THE LUMBER BARON'S WIFE

THE LUMBER BARON'S WIFE by Lynn Austin

I have been a Lynn Austin fan for around 25 years now. About that time, I worked at a Christian bookstore and discovered her books on the shelf and was hooked. As soon as I saw she had a new book coming out, I put my order in for my copy! This one especially hits home for me, because my great-grandfather was a lumberjack in UP Michigan.

This book is a great mix of historical fiction with a streak of mystery down the middle of it. Set in two different time periods, readers travel back to 1837 during the days of the high point of the lumber boom and present day.

In the past, we follow a doctor's wife, Hannah Wagner, who, due to tragedy and loss, finds herself alongside her husband in a rough, remote town on the shores of Lake Michigan, Here she befriends, albeit reluctantly, lumber baron Henry Abernathy's wife, Kate. Kate struggles to fit in with the other barons' wives due to her soiled past (her mother was a prostitute and she was raised in a brothel) and lack of social etiquette in dress and behavior. Henry requests that Hannah take Kate under her wing and help her become a more refined lady. After making many social faux pas and causing a lot of embarrassment for her husband, Kate disappears without a trace and is never heard from again. Rumors of abuse and drowning swirl around the town, but no confirmation is ever made.

Alternating chapters with Hannah and Kate's story is the present day story of newly married and fresh out-of-college, Ashley Gilbert. Ashley and her husband, David, have just moved to the Lake Michigan area and live in Hannah Wagner's old home. Devoted to the care and revival of old places, Ashley jumps on board with volunteering for the restoration project of the Abernathy Mansion, Kate's home. As the volunteers begin to peel back flooring and wallpaper to expose the grand features and architecture of the old mansion that have been buried for years, the stories and history begin to flow. Ashley can't help but think that someone, somewhere knew the truth about what happened to the young woman and has the answer to the mystery that has haunted the town for over a century.

HEADS UP - Austin does a masterful job of blending difficult subjects like prostitution, abuse, and abortion into this captivating story by shining Christ's light into the heart of it all. Everything is tastefully handled with little description.

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