By: Jamie Steinberg
Another adventure begins for Hope and Gordon Smith, and it is back at the scene of the previous crime – the Winterton Chalet! With The Winterton Deception: Fault Lines author Janet Sumner Johnson reunites the family for Thanksgiving only to disrupt the festivities with a secret, a family rift, a clue hunt and plenty of danger.
Hope has a secret and when Elizabeth Springer goes missing right before the Winterton holiday meet up it seems Hope must confess what she’s been keeping undercover. Not thrilled by her admission, the family doesn’t believe her and are angry at her for what they feel is a lie. Ready to go back to their simple life, the situation changes when Hope receives a letter from Ms. Springer that contains coded instructions as to how to locate James Winterton, their estranged grandfather. It also holds a message that insinuates there may be a hidden Jane Austen item to find. Can Hope and Gordon reunite the family – again – to follow the clues that could lead them to find two important long held mysteries?
Johnson clearly loves a mystery, and she does a great job at using coded messages to lead Hope (and the reader) on a fascinating adventure of discovery. The Wintertons may have had an attitude adjustment when Hope, Gordon and Mary found their way into the family, but when secret after secret rocks their world it’s easy for them to fall back into their guarded behaviors. Filled with very serious danger around every corner, readers will quickly turn page after page to figure out what the messages secretly hold and whether or not Hope and Gordon can reunite their newfound family.
For those that fell for the Wintertons in their first family adventure, The Winterton Deception: Fault Lines amps up the mystery and intrigue that seems to follow them. If you’re a fan of a good clue hunt and intrigued by newfound family dynamics, then grab a copy of this book.