In the wake of World War I in the small, Southern town of Bellhaven, South Carolina, the town folk believe they’ve found a little slice of heaven in a mysterious chapel in the woods. But they soon realize that evil can come in the most beautiful of forms.
The people of Bellhaven have always looked to Ellsworth Newberry for guidance, but after losing his wife and his future as a professional pitcher, he is moments away from testing his mortality once and for all. Until he finally takes notice of the changes in his town . . . and the cardinals that have returned.
The cracks between the natural and supernatural begin to widen, and tensions rise. Before the town crumbles, Ellsworth must pull himself from the brink of suicide, overcome his demons, and face the truth of who he was born to be.
Author: James Markert
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: 30th January 2018
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ★★★★☆
Oh how I loved this book! It gripped me right from the beginning, even though typically supernatural stories aren't my jam. It did take a bit of a menacing turn about three quarters through but that didn't ruin the charm, if anything, I couldn't wait to read the resolution and what was to become of the town, which was always so accepting no matter the race or religion until suddenly, it wasn't.
The story is told from the point of view of Ellsworth and I really liked him, he had a lot of depth and even though he could be abrasive he really wanted what was best for the town. There were plenty of other endearing characters too, from those who cook to keep their minds busy to those that spend the early morning creating bird houses in their garden shed. I liked how the stories all intermingled and even if something didn't appear clear at first, it was easy to trust that it would be in the end.
If you want a read full of colourful characters, small town southern charm and a heap of mystery then this might just be the book for you.