The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall ~ Review & Giveaway!

Synopsis:

An abandoned estate encased in stagnant darkness . . .
A haunting legacy intent on silencing all within reach . . .

In 1890, the ominous tolling of the bell announces that death has come to Traeger Hall, leaving orphaned Waverly Pembrooke to piece together the puzzle behind her uncle’s and aunt’s murders. Bound by the terms of her uncle’s eccentric will, Waverly finds herself alone in a manor shrouded by death and questioning the reasons for her uncle’s paranoia. A madness hovers over Traeger Hall, and Waverly–as well as the people of nearby Newton Creek–are ill-prepared for the woe that has descended.

In present day Newton Creek, whispers of a family curse still cling to the century-old, abandoned property of Traeger Hall. When Jennie Phillips takes possession of the estate after her mother’s passing, she is intent on solving the mystery of the Traeger murders. Yet a modern cold case suggests that untimely deaths and mysterious occurrences still plague the property. And as thorny truths surface, Jennie realizes the dark legacy threatens not only the town and the Traeger descendants . . . but also, chillingly, Jennie herself.

Book Details:

Genre: Dual Timeline Gothic Suspense
Published by: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: October 21, 2025
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780764243806, paperback
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Baker Book House

Last year, I read The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater by Jaime Jo Wright, and it was one of my favorite reads of the year. I couldn’t wait to see if The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall would be just as good.

This book was full of mystery, suspense, and eerie paranormal possibility. Wright completely understands the gothic vibe. She paints every scene so vividly that you can almost feel the moody damp darkness creeping through the corridors, the old stone buildings, the hushed whispers, the candlelit shadows, it’s a world you can disappear into.

Just like The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater, this story alternates between timelines to weave a mystery that spans generations. Each chapter reveals a small piece of the story, just enough to keep you guessing and make it impossible to put down. I mean, I finished this book in two days.

Though both timelines played pivotal roles in how the story unfolded, I found myself more emotionally drawn to Waverly’s 1890s perspective than Jennie’s in the present day. Waverly’s world was filled with struggle, injustice, and secrets — the kind that could destroy reputations and families alike. She was a woman fighting to be seen and heard in a time when women’s voices were often dismissed and her story became the foundation of the horrific events that closed Traeger Hall for generations. Jennie’s story in the present day was compelling too as she tried to uncover the very same mystery from decades past, torn between reopening or demolishing Traeger Hall, but it was Waverly’s haunting past that felt like the soul of this novel.

The 1890s characters were absolute scoundrels. They were proper and polished in public, but duplicitous behind closed doors. That’s one of the things I love most about historical fiction, everyone is so concerned with manners and reputation, while secretly scheming and plotting in the background.

It’s also an era when women were expected to stay quiet, keep house, and marry well, which makes a strong female lead like Waverly even more satisfying. I love when a woman defies those expectations to solve a mystery when the “capable men” can’t seem to.

The present-day characters carried their own burdens of grief and loss. It was loss that led Jennie to Traeger Hall, and loss that tied her to Zane and his family as they sought to uncover the truth about the murders that shut down the Hall long ago.

There were also subtle hints of romance woven throughout both timelines that brought warmth and humanity to an otherwise shadowy story.

I absolutely loved being transported into another of Jaime Jo Wright’s chilling fictional worlds. Her writing is mysterious and haunting, with just the right balance of gothic tension and emotional depth. The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall was every bit as devious and eerie as I hoped it would be. A story full of dark secrets, generational betrayal, and an unsolved murder mystery.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this virtual book tour, Partners In Crime Tours

Tour Participants:

• 10/21 Country Mamas With Kids THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 10/22 Cozy Home DelightBook Reviews THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 10/23Because I said so THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 10/23 Cozy Home DelightBook Reviews THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Guest post
• 10/24 5 Minutesfor Books THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 10/24Because I said so THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Guest post
• 10/25 BookReviews From an Avid Reader THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 10/26 Guatemala Paula Loves to Read THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 10/29 TheBook Connection THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 10/30bookwormwhitlock86 THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Showcase
• 11/01chapterswithcollins THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/02 Cozy Up With Kathy THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/03 Its All Aboutthe Book THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/05Sarah’s Bookish Reviews THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/06 fuonlyknew THE BELLTOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Showcase
• 11/06 The ARCritique THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/07Melissa’s Bookshelf THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/07 Novels Alive THE BELLTOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/08meloplanner THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/09 Books of my HeartTHE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/10 Jodys Bookish Haven THEBELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Showcase
• 11/10minreads15 THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/11 Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/11 WhyNot? Because I Said So Book Reviews THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/12 Inkwell Inspirations THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/13 A Room without Books is Empty THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/13 Melissa AsBlog THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review
• 11/14 ThePage Ladies THE BELL TOLLS AT TRAEGER HALL Review

 

Author Bio:

Jaime Jo Wright is the author of thirteen novels, including Christy Award-winner and ECPA bestseller The Vanishing at Castle Moreau, Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill, and Carol Award-winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. Jaime has also written two Publishers Weekly bestselling novellas. She lives in Wisconsin with her family and fabulous felines.

Catch Up With Jaime Jo Wright:

JaimeWrightBooks.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads – @JaimeJoWright
BookBub – @JaimeJoWright
Instagram – @JaimeJoWright
Threads – @JaimeJoWright
YouTube – MadLit Musings
Spotify – MadLit Musings

 

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jaime Jo Wright. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

The giveaway is for:    a paperback copy of The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jaime Jo Wright and a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card to a winner in the US