What I Loved:

Jocelyn Green’s writing has a beautiful way of captivating a reader. I loved the story she told with a mixture of historical information and a mystery!

How I Felt:

Veiled in Smoke was such a daring, exciting book. I haven’t read a historical fiction book about the Chicago Fire, and so I was thrilled to learn about a new time in history!

The Characters: We really get to know the two sisters, Meg and Sylvie. Meg has such wonderful strength, and I found myself quite connected to her. She shows such strength throughout this story. She has a strong belief in God and trusts in him as she finds herself homeless in the aftermath of the fire.

Their father, Stephen, was an interesting character. He is a Civil War veteran and was a prisoner in the Andersonville Camp. He suffers from PTSD, which in the 1800s, was called “soldier’s heart”, which I never knew. He was such an interesting, and heartbreaking, part of this story.

The Writing: The historical information in Veiled in Smoke was very well done. I enjoyed all of the facts sewn into the story and loved how Jocelyn Green created a story of family, love, loss, and a murder-mystery into the Great Chicago Fire’s devastation. For the literature lovers, the family owns a bookstore and there are wonderful references to classics that you will enjoy reading about too!

Content Warnings: Fire, bodily damage by fire, post-traumatic stress disorder

Overall: Veiled in Smoke is a beautifully written historical fiction book with excellent characters, a captivating story, and an exciting murder mystery.

To Read or Not To Read:

I would recommend Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green to readers that enjoy historical fiction and mystery. As this is a Christian-themed book, faith-based readers will really enjoy this one.

Where to Find This Book:

Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green is available at these sites.

Amazon Kindle | Amazon | Goodreads

Meg and Sylvie Townsend manage the family bookshop and care for their father, Stephen, a veteran still suffering in mind and spirit from his time as a POW during the Civil War. But when the Great Fire sweeps through Chicago’s business district, they lose much more than just their store.

The sisters become separated from their father, and after Meg burns her hands in an attempt to save a family heirloom, they make a harrowing escape from the flames with the help of Chicago Tribune reporter Nate Pierce. Once the smoke clears away, they reunite with Stephen, only to learn soon after that their family friend not only died during the fire–he was murdered. Even more shocking, Stephen is charged with the crime and committed to the Cook County Insane Asylum.

Though homeless, injured, and suddenly unemployed, Meg must not only gather the pieces of her shattered life, but prove her father’s innocence before the asylum truly drives him mad.

Just the Facts:

• Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green
• Series: The Windy City Saga, Book 1
• Genre: Historical Fiction / Christian Fiction
• Page Count: 416 pages
• Publisher:  Bethany House Publishers
• Pub Date: February 4, 2020

I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

All Amazon links are affiliate links.

#shejustlovesbooks #bookreview #bookblog #historicalfiction #christianfiction #veiledinsmoke #justreadstours #jocelyngreen