This is one of those books that draws you in from page 1 and keeps you absolutely riveted until the last page, and then you want some more.
Read more here: http://from7eight.com/a-stillness-of-chimes/ ( )

I'll be honest: I'm kind of a snob when it comes to Christian fiction. To me, it seems that so much of it is either very much contrived and preachy or very much not-really-Christian with a few references to Jesus thrown in to make it (sort of) work. That's why I was so so SO pleasantly surprised by Meg Moseley's A Stillness of Chimes. It's like a real story. Written by a real author. With real talent. It's really good!

Laura Gantt has just lost her mother, so she's hanging out in her hometown of Prospect, Georgia for awhile to settle her household. Twelve years ago, she lost her father to a suspected lake drowning, but now rumors are circling that he's been seen around the area. Former fiance and lifelong friend, Sean, has his doubts, but he's willing to help Laura find out. Together, they discover the truth---with some very surprising secrets being unearthed along the way.

I love a good mystery and this one didn't disappoint---too much. I usually do have the mystery figured out early on, but it's always fun to see how it all plays out. Though I had this one about half way through, I definitely enjoyed this story of grace, forgiveness, and ultimate sacrifice. The scenes where Laura misses and remembers her mother lead me to believe that this author has dealt with that kind of loss on a personal level. The part where she takes the last blackberries out of the freezer and makes a cobbler---with the last berries ever picked by her mother---oh. my. goodness. Girls, that was too much. Really made me miss my mama so far away in Oregon.

I've been on the lookout for good Southern fiction---this one is a definite must-read. Do you have any other good suggestions for me? ( )

The small town of Prospect, Georgia, has plenty of secrets in Meg Moseley’s A Stillness of Chimes. Never having been to Georgia, I really enjoyed the feel of entering a different place through the eyes of her characters. Laura Gantt might avoid going back into church, as she feels too many eyes on her, having returned to close up her childhood home after the death of her mother. But there’s always the possibility she might stay, or even the chance that her father, long mourned as dead, might somehow return.

Laura’s childhood friends are still around too. Cassie’s back from California and wondering if her marriage is worth saving. Sean copes with his abusive father and still makes music and instruments. Tig, Cassie’s once-annoying little sister, is happily making babies, and seems the only really settled one. Meanwhile parents and friends offer welcome, plus the occasional tuna casserole. Wind chimes play their tune. The widow lives in a dream world, and Cassie’s mother is turning her world into a dream.

With so many characters and so many needs, this story could be confusing. But the author does a good job with point of view, keeping the novel progressing forward, revealing detail at just the right time, and gradually building suspense as the chimes fall silent.

It’s not a scary tale; readers will easily guess much of what’s to come, just as Laura does. It is dark and oppressive sometimes, with secrets untold, but the story’s lightened by naturally humorous dialog, and pleasing relationships. In all, A Stillness of Chimes is an enjoyable story with a pleasing lesson in the power and importance of love and trust, and communication. Just maybe, those chimes might be hiding a still small voice.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah blogging for books and I promised my honest review. ( )

"What if the echoes of past heartaches uncovered an unknown sacrifice that changes everything?"

This sentence from the back of the book will haunt you through every page.

I love Meg Moseley's books. She writes with a depth that tugs at my heart.

A southern Georgia mountain town, a bluegrass festival, a dead man who may not be dead, even after 12 years, secrets revealed that shatter hearts, friends whose lives are in turmoil, a love that has endured for 18 years.......this is the stuff of this book.

Reading the prologue, (out loud to my husband) I was reminded of To Kill A Mockingbird. It has the same feeling, the same emotions running through it.

Meg Mosely has created characters as rich and full as a southern blackberry cobbler made from the berries pictured on the cover. Deeply satisfying relationships, haunting melodies and so much more make this book one for your keeper shelves.

The secrets kept by the characters herein are deep secrets, kept for over a decade and destined to never be revealed. Your heart will ache for these folks and what they've endured, you'll feel the Georgia clay on your feet as you read of the struggles in their lives and the hurts they've kept hidden in their hearts.

This is a book NOT to be missed. You will want to read it in one sitting. I have closed the cover but want to go back and read it again! ( )