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There are currently 36 member reviews
for The House on Biscayne Bay
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Elizabeth T. (Bradenton, FL)
The House on Biscayne Bay
The House on Biscayne Bay gives fans of Chanel Cleeton another reason to appreciate her work. While paying homage to the Sunshine State and its history, the novel has all the trappings of a Gothic tale. The plot is teeming with suspense and maintains a level of tension and mystery that propels the story at a rapid pace.
The novel's setting is a Gothic style mansion replete with secret passages, exotic animals and a topiary maze. As the title informs us the mansion, Maribrisa, is located on the infamous Biscayne Bay home to gangsters and scoundrels. The novel toggles between the nineteen twenties and forties and tells the story of two families- Robert and Anna Barnes and the Acosta sisters, Carmen and Caroline. Each family has its secrets, and one has the sense that the characters are in constant danger and can trust no one. When murders do occur there's ample reason to suspect multiple characters.
Ms. Cleeton does not disappoint her readers. The novel is full of twists and turns that leave the readers guessing right up to the story's climax. Because the novel combines elements of historical fiction and gothic mystery it will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers.
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Susan L. (Alexandria, VA)
Atmospheric Novel
Cleeton weaves an atmospheric, gothic novel in The House on Biscayne Bay. While the start was a tad slow for me, once I got to the dual timeline it took off. I was engaged and intrigued to see where the mystery would lead. Marbrisa came alive with its gardens, animals, and tension. Nothing was as it appeared. Everyone in the cast of characters was suspect. This was a well-developed historic thriller.
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Carmel B. (The Villages, FL)
From One War to Another
Parallel tales of romance, bankruptcy and murder in the 1920s and 1940s keep readers in suspense while Cleeton exposes the greed and ambition of the Miami of yesteryear. If you enjoy a good mystery with historical undertones, this book is for you. If you don't know much about South Florida and are interested in how Miami evolved into the mecca that it is today, you will be enlightened. The setting between post-World War I and pre-World War II will have you counting the years between the characters, making it more intriguing. This is a thrilling, quick read.
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Liz B. (Frisco, TX)
Good Read
I enjoyed this story from Chanel Cleeton. Her writing flows smoothly between time periods and I found myself interested in both plot lines, not just one as is often the case. The story is haunting. I saw it described as Gothic and would definitely agree. I'm not sure if this is a series but I would love to see a sequel, or prequel, to this book. It seems like there is still so much to learn about the characters; I was left wanting a little more. Good read!
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Jeanne W. (Colorado Springs, CO)
Pure Pleasure Reading
Chanel Cleeton does historical fiction so well! This very gothic novel is done in two timelines. The first is around 1920 with Anna and Robert Barnes, who are looking to join the up and coming Miami area. Robert builds Marbrisa, an enormous showy house, as a gift to Anna; Anna is not so thrilled. The second timeline is in the late 1930's with 19-year-old Carmen coming to Marbrisa to live with her sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher. Because of several accidents that happened during construction some of the locals believe the house is haunted. Anna seems very nice but very remote; the reader doesn't really get to know her. This is a book for pure pleasure reading.
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Sylvia LaC
Historical mystery
I enjoyed this murder mystery with dual timelines, one in the 20s and one in the 40s. The story is very atmospheric, and I felt transported to Marbrisa with its macabre ambiance, rooftop gargoyles, ostentatious interior, and secret passages. Deaths occur and there are rumors of its being haunted. The story held my interest throughout; I did not know whose story to believe when the police were investigating the murders. I highly recommend this book.
Robert Barnes built Marbrisa, a glamorous estate for his wife, Anna’s 40th birthday. It is in Biscayne Bay, a remote area south of Miami. Anna loves the gardens, but to her, the house feels like a museum, filled with art and ornate furniture from Europe. Marbrisa is Robert’s legacy since they have no children, and he desires the envy and respect of others. They host a housewarming party, and a woman falls into the bay and drowns. Was it an accident or murder? Later, Anna is killed.
Asher Wyatt bought Marbrisa cheaply since it was in poor condition after being vacant for 10 years. He renovated it to its former glory. In 1941 Asher and his wife Carolina had lived there 6 years. Carolina’s younger sister, Carmen Acosta age 18, comes from Cuba to live with them after their parents were killed in an accident. Their father appointed Asher to handle Carmen’s inheritance and to be her guardian until she turns 21 or marries. The sisters were never close, partly due to their 13-year age difference. Carmen’s second night there, she hears her sister scream, and she races outside to find Asher carrying Carolina’s body from the garden’s maze. Carmen is determined to find out who is responsible – Asher, the gardener, the architect, her lover, or a member of the staff?
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Rebecca
A Historical Mystery
This is a book about a house. It’s a house that becomes the obsession and eventual demise of two men, one at the end of WWI and another at the start of WWII. It’s the scene of two, or is it three, murders involving the wives of these two men. It’s a house despised not only by these two wives but also the locals who believe it’s cursed and haunted. It’s a good, not great, murder mystery with an interesting twist at the end that makes it worth reading
