I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A unique holiday mystery unfolds across three small towns in author J. Traveler Pelton’s “Christmas Comes to the Tritowns.”
The Synopsis
Welcome back to the Lyonsville, Fern Valley and Friedman, three sleepy villages where the Amish and English live together most of the time peacefully. Something odd is going on in the Tritowns. As the lodge, the Ladies’ Auxiliary and the sheriffs all try to prepare for a normal holiday season, Christmas trees start showing up, all seemingly indexed to the places they are left. The Bark has new members, old friends show up for the holidays and can’t we just have peace and quiet long enough to open packages?
The Review
This was a compelling, heartfelt, and emotional story. The mystery was unique, as it kept the reader guessing about the purpose and motivations behind the person who left these trees behind, especially as the decor became more personal and detailed. The fast-paced narrative and holiday setting really kept readers engaged as the story progressed.
Yet it was the character dynamics that were really on display here. The large cast of supporting characters in this story made it feel like a collective, wholehearted holiday experience. In contrast, the main story, told in connection with the tree mystery, was emotional and heartfelt. The themes that the central story plays with, from the concept of family (both the one you’re born into and the one you find), the meaning of Christmas, and the path of redemption, all play critical roles in this narrative and the characters’ lives, and readers will instantly become emotionally invested in their stories.
The Verdict
Heartening, spirited, and engaging, author J. Traveler Pelton’s “Christmas Comes to the Tritowns” is a must-read holiday cozy mystery. The twists and turns in the story, the rich character development, and the world-building the author puts into this series surrounding the Tritowns and these interconnected characters will keep readers hanging onto the author’s every word. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
J. Traveler Pelton was born in West Virginia in the last century. She lives on a small farm with her husband, 7 alpaca, chickens, 5 Pomeranians, 14 canaries and tolerates T-Bears Siamese cats and irascible parrot Giz. She loves to find out what all her friends are studying. She is the mother of six adults, a grandmother of eight, a great-grandma of 1, a Clinically Licensed Independent Social worker, a retired adjunct professor of social work at her local university and an avid reader. She studies science, technology, Biblical studies, and human behavior. She is quick to draw parallels between different fields of thought and weave the ideas into a cohesive ideology that is at once practical, usable, and thoughtful. Her books are the result of blending her life experiences with bureaucracy, studying science and nature, counseling, and faith. She greatly enjoys the intersection of fantasy and possibility and hopes you enjoy it as well. We will see you on the other side of the imagination tree.
Her co-author of the Clan Falconer fantasy series is her grandson T-Bear. T Bear Pelton is a self-proclaimed gamer, a Christian active in his home church, a Native American, a storyteller, and a novice blacksmith. He lives with his grandparents, his Amazon parrot, and four Siamese on a small alpaca farm while working full time and dreaming of times when magic still existed. Enjoy this fantasy with him and for just a little while, suspend daily life for a dream of dragons and wizards, beautiful ladies and knights, magic and faith. Travel then with us to another time, another place, and another dimension. Come to the future, after the Great War, when tech and magic combine with faith and fear.
Their farm, Springhaven Croft, is home to alpacas, dogs, Siamese cats, canaries, an eclectic group of chickens and an irascible Amazon Parrot named Gizmo. Traveler’s webpage is travelerpelton.com; she also has a FB page called Traveler Pelton. Come visit real soon! She loves your reviews and to hear from her fans.
