The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon

Hello everyone.  I hope your day has been great.

I have to tell you about my grandfather on my mother's side.  My grandmother was wonderful, but she deserves her own telling, so I'll do that later.  My grandfather was a boisterous yet humble person.  He was tall and thin and had pretty blue eyes, the only in our family.  As a child he moved from a town with about ten houses in PA to the bustling area of upstate NY.  I'm laughing because where I grew up was a small town but compared to PA, I'm sure it was very metropolitan.  It was certainly important industry wise, which is why many came there.  My grandparents owned a small grocery store when he was pulled into World War II.  He was put in the Navy on an LST, that's one of those boats that the back opens to deliver tanks, etc.  He was a cook.  Not by trade, they trained him.  When he went home it was a big deal to have served.  In fact, my grandfather became mayor.  Instead of telling you more I'll just say he was a really good person that everyone liked, and he liked everyone.  He even liked my husband when hubby complained about the potholes and asked him to use his influence to get them fixed.

I recently read The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon. I've also read The Drowning Kind and The Invited by the same author and enjoyed them greatly. In this story we are treated to a look at 1978, a family living in Vermont, a grandmother and two of her grandchildren Eric and Violet.  They live near a grand house affectionately called The Inn.  This is a place that takes care of people with mental health issues.  It is very exclusive and very successful.  The grandmother, Dr. Helen Hildreth, is the genius that runs the facility.  One day the doctor brings home a young mute girl to join their small family.  She thinks the interaction with her grandchildren will help bring young Iris out of her shell and aid in her healing.  Soon Iris becomes a vibrant part of the family that the grandchildren now consider their sister.  

The story also features 2019 where young women are disappearing.  A famous celebrity "monster hunter" is on the trail, since each missing woman reports seeing a monster before vanishing.  Soon she suspects the worst, that her sister is somehow wrapped up in these tragedies.  Yet, all is not as simple as it appears.  Secrets that have been long hidden are painfully recovered.

This book was a quick read.  The two timelines played off each other perfectly, driving the story forward.  If you are a fan of McMahon, you will recognize her "to the point" yet involved, storytelling. As always, the book leaves the reader satisfied at least until the next title is released.  Highly enjoyable.

I guess I'll still lay claim to my grandfather, even though he was a big old troublemaker, disregard that he said the same thing about me!

The Invited by Jennifer McMahon

Hello everyone.

Have you ever heard experts say that we, as humans, sometimes have a fight or flight reaction? I think it might be real. When something really bad happens, for a split second I want to leave. The thought floats through my head to run away and start a new anonymous life somewhere else, without the awful issue of the moment. Of course I don't leave, it isn't responsible. People I love need and deserve my support but the fleeting thought is there.

Then there is the other kind of flight, the serious, well thought out kind. When I was a kid, I loved going to the beach. I know I've mentioned before that on one family spring break trip to Myrtle Beach I swore I would marry a pool boy. I must have believed that the pool boy was the epitome of beach-dom. I couldn't have aspired to a hotel owner or land baron, nope, teenage me thought that the pool boy was the top of the beach heap. Funny thing is my husband grew up just a few blocks off the ocean and his early jobs were working in hotels and renting bikes on the boardwalk. His brown hair was bleached pale blonde by the sun, he was super tan and had beautiful blue eyes (still does). He was a walking postcard for the oceanfront. Now, having been married for eons and living by the ocean for years I want to move. We can't, hubby's job is here. The problem is hurricanes. I have experienced way too many and am terrified of them. If I could, I would move far away from the ocean just because of hurricanes.

I recently read The Invited by Jennifer McMahon. This is the story of two teachers who decide they want to move. Helen is a history teacher and Nate adores science. They want to leave their jobs, buy an old house, and build a new life. After looking at all their options, this couple purchases a lot they like and decide to build a new house that looks like an old salt box home. Problems arise when they discover that the property they now own is where the house of town legend Hattie Breckenridge once stood...and the site of her death over a century ago. When Helen wants to give her new house a wink and nod to history she purchases several pieces of architectural salvage that had a connection to Hattie. Once installed, these pieces seem to bring odd happenings to their newly built home.

When reading the book jacket, you might think this is a straight up haunted house book. While it is a bit spooky, it really is so much more. The story of Hattie unfolds and the reader is witness to how she was treated, how a single moment in time can change everything including future generations, naturally it ties into today as well.  I love when a book ends up having a much more involved story than I thought it would, I feel like I am getting extra value for my money. That is exactly how this book is, more than I anticipated. The Invited is engaging, moving not at a thriller pace but quickly enough to keep the reader interested. Like in many books, I was sure I knew the answers to the mysteries presented but the author proved me wrong. If you like mild haunted house stories, stories concerning New England, houses, mysteries or just great tales, you'll like this book.

I am wondering if I should start tracing our deed back...perhaps not.