Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelley Gray

Lydia’s job at the library is her world—until a mysterious patron catches her eye . . . and perhaps her heart.
Just months after the closure of the Chicago World’s Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.
Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.
Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn’t merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.
Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is a suspect to a murder. She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent, and if Sebastian Marks—the man so many people fear—is actually everything her heart believes him to be.

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About the Author

Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector, recently made the New York Times best seller list. A native of Texas, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Colorado and taught school for ten years. She and her husband have two children and live in Southern Ohio. Visit her website at www.shelleyshepardgray.com Facebook: ShelleyShepardGray Twitter: @ShelleySGray


Here's what I thought.....
An adventurous story in the heart of Chicago at the time of the World's Fair. This book is a great look at life in Chicago in the late 1800's. At the start of the book you are captivated by all the things that are going on. The crime is really shocking even so many years ago.
I really liked this book when it started. I was intrigued and excited to keep reading. The problem I had was that by the end of the book I was so bored I just wanted it to end. The writing is done very well but I felt like the suspense just wasn't there. I could definitely see where her other books could be awesome because this one started off that way and then just kind of sputtered out. I think the biggest reason I got bored was because there was no guessing who the bad guy was. The book pretty much tells you about three quarters of the way through and then you have to read ten more chapters to find out for sure. The climax just wasn't there.
I have actually heard very good things about the other books in this series and I would love to read them. I know a lot of others have felt similar about this book as I did. Overall this book left me wanting more suspense and mystery. However I am very much looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
Thank you to the Thomas Nelson/ Zondervan Fiction Guild for the opportunity to review this book. A positive review was not required.