

Sarah Bennett returns home to her father's house after spending most of a year in a mental asylum. She has no memory of the night her mother died after falling down the stairs at Bennett House. Some believe that she killed her mother, but Sarah knows she didn't. She hopes coming back home might jog her memories and help her remember what happened that fateful night. Unfortunately, she finds immediately on her return that home just isn't the hospitable place it used to be. Sarah is shocked to find that her father has remarried, and her stepmother obviously doesn't want Sarah in the house. When another family member is murdered, suspicion once again falls on Sarah. She knows she has to remember what happened to her mother and prove she isn't a murderer twice over. Her investigation brings to light the identity of the murderer, but also some closely guarded family secrets. Soon, Sarah finds her life in danger, and she must fight to finally clear her name.

I listened to the audiobook version of this first novel in the Sarah Bennett Mysteries series. The audio version is narrated by Lillian Yves. Her voice is pleasant and easily understood, and she read at a moderate pace. I have partial hearing loss and sometimes have difficulty understanding female narrators, but I had no problem understanding this audiobook. A very enjoyable experience!

The Spirit of Grace is well-written and suspenseful -- a great start to a series! Sarah Bennett is a strong female character. She finds it difficult to re-establish family relationships and life in general after a year in an asylum. She steadily gains strength and confidence in herself as the story progresses, and fights to regain her life. She faces family secrets with courage, and doesn't let shocking developments weaken or defeat her.

All in all, an enjoyable ghostly suspense tale! There are 3 books in the Sarah Bennett Mysteries series. I definitely plan to read them all -- I already have book 2 waiting in the wings for me to post this review!

For more information on Terry Lynn Thomas and her books, check out her website: http://terrylynnthomas.com/

**I voluntarily listened to a review copy of this audiobook on Audible.com. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. **