Shadows in the Mind’s Eye by Janyre Tromp Book Review & Giveaway

 

"Tromp weaves a complex historical tale incorporating love, suspense, hurt, and healing--all the elements that keep the pages turning."
--Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of Perennials

Charlotte Anne Mattas longs to turn back the clock. Before her husband, Sam, went to serve his country in the war, he was the man everyone could rely on--responsible, intelligent, and loving. But the person who's come back to their family farm is very different from the protector Annie remembers. Sam's experience in the Pacific theater has left him broken in ways no one can understand--but that everyone is learning to fear.

Tongues start wagging after Sam nearly kills his own brother. Now when he claims to have seen men on the mountain when no one else has seen them, Annie isn't the only one questioning his sanity and her safety. If there were criminals haunting the hills, there should be evidence beyond his claims. Is he really seeing what he says, or is his war-tortured mind conjuring ghosts?

Annie desperately wants to believe her husband. But between his irrational choices and his nightmares leaking into the daytime, she's terrified he's going mad. Can she trust God to heal Sam's mental wounds--or will sticking by him mean keeping her marriage at the cost of her own life?

Debut novelist Janyre Tromp delivers a deliciously eerie, Hitchcockian story filled with love and suspense. Readers of psychological thrillers and historical fiction by Jaime Jo Wright and Sarah Sundin will add Tromp to their favorite authors list.

Janyre Tromp is a developmental book editor who has worked in the publishing industry for more than twenty years, spending time in both marketing and editorial. When she isn’t writing, she’s a Bible study leader, writers conference speaker, ACFW member, wife, and mom of two kids and their menagerie of slightly eccentric pets. Visit her at janyretromp.com.

 My Thoughts:

An intriguing historical novel. Not for the faint of heart with the topic of PTSD, well worth the read in this heartfelt story centered around life after World War II.

The war is over and Sam Mattas returns to his family and farm after the war. Life isn’t any easier for him with meeting his daughter for the first time. Being a husband to a wife who had a terrible childhood and caring for his ailing mother and brother who didn’t far the war any better than he did. The farm isn’t doing so well at keeping afloat either. Out of the frying pan into the fire. For Sam he just wants to be a good husband to Annie. His battle is far from over. He is startled easily and he is seeing things that aren’t there.

Annie on the other hand finds herself torn inbetween helping and loving her husband and protecting herself and her daughter from him. The emotions and complexity of this novel will dwell with you for a long time.

The characters are complex and have a lot of depth to them. I loved Sam’s mom, Dovie May. She was a wealth of wisdom throughout the book. The novel is better for an older audience due to the contents in the story and some other issues.  

You can enter the giveaway here:

You can find her on Facebook (@JanyreTromp), Instagram (@JaynreTromp), Twitter (@JanyreTromp), and her website, www.JanyreTromp.com where you can download

a free copy of her novella, Wide Open.

I received a complimentary of this product in exchange for my honest review.