The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall

By Jaime Jo Wright

As a fan of anything Jaime Jo Wright writes, I went into this book with high expectations.

I was not disappointed.

In all my years of reading spooky stories, I’ve come to two conclusions:

• Some books are creepy because of what happens in them.
• And then there are books that are creepy because of the atmosphere they create.

The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall is definitely the second kind.

There’s a creepy house, a dark bell tower that tolls whenever someone’s life is in danger, weird family secrets, and dead bodies being laid out in the front parlor for far longer than they need to be.

Yes. I was thoroughly invested.

The story follows two women living decades apart whose lives become connected by the mystery surrounding Traeger Hall. And because this is Jaime Jo Wright, you know you’re going to get an atmospheric setting, complicated characters, family secrets, and twists that keep you guessing.

Spoiler warning: This review discusses plot details and character arcs from the book.

Book Details

Title: The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall
Author: Jaime Jo Wright
Genre: Gothic Mystery / Christian Fiction
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5

Content Note

This book contains themes of abuse, family trauma, death, grief, murder, and the mistreatment of deceased bodies. There are references to verbal and emotional abuse, including an abusive parent.

Synopsis

In the past, Waverly is left behind after the brutal deaths of her aunt and her cruel, narcissistic uncle. She is expected to keep vigil over their bodies for far longer than anyone should have to endure.

As she begins uncovering the secrets surrounding their deaths, the local undertaker comes to her aid. Together, they begin piecing together a mystery that reaches much deeper than either of them expected.

In the present day, Jennie inherits Traeger Hall following the deaths of her mother and her abusive father.

With the help of Zane, a local man, and his non-verbal son, Jennie begins uncovering the secrets surrounding Traeger Hall as she reopens the house, much to the dismay of the people of Newton Creek.

And Newton Creek has plenty of secrets of its own.

Cozy Vibes Check

Calling this book “cozy” may be stretching the definition a little.

This is gothic cozy.

In fact, the atmosphere is one of my favorite things about this book. Traeger Hall feels like a character in its own right, and I absolutely love that element in a gothic novel.

The town of Newton Creek also feels almost like another character. It watches. It remembers. It holds onto its secrets while Jennie slowly begins pulling them into the light.

It’s dark, atmospheric, mysterious, and just a little unsettling.

The Creep Factor

There is one particular element that really increased the creep factor for me:

The bodies.

Waverly is forced to keep vigil over the bodies of her aunt and uncle for far longer than necessary.

In the midst of a recent family loss myself, this hit differently.

I cannot imagine the elongation of grief that would come from having your loved one’s body laid out in your living room day after day while you’re still trying to process the fact that they’re gone.

It made me very grateful for funeral homes.

And it added an entirely different layer of horror to the story.

Two Women, Two Timelines

Dual timelines are something I’ve come to expect from Jaime Jo Wright, and she does them so well.

Waverly and Jennie are separated by decades, but their stories become increasingly connected as the mysteries surrounding Traeger Hall begin to unfold.

Both women have experienced tremendous trauma. Both have been hurt by people who should have loved and protected them. And both have to figure out what it means to move forward.

But their journeys are not identical. And I’m glad they aren’t.

Jennie’s Journey

This may have been my favorite part of the entire book.

Far too often, stories about abuse give characters a very predictable path to healing.

• Tell your story.
• Have a good ugly cry.
• And suddenly, everything is better.

Wright doesn’t do that with Jennie.

Jennie is skeptical. She’s guarded. She’s carrying years of abuse, and she doesn’t suddenly become a completely different person because she’s uncovered the truth about her past.

Instead, she becomes willing to open the door.

And for Zane, that’s enough.

As someone who survived a verbally and emotionally abusive marriage, I appreciated this more than I can really explain.

I didn’t readily jump into the arms of Jesus when I got divorced. Healing took years. I was grateful for the people who surrounded me with love and patience while I worked through what had happened.

That’s why Jennie’s journey felt so honest to me. She wasn’t magically fixed. She was willing to keep going. And sometimes, that is what healing looks like.

And Then There Is Zane

Zane brings such a steady presence to the story. I especially loved his perspective on trauma and faith.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is:

“I believe God helps those of us who experience trauma so we can discover the path to keep going in spite of the pain. To have faith and find strength outside of ourselves and hopefully find beauty again.”

That quote really captures what I appreciated about this story. Faith isn’t presented as a magic eraser for everything that has happened. Sometimes faith is simply finding enough strength to take the next step. And then the next one. And eventually discovering that there can still be beauty after the pain.

Did the Mystery Keep Me Guessing?

Absolutely.

The mystery kept me guessing until the very end.

There were twists I suspected and twists I absolutely did not see coming. And even when I thought I’d figured something out, Wright managed to give me another piece of the puzzle to consider.

That is one of the reasons I keep coming back to her books. I’ve only read a handful of Jaime Jo Wright’s novels, but I look forward to each one. She uses familiar elements: dual timelines, haunting settings, family trauma, complicated characters, and shocking twists.

Yet somehow, she never makes them feel repetitive. She remakes them with every story.

And I’m absolutely here for it.

Cozy Sips Pairing: A London Fog

If you’re going to spend an afternoon at Traeger Hall, you might as well have something warm to drink while the bell tower is doing its thing.

I’m pairing this book with a London Fog, a classic Earl Grey tea drink made with steamed milk. The combination feels almost too perfect for this book: Victorian atmosphere, Earl Grey, steamed milk, and just enough mystery to make you wonder what exactly is happening in that bell tower.

Final Thoughts

The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall gave me exactly what I hoped for: an atmospheric mystery, a creepy house, complicated characters, a little bit of faith, and enough twists to keep me turning pages.

But what stayed with me most wasn’t the mystery.

It was Jennie’s journey.

Healing doesn’t always happen in a straight line. Sometimes it isn’t dramatic. Sometimes it doesn’t look the way we expect it to look. Sometimes healing is simply deciding that you’re willing to take another step.

And sometimes, that is enough.