Genre: Historical Mystery/Magical
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pub. Date: March 28, 2023
“The Echo of Old Books” splendidly combines a bit of the paranormal with a tragic love story. Our protagonist, Ashlyn Greer, owns a used bookstore, “The Unlikely Story,” filled with rare books. She is also a talented bookbinder. Ashlyn has an unusual gift: by touching a book, she can feel its owner’s emotional “vibrations” or “echoes,” reminding me of “The Shadow Of The Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. “Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it…” The novel appealed to me because I’m a book lover who enjoys nothing more than browsing in a used bookstore with its intoxicating old paper and leather scents. I have spent hours in bookstores comparable to “The Unlikely Story”—Davis nailed the vibe.
There are two timelines: 1941 in NYC and 1984 in New Hampshire.In 1984, Ashlyn sorted through a box of books for her bookstore when she feels strong emotions of love, anger, and betrayal from two books: “Regretting Belle” and “Forever, and Other Lies.” They do not have title pages, publishing information, or the author’s names. The journal-like, possibly epistolary novels tell the story of the same doomed romance told from his and her perspectives. Ashlyn becomes obsessed with solving the mystery. So did this reviewer.
In these books, the woman is a wealthy socialite. The man is a struggling reporter just making ends meet. We do not know the characters’ names, just their nicknames for each other. He calls her Belle, as in the belle of the ball. Since he is a writer, she calls him Hemi, short for Hemingway. Their relationship is written as a l love story rather than chick-lit. If you want a romance read “Echoes” is not for you.
The mysteries surrounding Belle, Hemi, and Ashlyn read as three well-blended books rather than one. I was surprised that the book’s ending is a bit corny, unlike the rest of the novel. Other than that, I recommend this book, especially if you also love reading books about books.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list…
https://bookreviewer1955.wordpress.com/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/review…
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr…
https://www.amazon.com/
Leave Me Alone I Am Reading and Reviewing 