Quickie Review: Nora Bonesteel's Christmas Past by Sharyn McCrumb

Published October 7th 2014
by Abingdon Press 

Nora Bonesteel's Christmas Past by Sharyn McCrumb is a novella length book featuring two parallel stories. One is about Sheriff Spencer Arrowwood and his deputy Joe LeDonne. The other is about Nora Bonesteel being called upon to use her "sight" to help a new family staying for Christmas make peace with a ghost of Christmas past. From the publisher, "In a story of spirits, memories, and angels unaware, Sharyn McCrumb revisits her most loved characters who know there is more to this world than the eye can see, especially at Christmastime."

The story of Sheriff Arrowwood and Deputy LeDonne has them going out Christmas Eve to arrest a man because a senator wants him arrested over a trivial reason. It's the last way that either man would want to spend Christmas. And yet they're called to do so. The man in question is elderly and has an elderly wife to take care of as well.

Nora Bonesteel spends much of the story reminiscing about what Christmas was like at the Old Honeycutt place when she was young. The new folks that own the house have generally been snowbirds, but this year decided to stay for Christmas and their pink tree keeps getting knocked down by some unseen force.

The stories are interesting and the writing goes back and forth a little between the two stories. The characters of course are well done. The writing is excellent. I liked both stories. This is a good book for a Christmas Eve and would make a nice gift for someone. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.