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Echoes of Titanic
Kelsey Tate comes from sturdy stock. Her great-grandmother Adele endured the sinking of Titanic and made it safely to America, where she not only survived but thrived. Generations later, Kelsey works for the firm Adele founded nearly 100 years ago.
Now facing a hostile takeover, the firm’s origins are challenged when new facts emerge about Adele’s actions on the night Titanic sank. Kelsey tries to defend the company and the great-grandmother she has long admired, but the stakes are raised when Kelsey’s boss is murdered and her own life threatened. Forced to seek help from Cole Thornton, a man Kelsey once loved—and lost, thanks to her success-at-all-costs mentality—she pursues mysteries both past and present. Aided by Cole and strengthened by the faith she’d all but forgotten in her climb up the corporate ladder, Kelsey races the clock to defend her family legacy, her livelihood, and ultimately her life.
385 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2012
About the author
Mindy Starns Clark
54 books567 followersMindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 30 books, both fiction and nonfiction, and has received numerous literary honors, including two Christy Awards and RT Book Review Magazine’s 2012 Career Achievement Award. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
August 29, 2013
I wanted to give this book four stars and one star. I settled on three.
The mystery aspect of the book was terrific. The characters were interesting, and even though I would NOT pick up a book about investment companies (bleh!), the storyline/mystery/plot/business aspect was very captivating. The whole tie-in with the Titanic was wonderful and was what kept me turning pages late into the night.
However, the book became suddenly religious (Christian), and that was NOT fun to read at all. I rolled my eyes the most when Kelsey was praying for God to help her with her investment company. Yuck.
So, that kind of ruined it for me. I picked this book out from the fiction section of the library. There was no hint that it was going to be a "finding Jesus" type of book from the cover or the first 100 pages. Now that I've researched it, I will stay away from the author and from Harvest House publishing company.
I'm glad I read this book, though. The mystery aspect and the Titanic history was simply great. If you aren't into Christian religious fiction, then you just need to be prepared that it gets more and more Godly as the book goes on.
The mystery aspect of the book was terrific. The characters were interesting, and even though I would NOT pick up a book about investment companies (bleh!), the storyline/mystery/plot/business aspect was very captivating. The whole tie-in with the Titanic was wonderful and was what kept me turning pages late into the night.
However, the book became suddenly religious (Christian), and that was NOT fun to read at all. I rolled my eyes the most when Kelsey was praying for God to help her with her investment company. Yuck.
So, that kind of ruined it for me. I picked this book out from the fiction section of the library. There was no hint that it was going to be a "finding Jesus" type of book from the cover or the first 100 pages. Now that I've researched it, I will stay away from the author and from Harvest House publishing company.
I'm glad I read this book, though. The mystery aspect and the Titanic history was simply great. If you aren't into Christian religious fiction, then you just need to be prepared that it gets more and more Godly as the book goes on.
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April 14, 2012I'm not giving this one a star rating simply because I couldn't finish it and have decided to not rate books I haven't read all the way through because it's not fair to do so. That said I really struggled with this one. I was hoping for more of the story to be set on board Titanic but instead only a few short chapters every now and then gave a glimpse of the lives of Adele and Jocelyn, the two cousins who were a passengers on that ship making the trip across the Atlantic. I would have loved for the story to go deeper into their lives, however I only made it halfway through the book so I can't say whether or not this happens.
As a reader and fan of all types of fiction including contemporary, historicals and suspense books normally I would be fine with a story taking a different turn that I expected but I didn't find the contemporary bits to be the interesting at all. Kelsey Tate is likable even if she is not the typical Christian fiction character I'm used to "meeting" but when you start talking hostile takeovers, stocks and corporate intrigue I get bored. Unfortunately for me that's what the first half of this book was. From the back cover I was also really hoping for some kind of romance or sparks between Kelsey and her ex Cole Thornton but at the halfway point of the story the only interaction between the two was a phone call about the trouble that the Brennan and Tate Firm is in.
I'm by no means saying it is poorly written, as a matter of fact I'm going to say it's probably a great book if you like a New York business world setting but it just isn't for me. Flipping through the back pages I learned that Mindy Starns Clark is the author of some Amish set and Southern fiction that look to be right up my alley so hopefully I'll have the chance to read one of those in the future and report back to you with my thoughts!
*Thanks to the publisher through FIRST Wild Card for providing my review copy.*
As a reader and fan of all types of fiction including contemporary, historicals and suspense books normally I would be fine with a story taking a different turn that I expected but I didn't find the contemporary bits to be the interesting at all. Kelsey Tate is likable even if she is not the typical Christian fiction character I'm used to "meeting" but when you start talking hostile takeovers, stocks and corporate intrigue I get bored. Unfortunately for me that's what the first half of this book was. From the back cover I was also really hoping for some kind of romance or sparks between Kelsey and her ex Cole Thornton but at the halfway point of the story the only interaction between the two was a phone call about the trouble that the Brennan and Tate Firm is in.
I'm by no means saying it is poorly written, as a matter of fact I'm going to say it's probably a great book if you like a New York business world setting but it just isn't for me. Flipping through the back pages I learned that Mindy Starns Clark is the author of some Amish set and Southern fiction that look to be right up my alley so hopefully I'll have the chance to read one of those in the future and report back to you with my thoughts!
*Thanks to the publisher through FIRST Wild Card for providing my review copy.*
March 22, 2021
I always enjoy a good book about the Titanic. Even though you know the outcome, the story is very emotional and makes you think about what that night must have been like. This story goes between 1912 and 100 years later to 2012. This story started off a little slow for me and I wish there would have been more chapters on the characters in 1912. As the story went on though, the modern day mystery really picked up and I was very interested in finding out what was going to happen. Though the main characters were fictional, several real people that were on Titanic are mentioned and I looked up their stories on Google to find out what happened to them on that fateful voyage. This is the first book I have read by this Christian Fiction author and I would not hesitate to read another of her books. This book was chosen by my daughter Carina as my surprise read for March.
April 1, 2012
When it comes to any novel about the Titanic, I know that things aren't gonna end well, for most, if not all, the characters. And call me crazy, but I didn't even read the back cover blurb for this book before I dove right in. I saw "Mindy Starns Clark" on the cover, and that's all I needed to know. It was gonna be a great book, even if I had to will it to be so. :o) And of course, I was not disappointed. Mindy's books always have this suspenseful "wow" factor that's different from any other suspense author I've read. Thanks to that wow factor, Echoes of Titanic just might be the best suspense she's ever written!
I normally share a little bit about each character in my reviews, but this time...I just can't do it! There were so many layers to the story that to share how one character impacted it...well, I don't want to spoil a single thing! I will say that the style of the book is one of my favorites, that being parts told in present-day as well as the past. I love to have a little history any time I can get it, so this was the best of both worlds.
What was most impressive about Echoes of Titanic (besides the suspense) was the contribution made by Mindy's husband, John. When it comes to the business world, I'm as clueless as they come, but evidently, the business world is John's home away from home. His additions to the story were quite clear, mentioning stockholders, investments, and loads of money like it was his day job or something (which it actually is, I believe). I'm sure it gave Mindy such great joy to be able to use her gift of writing and her husband's gift with finance to collaborate on a novel together.
I won't lie...I've been a tad hesitant about reading any of the Titanic novels that are releasing this month, mostly because I haven't wanted to read an entirely historical tale (too depressing and/or it'll be compared to the movie Titanic) or one that follows a survivor (tendency to be cheesy or over-dramatic). Echoes of Titanic was a little bit of both, but it was neither depressing nor over-dramatic. It was a great blend of mystery and history that had me glued to the pages for two solid days. I'd love to see Mindy and John collaborate on a future novel together because their individual talents in this book simply made for a winning combination. Highly Recommended!
I normally share a little bit about each character in my reviews, but this time...I just can't do it! There were so many layers to the story that to share how one character impacted it...well, I don't want to spoil a single thing! I will say that the style of the book is one of my favorites, that being parts told in present-day as well as the past. I love to have a little history any time I can get it, so this was the best of both worlds.
What was most impressive about Echoes of Titanic (besides the suspense) was the contribution made by Mindy's husband, John. When it comes to the business world, I'm as clueless as they come, but evidently, the business world is John's home away from home. His additions to the story were quite clear, mentioning stockholders, investments, and loads of money like it was his day job or something (which it actually is, I believe). I'm sure it gave Mindy such great joy to be able to use her gift of writing and her husband's gift with finance to collaborate on a novel together.
I won't lie...I've been a tad hesitant about reading any of the Titanic novels that are releasing this month, mostly because I haven't wanted to read an entirely historical tale (too depressing and/or it'll be compared to the movie Titanic) or one that follows a survivor (tendency to be cheesy or over-dramatic). Echoes of Titanic was a little bit of both, but it was neither depressing nor over-dramatic. It was a great blend of mystery and history that had me glued to the pages for two solid days. I'd love to see Mindy and John collaborate on a future novel together because their individual talents in this book simply made for a winning combination. Highly Recommended!
July 7, 2015
Echoes Of Titanic by Mindy Starns Clark is a mystery novel spanning a hundred years. The action alternates between 1912 and 2012. In 1912 Adele Brennan, her cousin Jocelyn and Uncle Rowan are passengers on the ill fated Titanic. Adele survives to become a successful business woman (no plot give away, as the reader knows this from the start). One hundred years later, Adele's great granddaughter Kelsey is a successful business woman too, in the family firm that Adele's father started. Life is going well for Kelsey until she becomes embroiled in a hundred year old mystery and a modern day crime. It becomes a race against time to solve the mystery.
I love Mindy Starns Clark novels, as not only are they wonderfully written but I find myself caught up in the action and speculating on the truth until it is revealed.
As a historian with a particular fascination for all things Titanic, I found this novel particularly enthralling. I loved the descriptions of life on board the doomed Titanic, being in juxtaposition with modern life.
Adele was a forward thinker for her time, and very much a modern woman. Kelsey was a chip off the old block. Both women were strong likeable characters. As the novel progressed both women spent some time looking back and reflecting on themselves. Both thought they had made mistakes but past mistakes are not always easy to rectify, and can influence ones whole life. Linked in with this were the themes of guilt and regret, anger and bitterness. The novel showed that all these feelings can have the power to destroy lives and relationships if not dealt with appropriately at the time.
Kelsey was close to her grandfather Jonah, a godly man who would dispense wise advice to her. In times of searching for answers, Kelsey sought him out. Jonah's love of God gave her a feeling of peace. Kelsey had wandered away from God. She needed to return to Him. Would she ever find Him in her busy life?
Kelsey personally needed to find answers to the hundred year old mystery. She needed to know if her great grandmother Adele was the person of integrity Kelsey believed her to be. Or was her whole life a lie? Journey with Kelsey as she seeks to find the answer.
Echoes Of Titanic is a great Christian mystery, with its roots in family and uncovering the truth. I can highly recommend it.
I love Mindy Starns Clark novels, as not only are they wonderfully written but I find myself caught up in the action and speculating on the truth until it is revealed.
As a historian with a particular fascination for all things Titanic, I found this novel particularly enthralling. I loved the descriptions of life on board the doomed Titanic, being in juxtaposition with modern life.
Adele was a forward thinker for her time, and very much a modern woman. Kelsey was a chip off the old block. Both women were strong likeable characters. As the novel progressed both women spent some time looking back and reflecting on themselves. Both thought they had made mistakes but past mistakes are not always easy to rectify, and can influence ones whole life. Linked in with this were the themes of guilt and regret, anger and bitterness. The novel showed that all these feelings can have the power to destroy lives and relationships if not dealt with appropriately at the time.
Kelsey was close to her grandfather Jonah, a godly man who would dispense wise advice to her. In times of searching for answers, Kelsey sought him out. Jonah's love of God gave her a feeling of peace. Kelsey had wandered away from God. She needed to return to Him. Would she ever find Him in her busy life?
Kelsey personally needed to find answers to the hundred year old mystery. She needed to know if her great grandmother Adele was the person of integrity Kelsey believed her to be. Or was her whole life a lie? Journey with Kelsey as she seeks to find the answer.
Echoes Of Titanic is a great Christian mystery, with its roots in family and uncovering the truth. I can highly recommend it.
August 6, 2016
ECHOES OF TITANIC is a book written during the height of the Titanic anniversary, so I'm a bit behind reading it. It is part historical with Adele and Jocelyn's stories written, and partially contemporary with their heir trying to manage the business.
When Kelsey's great-grandmother's identity is questioned, things go into an uproar. Why is a man surfacing NOW to state his claim on half of the business's assets? Why did Kelsey's boss commit suicide -- or was it murder? Who really survived the Titanic's sinking? Adele or Jocelyn? And who is threatening kelsey's life?
I love Ms. Clark's books and this one was no exception. I had to find out what happens and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to see. If you like mystery then pick up ECHOES OF TITANIC and read it for yourself. Great book.
When Kelsey's great-grandmother's identity is questioned, things go into an uproar. Why is a man surfacing NOW to state his claim on half of the business's assets? Why did Kelsey's boss commit suicide -- or was it murder? Who really survived the Titanic's sinking? Adele or Jocelyn? And who is threatening kelsey's life?
I love Ms. Clark's books and this one was no exception. I had to find out what happens and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to see. If you like mystery then pick up ECHOES OF TITANIC and read it for yourself. Great book.
October 30, 2013
WOW! I had to stay up to finish reading this! This book is so much more than a mystery! It's about honor, trust, legacy, lies, deceptions and I'm going to stop before I give too much away! Tears at the end. Lovely book!!
May 11, 2023
I love stories about the Titanic, and I enjoy books by Mindy Starns Clark. I bought Echoes of Titanic a while back because of these two things.
However, I had a very difficult time getting into the story. I would definitely classify it as a "slow start." Once I was over a hundred pages in, I read the back cover and realized that Cole still had not entered the story.
Rife with historical details, an intriguing mystery, and most historical fiction fans will enjoy this one. I was not interested in the financial details of the story, so I struggled.
However, I had a very difficult time getting into the story. I would definitely classify it as a "slow start." Once I was over a hundred pages in, I read the back cover and realized that Cole still had not entered the story.
Rife with historical details, an intriguing mystery, and most historical fiction fans will enjoy this one. I was not interested in the financial details of the story, so I struggled.
October 19, 2012
Review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2RM1UF5...
Review on my blog: http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...
2.5 stars
I have read many of Mindy Starns Clark's suspense books and loved most of them, but unfortunately, Echoes of Titanic wasn't that great to me. I found myself easily bored throughout most of the novel (although it did get better later on in the story) and sometimes thought there were too many details.
I did like the mystery, though, of who really survived from the sinking of the Titanic (whether Adele or Jocelyn posing as Adele). There were other things that happened present day that added suspense/mystery, too, which I also enjoyed. I was surprised when it was made known what had happened regarding the person who was found dead - I wasn't expecting it.
Overall, I liked Echoes of Titanic, but because it was somewhat boring at times, I'm giving it 2.5 stars. Even though this book isn't one of my favorites, if it sounds like something you might like (and you like books dealing with the Titanic), you might want to try it.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
Review on my blog: http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...
2.5 stars
I have read many of Mindy Starns Clark's suspense books and loved most of them, but unfortunately, Echoes of Titanic wasn't that great to me. I found myself easily bored throughout most of the novel (although it did get better later on in the story) and sometimes thought there were too many details.
I did like the mystery, though, of who really survived from the sinking of the Titanic (whether Adele or Jocelyn posing as Adele). There were other things that happened present day that added suspense/mystery, too, which I also enjoyed. I was surprised when it was made known what had happened regarding the person who was found dead - I wasn't expecting it.
Overall, I liked Echoes of Titanic, but because it was somewhat boring at times, I'm giving it 2.5 stars. Even though this book isn't one of my favorites, if it sounds like something you might like (and you like books dealing with the Titanic), you might want to try it.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
July 6, 2016
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!! I picked it up to read during my down time when I had my wisdom teeth pulled, and.. wow! It kept me a up a few late nights trying to finish it! I love the letters and the historical aspect that's woven into the more contemporary novel. And the mystery! I never, EVER suspected that guy! Definitely came s a shock.
All in all it was a lovely book that I will more assuredly be reading again. :)
All in all it was a lovely book that I will more assuredly be reading again. :)
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June 14, 2022Couldn’t finish this book. The writing was not my favorite and was more than corny. The story was ok but it lost me as soon as I was reading it.
October 26, 2018
An excellent book with an intriguing plot. I just wish there had been more scenes on the Titanic and more of Adele's diary had been reveled.
March 21, 2012
What an awesome, page turning read. Most of the book takes place in 2012, but is connected to the fateful ship Titanic. Mindy Starns Clark does a great job of bring the past and the present together. She has it all in this book! Beginning on the voyage with the cousins Adele and Joceyln and Mr Tad Myers, and the "Love" of the two girls for each other.
We come across suicide or murder, betrayal, lost loves, hostile take overs, Ponzie Schemes, break ins. What matters most we will find out is the Love of God and Family. Enjoyed the visit that Kelsey has with her Grandfather Jonah, what a delightful character he is. He is also the son of Adele, the Titanic survivor and matriarchy of the Brennan-Tate Clan. In his kitchen hung a sign that stated "The secret to a happy life is the hanging on and in the letting go." Probably when all the facts are revealed will make a lot of sense.
I did enjoy this book and it makes for a wonderful getting lost in book.
I received this book from Harvest House Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.
We come across suicide or murder, betrayal, lost loves, hostile take overs, Ponzie Schemes, break ins. What matters most we will find out is the Love of God and Family. Enjoyed the visit that Kelsey has with her Grandfather Jonah, what a delightful character he is. He is also the son of Adele, the Titanic survivor and matriarchy of the Brennan-Tate Clan. In his kitchen hung a sign that stated "The secret to a happy life is the hanging on and in the letting go." Probably when all the facts are revealed will make a lot of sense.
I did enjoy this book and it makes for a wonderful getting lost in book.
I received this book from Harvest House Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.
May 16, 2019
The husband and wife writing team of Mindy and John Clark have penned a novel involving a mystery from the present with roots on the fateful voyage of Titanic in 1912. Kelsey is an easy character to relate to, and the adventure moves at a quick pace. Attention to detail with the historical events makes this novel shine.
SUMMARY: Kelsey Tate's great-grandmother Adele survived the sinking of Titanic and started the financial firm where Kelsey now works. When a seemingly low-key celebration brings out accusations that Adele might not be who she claimed, Kelsey doesn't know what to think. Then her beloved mentor Gloria is murdered and it looks as if Gloria was trying to sabotage the company before her death. Kelsey must join forces with Cole Thornton, her ex-boyfriend, to find out the truth about Adele and what is going on with the company.
SUMMARY: Kelsey Tate's great-grandmother Adele survived the sinking of Titanic and started the financial firm where Kelsey now works. When a seemingly low-key celebration brings out accusations that Adele might not be who she claimed, Kelsey doesn't know what to think. Then her beloved mentor Gloria is murdered and it looks as if Gloria was trying to sabotage the company before her death. Kelsey must join forces with Cole Thornton, her ex-boyfriend, to find out the truth about Adele and what is going on with the company.
December 2, 2015
-DNF at page 132.
I actually just read the epilogue, just to see if things had wrapped up. But, honesty? This book was just so sad & depressing. The history of the Titanic is already an awful thing--but this book's main plot was about those who drowned. Not a happy part of history or a happy topic to read about. Add in a suicide & a father going down hill from a stroke, and it's really depressing. *Just a note that the suicide is borderline detailed.
It was so wordy and so much info....which isn't really shocking due to one of the author's being called a Titanic expert, an you really can tell he loves the topic because there's an insane amount of info on the Titanic.
Not much dialogue, just describing and words. Also, at 132 pages in there was only a mention of church & a couple prayers. Apparently, there was more near the end, but I just couldn't get there.
I actually just read the epilogue, just to see if things had wrapped up. But, honesty? This book was just so sad & depressing. The history of the Titanic is already an awful thing--but this book's main plot was about those who drowned. Not a happy part of history or a happy topic to read about. Add in a suicide & a father going down hill from a stroke, and it's really depressing. *Just a note that the suicide is borderline detailed.
It was so wordy and so much info....which isn't really shocking due to one of the author's being called a Titanic expert, an you really can tell he loves the topic because there's an insane amount of info on the Titanic.
Not much dialogue, just describing and words. Also, at 132 pages in there was only a mention of church & a couple prayers. Apparently, there was more near the end, but I just couldn't get there.
April 21, 2012
Rating: 3.5
Will the past destroy Kelsey's future?
This was a book that was well written and expertly intertwined the past and the present, with a century old mystery. This wasn't quite what I expected, and there was very little in the book that had to actually do with the Titanic.
I had a really hard time reading this book, it had nothing to do with the way it was written or anything like that, but I found most of the book had to do with the world of Wall Street, with stocks and bonds, something that I wasn't that interested in.
I don't want to say too much because I didn't finish it.
Overall, I think that this was a well-written book that someone else would enjoy much more than I I did.
I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.
Will the past destroy Kelsey's future?
This was a book that was well written and expertly intertwined the past and the present, with a century old mystery. This wasn't quite what I expected, and there was very little in the book that had to actually do with the Titanic.
I had a really hard time reading this book, it had nothing to do with the way it was written or anything like that, but I found most of the book had to do with the world of Wall Street, with stocks and bonds, something that I wasn't that interested in.
I don't want to say too much because I didn't finish it.
Overall, I think that this was a well-written book that someone else would enjoy much more than I I did.
I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.
April 19, 2018
Man, I loved this book. Don't read it at night ... LOL! The subject matter isn't the most conducive for going to sleep -- plus, I just had to find out what was going to happen next. And I didn't want to put it down/go to sleep on a sad or tense moment ... so of course I had to read "just one more chapter" and get myself to an acceptable stopping point. There were a few late nights as a result!
Absolutely phenomenal book, well researched and kept me guessing the entire time. I loved it and would definitely re-read!
Absolutely phenomenal book, well researched and kept me guessing the entire time. I loved it and would definitely re-read!
November 19, 2013
A great mystery that brings the past into the present. When a Titanic survivor's legacy is questioned, her great-granddaughter is determined to find the answers and save the family business. What she didn't expect was everyone in her life becoming suspects. The chapters switch between events on the Titanic and present-day New York. This author had me turning the pages to discover who the villian was.
January 11, 2016
TITANIC fever was still high and I found this lovely story between all the many many books cocerned with the tragic event of the sinking of the ship. This was a good read, quite an intriguing plot with a well rounded ending. "The secret to a happy life is in the hanging on and the letting go - let go of your hurts, your grudges and any possessions that aren't a necessity. Hang on to your memories, your loved ones and most of all your faith"
June 7, 2012
This was an incredibly awesome, page turning, can't put it down read. Hot off the press Mindy and John Clark interweave a storyline with great grandparents who were on the Titanic into a modern day (April 2012) storyline that connects the past and present. The plot is very believeable and the characters are well developed. This collaboration between Mindy and her husband John was superb.
January 21, 2020
BORING unless you love stocks and Bonds 🙄🙄🙄. I checked the book out due to the title. If they had more story line of Adel and her time on the titanic it would have got a 3. The presents day characters were very boring. Kelsey seem very spoiled. I wish i had stop reading but was hoping some more of the titanic story. Rule to remember never judge a book by its cover 😭😭😭😭
January 10, 2021
Awesome book!
February 10, 2023
Listed as ficional/suspense, I would add Historical fiction/suspense. I am a big fan of historical fiction. I found this book to start out a little slow but as the story progresses, I found I couldn't put it down, wanting and anticipating to find out what really happened on that fateful journey aboard the Titanic.
This book begins one year after the sinking of the Titanic, in Battery Park, and Adele Tate being reminded of the fateful night, one year ago, when she lost two family members. At a memorial service she is struck with grief and then fear as she spots another survivor in which she shared a secret. The author writes "She knew his secrets from that night, and he knew hers. Would they both remain silent to the end?" (Page 7, Chapter 1)
In Chapter 2, Lower Manhatten, New York, April 2012, Kelsey Tate is preparing to attend an award ceremony, inducting her into the Quarters Club. An award given by the firm, Brenan & Tate, where Kelsey is employed. Also, Brenan & Tate was started by her great-grandmother, Adele Tate. It is an Investment Brokerage Firm.
This particular award ceremony will be very public, which she is not excited about but she is excited to be able to announce a scholarship program that will award 10 scholarships to young women majoring in business and these scholarships will be funded by her late great-grandmother's foundation, Adele Tate.
During Kelsey's acceptance speech, the entire award ceremony is disrupted by a person in the crowd shouting "Liar, liar, it's all lies, Adele did not survive the Titanic."
From here the story takes you on twists and turns, switching from 1912 real time events to current events in 2012. As if the outburst of "liar, liar" is not enough to rattle Kelsey, there is a death in the Brenan & Tate office. Who dies? Was it suicide or was it a murder? If it was suicide, why? If it was a murder, why and who did it? And, was the person in the crowd correct, was Adele really not who she said she was, or was she really her cousin Jocelyn? Just who was the mysterious person who interrupted the award ceremony and what role did they play in this family twist?
This story is filled with secrets and suspense. There are two hat pins, that play an intriguing role in this story, do they help solve that mysterious death or will they just end up being treasured family heirlooms?
To find out the answers to these questions and other intriguing details I recommend reading this book. Mindy Starns Clark is a best selling author, and her husband John Campbell Clark authors this book with her. John is an attorney and CPA but also a lifelong Titanic buff. It is apparent that John's input gives depth and life to the events that occurred on the Titanic to give the reader the experience of what the people aboard the Titanic experienced.
This book is 385 pages, with discussion pages at the end, copyright 2012.
This book begins one year after the sinking of the Titanic, in Battery Park, and Adele Tate being reminded of the fateful night, one year ago, when she lost two family members. At a memorial service she is struck with grief and then fear as she spots another survivor in which she shared a secret. The author writes "She knew his secrets from that night, and he knew hers. Would they both remain silent to the end?" (Page 7, Chapter 1)
In Chapter 2, Lower Manhatten, New York, April 2012, Kelsey Tate is preparing to attend an award ceremony, inducting her into the Quarters Club. An award given by the firm, Brenan & Tate, where Kelsey is employed. Also, Brenan & Tate was started by her great-grandmother, Adele Tate. It is an Investment Brokerage Firm.
This particular award ceremony will be very public, which she is not excited about but she is excited to be able to announce a scholarship program that will award 10 scholarships to young women majoring in business and these scholarships will be funded by her late great-grandmother's foundation, Adele Tate.
During Kelsey's acceptance speech, the entire award ceremony is disrupted by a person in the crowd shouting "Liar, liar, it's all lies, Adele did not survive the Titanic."
From here the story takes you on twists and turns, switching from 1912 real time events to current events in 2012. As if the outburst of "liar, liar" is not enough to rattle Kelsey, there is a death in the Brenan & Tate office. Who dies? Was it suicide or was it a murder? If it was suicide, why? If it was a murder, why and who did it? And, was the person in the crowd correct, was Adele really not who she said she was, or was she really her cousin Jocelyn? Just who was the mysterious person who interrupted the award ceremony and what role did they play in this family twist?
This story is filled with secrets and suspense. There are two hat pins, that play an intriguing role in this story, do they help solve that mysterious death or will they just end up being treasured family heirlooms?
To find out the answers to these questions and other intriguing details I recommend reading this book. Mindy Starns Clark is a best selling author, and her husband John Campbell Clark authors this book with her. John is an attorney and CPA but also a lifelong Titanic buff. It is apparent that John's input gives depth and life to the events that occurred on the Titanic to give the reader the experience of what the people aboard the Titanic experienced.
This book is 385 pages, with discussion pages at the end, copyright 2012.
August 5, 2016
Book Summary—Kelsey Tate’s great-grandmother, Adele, was a survivoress on the Titanic, which sunk 4/15/1912, and Adele became a leading businesswoman who made it her mission to help other women, minorities, and immigrants launch their own businesses. Now, however, some 100 years later, Adele’s image has been called into question, charged as a lie. She isn’t Adele Brennan Tate at all but her cousin, Jocelyn Brennan, who was supposed to have sunk on the Titanic. And, if she is Jocelyn and not Adele, then the fortune Adele inherited, en total, should be divided up between the Brennan and Tate families. So not only does Kelsey have to clean up this odd mystery surrounding her great-grandma’s good name, but she also has to save her great-grandma’s business, for which she now words from a major scandal resulting in a plummeting stock and a hostile takeover, which is taking advantage of the company’s recent setbacks.
So how is Kelsey to do all this alone? She isn’t. Her ex-boyfriend, Cole Thornton, enters her life and re-opens old wounds between them as he helps her figure out the answers to all the questions besetting her. And in the process, she finds her way back to God.
My Review—This was a good story. I figured out the mysteries involved fairly early, but it was still a good ride. It’s told in both 1912 and 2012 happening simultaneously within the story. You meet Adele and Jocelyn, Jocelyn’s father, Sean, and a young man named Tad Myers—all passengers on the Titanic. You also meet Kelsey Tate and her family (father, Nolan; mother, Doreen; brother, Matt; grandfather, Jonah), the employees of Brennan & Tate in New York’s Financial District, and you meet (eventually) Kelsey’s ex-boyfriend, Cole Thornton, whom Kelsey treated rather coldly in business and so lost his love and his brilliance at the office.
I like Cole; I was okay with Kelsey. I really don’t go in all for the “I-am-woman-hear-me-roar,” “I-can-do-anything-man-can-do-in-business,” “how-put-upon-we-women-are-in-business” jargon. Kelsey and Adele, for that matter, take these viewpoints—not to a rabid degree but enough to where I rolled my eyes a time or two. Still, as heroines go, Kelsey wasn’t as bad as most modern heroines tend to be. She, to me, seemed a bit thick; it was obvious to me who the (spoiler alert!) bad guy-killer was the moment he was introduced into the story. I don’t know why I pegged him as “it,” but I just didn’t like him, trust him. He seemed too nice and too helpful, which may seem unfairly suspicious because it’s good to be nice and helpful, but, for whatever reason, it just didn’t ring true to me. And, of course, Cole figures out that the guy needs some investigating, and, of course, Kelsey gets all hot under the collar. And, of course, Cole turns out to be correct.
Bottom line, it’s a good read. You may figure out the very mysterious (as I did), but to read how the heroine finally starts putting it together becomes the goal and isn’t a bad read even if you do figure it out. There’s a subplot with Adele and the guy, Tad, that I figured out well before it unveiled, but there’s a subplot between Tad and Jocelyn I didn’t see coming. Oh, and about Jocelyn. Talk about annoying. The girl (spoiler alert #2!) is said to be the one who survived and took Adele’s name in order to inherit Adele’s fortune when her father dies, but I knew this couldn’t be the case (it HAD to be Adele all along) because Jocelyn has NO head for numbers or investing or business—she finds it all coma-inducing. She just wants love, a husband, and kids—period. To the degree that she very stupidly “falls” for Tad and gives him TMI!
Anyhow, good story, good mysteries. My favorite Kelsey part was her coming back to Christ. I love to see how people either find Christ or return to Him. It brings a tear to my eye, and Kelsey’s conversion-return did, too.
Grade: A
Here’s my first note (7/31/16) when I’d gotten to page 25—This is the second mention (at least) of how unheard of it was in the 1900s for women to be in business. But I beg to differ, especially since I’m so BORED with all the pseudo-enlightened drivel put out by feminists about how awful women had it before Gloria Steinem came along. I hate to be the one to break it to the world, but women have been in business since Eve had Cain. Motherhood IS a business! Her family is the corporation; she just doesn’t get paid in terms of money or stock options or perk such as cars and corner offices. But she works every bit as hard (she gets no days or weekends off, no paid vacations to “get away from it all”) and her dividends are even more important than some strictly corporate female’s because Mom rears not dollar signs and bottom lines but the next generation of businesswomen, teachers, doctors, scientists, musicians, athletes, et al. so spare me the where’s-my-violin blarney about how put upon woman have always been—glass ceilings and it’s-a-man’s-world hogwash—because I’ve had enough of the feminists trying to make me and all women into victims. (Women in other countries, especially in the Middle East, would probably LOVE to be so “put upon” that you make fifteen cents less than man or whatever silliness women are griping about today!) I won’t go along with it in any form, and I so wish Christian women would feel the same and STOP spouting feminist clap-trap. Christianity and feministism (I don’t call it feminism because there’s NOTHING feminine about the movement) have no business trying to play together since feministism is, at its root/core, diametrically opposed to Christ/Christianity! Apostle Paul’s warning about being unequally yoked applies here, too. Oh, and by the way: Did you ever think that those glass ceilings you like to convince us are there, have helped women out? Just as a butterfly needs to use its wings to get out of its cocoon in order to build up the muscle necessary to strengthen its wings for a life of flying, any struggle a woman (or anyone) has to endure can only STRENGTHEN you. Stop sobbing, bitching, and grumbling about a woman’s “struggle” and see the “struggle” as a positive, as a motivator to toughen you up, give you dreams and goals, make you WANT to be better, do better, achieve more! The grass may seem greener in the “man’s world,” but don’t ever forget that the man has to work hard in his yard to maintain the grass you so desperately covet. It doesn’t seem to me feminists are so very happy having attained his yard and grass because they don’t seem content, fulfilled, proud of whatever they’ve accomplished. They just always seem constantly mad and cranky to me. Perhaps having to work as hard as the man in maintaining the grass really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
So how is Kelsey to do all this alone? She isn’t. Her ex-boyfriend, Cole Thornton, enters her life and re-opens old wounds between them as he helps her figure out the answers to all the questions besetting her. And in the process, she finds her way back to God.
My Review—This was a good story. I figured out the mysteries involved fairly early, but it was still a good ride. It’s told in both 1912 and 2012 happening simultaneously within the story. You meet Adele and Jocelyn, Jocelyn’s father, Sean, and a young man named Tad Myers—all passengers on the Titanic. You also meet Kelsey Tate and her family (father, Nolan; mother, Doreen; brother, Matt; grandfather, Jonah), the employees of Brennan & Tate in New York’s Financial District, and you meet (eventually) Kelsey’s ex-boyfriend, Cole Thornton, whom Kelsey treated rather coldly in business and so lost his love and his brilliance at the office.
I like Cole; I was okay with Kelsey. I really don’t go in all for the “I-am-woman-hear-me-roar,” “I-can-do-anything-man-can-do-in-business,” “how-put-upon-we-women-are-in-business” jargon. Kelsey and Adele, for that matter, take these viewpoints—not to a rabid degree but enough to where I rolled my eyes a time or two. Still, as heroines go, Kelsey wasn’t as bad as most modern heroines tend to be. She, to me, seemed a bit thick; it was obvious to me who the (spoiler alert!) bad guy-killer was the moment he was introduced into the story. I don’t know why I pegged him as “it,” but I just didn’t like him, trust him. He seemed too nice and too helpful, which may seem unfairly suspicious because it’s good to be nice and helpful, but, for whatever reason, it just didn’t ring true to me. And, of course, Cole figures out that the guy needs some investigating, and, of course, Kelsey gets all hot under the collar. And, of course, Cole turns out to be correct.
Bottom line, it’s a good read. You may figure out the very mysterious (as I did), but to read how the heroine finally starts putting it together becomes the goal and isn’t a bad read even if you do figure it out. There’s a subplot with Adele and the guy, Tad, that I figured out well before it unveiled, but there’s a subplot between Tad and Jocelyn I didn’t see coming. Oh, and about Jocelyn. Talk about annoying. The girl (spoiler alert #2!) is said to be the one who survived and took Adele’s name in order to inherit Adele’s fortune when her father dies, but I knew this couldn’t be the case (it HAD to be Adele all along) because Jocelyn has NO head for numbers or investing or business—she finds it all coma-inducing. She just wants love, a husband, and kids—period. To the degree that she very stupidly “falls” for Tad and gives him TMI!
Anyhow, good story, good mysteries. My favorite Kelsey part was her coming back to Christ. I love to see how people either find Christ or return to Him. It brings a tear to my eye, and Kelsey’s conversion-return did, too.
Grade: A
Here’s my first note (7/31/16) when I’d gotten to page 25—This is the second mention (at least) of how unheard of it was in the 1900s for women to be in business. But I beg to differ, especially since I’m so BORED with all the pseudo-enlightened drivel put out by feminists about how awful women had it before Gloria Steinem came along. I hate to be the one to break it to the world, but women have been in business since Eve had Cain. Motherhood IS a business! Her family is the corporation; she just doesn’t get paid in terms of money or stock options or perk such as cars and corner offices. But she works every bit as hard (she gets no days or weekends off, no paid vacations to “get away from it all”) and her dividends are even more important than some strictly corporate female’s because Mom rears not dollar signs and bottom lines but the next generation of businesswomen, teachers, doctors, scientists, musicians, athletes, et al. so spare me the where’s-my-violin blarney about how put upon woman have always been—glass ceilings and it’s-a-man’s-world hogwash—because I’ve had enough of the feminists trying to make me and all women into victims. (Women in other countries, especially in the Middle East, would probably LOVE to be so “put upon” that you make fifteen cents less than man or whatever silliness women are griping about today!) I won’t go along with it in any form, and I so wish Christian women would feel the same and STOP spouting feminist clap-trap. Christianity and feministism (I don’t call it feminism because there’s NOTHING feminine about the movement) have no business trying to play together since feministism is, at its root/core, diametrically opposed to Christ/Christianity! Apostle Paul’s warning about being unequally yoked applies here, too. Oh, and by the way: Did you ever think that those glass ceilings you like to convince us are there, have helped women out? Just as a butterfly needs to use its wings to get out of its cocoon in order to build up the muscle necessary to strengthen its wings for a life of flying, any struggle a woman (or anyone) has to endure can only STRENGTHEN you. Stop sobbing, bitching, and grumbling about a woman’s “struggle” and see the “struggle” as a positive, as a motivator to toughen you up, give you dreams and goals, make you WANT to be better, do better, achieve more! The grass may seem greener in the “man’s world,” but don’t ever forget that the man has to work hard in his yard to maintain the grass you so desperately covet. It doesn’t seem to me feminists are so very happy having attained his yard and grass because they don’t seem content, fulfilled, proud of whatever they’ve accomplished. They just always seem constantly mad and cranky to me. Perhaps having to work as hard as the man in maintaining the grass really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
August 19, 2021
Kelsey Tate has always known who she was. The granddaughter of a Titanic survivor, she is now the rising star of the company her grandmother Adele helped keep afloat after surviving the crash. The investment company has taken some hits since Kelsey's father suffered a debilitating stroke a year before, but thanks to some fast thinking by their media crew, they pushed Kelsey to the front pages by shining a light on all her achievements. Kelsey is starting to get tired of all the attention, but the new scholarship she is starting is a huge bonus in her eyes, even if it is being overshadowed by her being the newest member of the quarter club, meaning she has managed to bring $25 million in investments to her company. At the ceremony to recognize both, there is an interruption by a man claiming Adele wasn't who she claimed to be, but was instead her cousin Jocelyn that until now has been believed to have died on the ship. When Kelsey's mentor is found dead of an apparent suicide that night in the office, and then a hostile takeover announced by Queen's Fleet later that week, the company stocks reach an all time low. With the help of her ex boyfriend and his company, she has a short time to prove Adele is who she said she was, and find some mysterious missing bonds, before everything her family has worked for the last 100 years goes down faster than a ship hitting an iceberg.
I found this book to be one that kept me guessing. The actual ending wasn't a total surprise but it did give you few twists and turns before it got there. The characters were real, and the glimpses of the past it gave was a nice change.
I found this book to be one that kept me guessing. The actual ending wasn't a total surprise but it did give you few twists and turns before it got there. The characters were real, and the glimpses of the past it gave was a nice change.
March 24, 2018
This is a book about a family investment firm that has a specific way of doing business. They help women and immigrants to get the funding for start up companies, etc. The main character, Kelsey, is the great granddaughter of Adele, who is a survivor of the Titanic sinking.
With her father's health failing, it is falling to Kelsey to be the face of the company, and it's working. Suddenly, in the middle of one of her big speeches, a cousin shows up, making a scene and stating that Adele was not really Adele, that she had been on the ship with a cousin, and that she had stolen her identity when she survived.
Everything is thrown into chaos. Kelsey is in a race to save the company with twists and turns and a great mystery story.
The only thing that I thought was odd was that halfway through the book, Kelsey is suddenly finding God. It's not that I'm not religious, I just didn't feel like it fit with the book. The book is pretty well written and all loose ends are tied up at the end.
With her father's health failing, it is falling to Kelsey to be the face of the company, and it's working. Suddenly, in the middle of one of her big speeches, a cousin shows up, making a scene and stating that Adele was not really Adele, that she had been on the ship with a cousin, and that she had stolen her identity when she survived.
Everything is thrown into chaos. Kelsey is in a race to save the company with twists and turns and a great mystery story.
The only thing that I thought was odd was that halfway through the book, Kelsey is suddenly finding God. It's not that I'm not religious, I just didn't feel like it fit with the book. The book is pretty well written and all loose ends are tied up at the end.
April 14, 2018
Kelsey pursuing a career, and the legacy that had been before her. Her father had a stroke, and they were honoring her not only for the success of the millions she has brought in. Also, that she is carrying on the legacy of the company. When an out cry of a man says “liar”. To that her world begins to change. To a woman who was her mentor, was it suicide or murder. She and others she work with, dig into the past, of what happened on the titanic, who really did survive. Was there a mistake, was money paid. A lot of digging and soul searching was involved. Along with a man she thought she would marry when she got side tracked by her job. It was an interesting and well done plot, in history, in success and love.
December 29, 2019
For being the 1st book I've read by these 2 authors, I was kept in suspense until the very end. Lou was a greedy man & in the end got what he deserved. Gloria had a conscience & wanted to do the right thing, to bad she had to give her life for it. Cole & Kelsey found forgiveness & love which was totally beautiful. And the story of Adele & Jocelyn was simply amazing & heartbreaking at the same time. The cousins never got to say goodbye or I'm sorry because Tad was a real jerk & a user to gain what he wanted. Jocelyn paid the price in the end because of her giving heart & Adele paid with the guilt in her heart for being angry at Jocelyn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2020
Two mysteries- one set in 1912 aboard the Titanic, and another in the present day. Adele is a woman before her time, interested in business. She, along with her cousin and uncle, are traveling to the US to join her father, whom she doesn't know.
Kelsey is Adele's great-granddaughter who also has a head for business. When one of her mentors is found dead in the board room, Kelsey has to race to save her family's company and try to figure out the death.
The storyline was okay, but the writing was WAY too wordy.
It is marketed as a Christian book, but that was pretty weak.
Kelsey is Adele's great-granddaughter who also has a head for business. When one of her mentors is found dead in the board room, Kelsey has to race to save her family's company and try to figure out the death.
The storyline was okay, but the writing was WAY too wordy.
It is marketed as a Christian book, but that was pretty weak.
March 8, 2023
This book tells a fictional story about a survivor of the Titanic and the next generations of her family. I gave the first 2/3 of this book only 3 stars because it was a little boring and gave too much detail about the story that I felt was unnecessary. I really liked the last 1/3 so gave it 4 stars. I’m glad I continued to read it though because the storyline got more interesting. In fact, I shed a few tears at the end.
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