By Kelly Bridgewater

About the Book

Book: High-Wire Heartbreak

Author: Anna Schmidt

Genre: Christian/Romance/History

Release date: January 1, 2022

In 1936--A party at the Ringling mansion Ca d’Zan in Sarasota, Florida, leads to a robbery--and possibly death.

A successful historical mystery writer, Chloe Whitfield comes to Ca’ d’Zan to research her next novel. Chloe’s fascination with the circus is rooted in family stories of her great-grandmother Lucinda Conroy, who reportedly was a trapeze artist of some renown. She’s heard hints of scandal—and perhaps larceny, but no details.

Chloe’s grandmother—rumored to be Lucinda’s only offspring—was raised in an orphanage and never knew her mother. Intrigued as she is, Chloe has no intent of writing about Lucinda until she sees a poster featuring Lucinda as the star performer for a 70th birthday gala for John Ringling in May of 1936. From there the trail goes cold.

Who was Lucinda and what happened to her?

My Thoughts:

High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt is a mixture of a mystery at the Ringling Mansion in Sarasota, Florida, and a hunt for what is family. I love the dual time stories that feature a mystery in the current setting, but then the actual mystery playing out in the past setting. These type of dual-time stories have become wildly popular, and I have enjoyed reading them. It makes it a little easier to read and understand what occurred in the past instead of reading letters or diary entries to learn what occurred previously. Of course, there is romance in both time periods. There is a jilted romance in the past that sparks the whole mystery in the present. It was nicely handled. I really did not think either romance was a little fast. The present one was a little odd and out of place for the time frame of the novel, but it worked out for the characters. Overall, High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt was a delightful story in the Doors to the Past series. I have really enjoyed all of these stories, and I hope there are more of them to come.

I received a complimentary copy of High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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About the Author

Anna Schmidt is the author of over twenty works of fiction. Among her many honors, Anna is the recipient of Romantic Times’ Reviewer’s Choice Award and a finalist for the RITA award for romantic fiction. She enjoys gardening and collecting seashells at her winter home in Florida.

More from Anna

It’s hard to split time living between Wisconsin and Sarasota Florida and NOT get caught up in the circus world! The Ringlings are icons in Sarasota where a LOT of things are named for them! But the five circus brothers got their start right here in Wisconsin. So, when the opportunity to create a story for DOORS TO THE PAST came my way, it was pretty much a no-brainer that I would go with John and Mable Ringling’s incredible home, Ca ‘d Zan as the setting. Then somehow, I stumbled on this picture:

and I knew she was my character of Lucinda, the trapeze artist whose story would drive my novel. I hope you fall in love with her—and Chloe—as I did, and most of all I hope you’ll be in touch to let me know what you thought at http://booksbyanna.com.

HAPPY READING and all best wishes, Anna