The Door to January

by Gillian French

[Sam@WLABB]

Natalie's family fled Bernier after she and her cousin, Teddy, were attacked at gunpoint by local bullies. She had stayed away for three years, but felt a need to return in order to find out more about the nightmares that had been plaguing her. While back in Bernier, she "reunited" with her attackers, which awakened memories of that terrifying encounter, while also stumbling upon another mystery involving an abandoned house, which seems to call to her.

I really enjoyed this blend of mystery, time traveling, and the paranormal. The elements were blended in such a way, that they worked well together. At first, I thought this was just going to be about Natalie's nightmares and the house, which slowly divulged pieces of a string of murders that took place in the late 40s. But, these were not the only flashes of the past revealed to Natalie. She also began seeing snippets from that dreaded day in the woods, which left one of her former friends dead and his murder still unsolved. By dropping pieces of both mysteries and weaving them with a little friendship, romance, and confrontation, I was left with a lot to think about, but French wove them in such a way, that I enjoyed collecting the pieces and trying to figure it out.

I really liked the relationship between Teddy and Natalie. They had a great bond, which was tested, but still held up. I also liked the interactions between Natalie and Lowell, however, I wished we got to see more of them together. The relationship looked to be heading in a direction I was totally behind, but it was cut a little short.

French made quite an interesting decision at the very end of this book. She switched the perspective and put some ideas out there, which made me question a few of the things I thought I learned from the rest of the story. I would love to be able to discuss the ending with her, because I want to see if my thoughts jibe with her intentions.

Overall: A suspenseful tale with a touch of romance and the paranormal.

**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

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