The Bookshop of 99 Doors

by Jaime Jo Wright

In 1910, Minnie Tipton finds herself beset by the onslaught of superstitions that envelope the Pennsylvania mansion her father bought. Convinced the house is haunted by the vengeful spirit of a Civil War captain, and worried by her father's rapidly worsening illness, Minnie delves into the home's dark past in an effort to help bring him peace. Yet the lingering impact of the war and the gruesome tale of murder she uncovers only foster more fear and threaten to unravel Minnie's own sanity.

In the present day, Triss Bellamy eagerly steps into the role of bookshop manager in the mansion-turned-museum boasting ninety-nine doors. But Triss's dream job turns into a nightmare when havoc breaks loose with the arrival of her brother's team of self-proclaimed paranormal investigators. Their determination to find a rumored one-hundredth door--a dangerous portal to the madness long said to plague the mansion--results in calamity, leaving Triss no choice but to unravel the truth or watch her brother slip forever beyond her reach.

A shadowy tale of historical hauntings and present-day mysteries masterfully penned by acclaimed thriller author Jaime Jo Wright, who is "in a class by herself" (Library Journal).

Genres: Mystery, Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian, Gothic, Books About Books, Adult

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication April 7, 2026

About the author

Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history's secrets. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com!

Reviews

[Janae McNally · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re an “ain’t no ghost but the Holy Ghost” kind of ghost story person, this book is for you. Triss is running from her ghost-hunting family and ends up in a Civil War-era house—basically every ghost hunter’s dream.

Told from two points of view across two different time periods in the house’s history, the story weaves together tragedy and mystery beautifully. It delivers genuine thrills without crossing boundaries, handling the spiritual elements with class and a clear nod to faith. I especially appreciated the reminder that while the darker side of the spiritual realm may be real, most of the trouble we face comes from people—very much an “it was Old Man Jenkins all along” vibe.

It took me a little while to get fully invested, but overall I really enjoyed this clean ghost story and its thoughtful integration of faith. Add in a little romance, and it made for a great cozy mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Elizabeth Eckmeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, the negative about every one of Jamie Jo Wrights books is they have to end. It always makes me sad. I devour the books so fast because of what a page turner they are. This one was no exception!! 


Minnie Tipton moved to Ambrose Fields with her father as a young adult. When moving there things quickly are not as they seem. Her father becomes sick and she inherited a housekeeper that is less then welcoming to both of them. 


Triss ballamy is running from her old life to Ambrose Fields to a new job as the book shop manager. Soon her past comes back to haunt her. She has to decide who she is and where she is going. 


The Bookshop of 99 doors is a page turning mystery that will have you guessing until the last chapter. Everyone of Jamie Jo Wrights books are amazing! It is a great read! 


A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Baker Publishing Group through Interviews and Reviews via NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone.*

[Erin Laramore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaime Jo Wright has penned another wonderful dual timeline gothic mystery! This one is not quite as "creepy" as her other ones are, so if you are afraid to read her books but want to try them out, this may be a good one to start with as it lacks some of the intensity of many of her others. This one speaks more to the "ghostly" as some of the characters in the modern timeline are part of a "ghost hunter" sort of show, but as per usual, Ms. Wright brings about a "Scooby Doo" ending that fully explains the ghastly encounters. Compared to many of her others, the romance element in this one is significantly lighter, nearly non-existent in the historical timeline and the faith thread is solid as both Minnie in the historical timeline and Triss in the modern day timeline are trying to figure out what they believe about God. Centered around a historic house that served as a refuge for wounded soldiers after the battle of Gettysburg, the house brims with "ghost stories" after tales of a captain who was convalescing there is said to slaughter the entire regiment of men there and then killed himself. His ghost is said to haunt the halls of Ambrose Fields, and both Minnie and Triss encounter shadows that they presume to be the captain's ghost. In addition to the ghost stories of the captain, there is a rumored 100th door in the house that is said to be the portal to the spirit world, making rumors of the hauntings all that more believable. As Minnie in 1888 and Triss in current day work to unravel the mystery of what is happening at Ambrose Fields and the mystery of the 100th door, they both find their own lives in danger as they seek the truth. Will they unravel the mystery before it's too late? This was a thoroughly enjoyable tale, not only from the mystery perspective, and character development, but also the insertion of heavy topics such as drug abuse, PTSD and forgiveness. This was a thoroughly enjoyable tale and one I can easily recommend to fans of mystery books, dual timelines, and women's fiction. Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

[Britt Galbraith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content:
- Kisses only
- No profanity
- PG-13 violence / content

The dual timelines were fascinating and I loved the quotes from books and journals at the beginning of each chapter. I enjoyed the romances. I totally thought the romance was going to go in a different direction, so that was a fun surprise. I loved the growth of the main characters. I enjoyed reading their faith journeys. Overall, it was very well written with a good mystery and suspense and I liked the ending a lot.

Slight Spoilers Ahead:

Paranormal Elements:
I knew from the book blurb, some characters where "ghost hunters", but I figured it would be all smoke & mirrors illusions and hoaxes. I went into this book assuming it would be "scooby-doo" style, where at the end - all the paranormal activity is revealed to be people and nothing ghostly at all. So from that point of view, I enjoyed the mystery and trying to figure out who was causing all the mayhem. If I thought there were actual ghosts, this story would have been quite scary - which leads me to my second point.
What surprised me and made me deeply uncomfortable was that some characters had actually felt and communicated with unseen presences from beyond (other than God). One of the characters was even afraid of these paranormal experiences she had - which, honestly, gave me the heebie-jeebies. I appreciated that one character tried to reconcile paranormal with her faith and I could see that from a biblical view. However, it was just a bit too creepy for me.

If in the end, there had been no spirits ever, anywhere at all - I would have felt a lot more comfortable with the book and enjoyed it just as a suspenseful mystery. However, since that wasn't the case, I don't think the book was the right fit for me.

Triggers:
ghosts, spirits, demonologist, murder, kidnapping, arson, war. adultery (no spicy details, drug addiction. Negative consequences were shown for the poor choices made and immorality was not glorified.

[Beverly Laude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beverly Laude

Sun, Mar 1, 12:58 PM (1 day ago)
Jamie Jo Wright has done it again with this dual timeline mystery. This story of Ambrose Manor combines the thoughts of Minnie Tipton, set in the post Civil War era with present day Triss Bellamy, who has just come to work at the Bookshop there.

Triss has left her family and friends, who are involved in ghost hunting and talking to spirits, even going so far as to change her name. Instead, she is on a journey to find her faith in God. She has come to believe that communicating with spirits is against God's will.

In the past, Minnie is trying to deal with her move to Ambrose manor while taking care of her ailing father. Unsure of why he has moved to this place, she starts to learn about the horrific crimes that were committed there a few years ago.

Ms. Wright does her usual fantastic job of creating a gothic atmosphere in both timelines while slowly revealing the mystery involved. As the story progresses, I found myself reading faster and faster in order to learn the truth. The book deals with some pertinent issues such as PTSD of Civil War veterans and the affects of addiction.

The book also has a bit of romance and a lot of history mixed in with the creepiness of the mystery. The character's journey of faith is depicted in a wonderful way without being preachy. And the truth of the mystery? I really didn't see that coming!

Some of my favorite quotes:

"Just know that sometimes you have to define the darkness before you can step into the light."
"If we don't forgive others, we won't receive God's forgiveness."
"You are promised by God himself that if you search for Him, the truth will set you free."

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishers through Interviews & Reviews via NetGalley for my honest review.

[Lori Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story from this author as always!! I simply couldn't put this down.
Wright deserves 5 stars as always with her novels.
I was drawn in instantly and it kept getting better and better.
I love Minnie's story best lol. Poor Minnie my heart really went out to her. It must be hard living with someone like that. She's a very brave lady. I love people who want to stay with you for life even though it's hard at times.
I loved Triss's side of the story and I did love the historical parts about Ambrose Fields house. (Fictional of course but still made feel like I was there).
I'd love to live in a house like that! I can't imagine that many doors how fascinating!
This story shows us that no matter how hard we try we can never escape the past unless we resolve it.
I'm really surprised about this book with a certain subject in it. I was happy to see that!
Very unlike Jaime Jo Wright! But I loved it just the same!
Lots of awesome things going on in this story especially Minnie's part.
I just can't say enough good things about this book! It was exciting and quite the adventure!
This is a story that will leave you thinking about it long after it is over. "Sigh"
I was sad when this book ended. That means I'll have to wait a whole another year for a new one.
Please read the authors note at the end. Very interesting!
Thanks as always for the opportunity to read and review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through Interviews & Reviews via NetGalley for my honest opinion.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For several years I have been promising myself that someday I would try a book by Jamie Jo Wright. When I saw this beautiful cover and read the intriguing title, I realized that someday was now.
I am not usually a fan of Gothic fiction, except for a few classics I have read. But Wright tempers the spooky with scripture and brings it all back around to realism, God, and the true spiritual realm. If you are not sure about the scary spirit stuff like I was, I recommend giving it a chance. Reading a well written, well thought out book like this from a Christian perspective makes a huge difference.
This is not a genre I would like a steady diet of, but it was a fun change of pace. The dual timeline was easy to follow and completely captured my imagination. When I did not have time to read, I found myself thinking about the characters and the what ifs. When I could get back to the book, it was very difficult to put down. I finished it in record time and will be reading more by this author in the future.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[MJSH · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It was the insatiable human quest to seek what one could not hold onto, be it wealth or fame or legacy. These were the true ghosts."

This newest offering from Jaime Jo Wright was more chilling than her previous few books. Set in Ambrose Fields, PA in 1888 and present time, the dual timeline plot was complex, intricately woven and fascinating - as all of her books are. This plot focused more heavily on ghosts and spirits of the deceased, with the present day Triss having been a part of ghost hunters and her former crew joining her at Ambrose Fields. Triss and her former life and occupation made me a bit uncomfortable but delving into it was necessary to understand why Triss left that life and family behind and why she felt complete severance from that life was necessary to cling to her faith. I am not a fan of love triangles and did not enjoy watching Triss gravitate towards Max and still fiercely long for Beck and what they used to have. The plot twist in this timeline was completely unexpected and I loved how Civil War history tied into the plot twist.

The 1888 timeline felt a bit darker but I loved seeing Minnie piece together the clues to finally figure out what happened at Ambrose Fields. Betrayal, jealousy, and rage from war-torn mind and body wreaked havoc in so many lives but ultimately forgiveness triumphed, just like it did in the present day timeline. Though I did not feel completely connected to any of the main characters, I did enjoy the book. Those who love Jaime Jo Wright and anyone who loves dual timeline intrigue and suspense will enjoy this book.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House via Interviews and Reviews, LibraryThing and NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

[Jeanette Durkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesmerizing. Jamie's writing completely mesmerizes me! I'm not a huge fan of paranormal stories but Jamie always brings the "monsters" to light. She also incorporates how faith in God is important.

The cast of characters are written brilliantly! There are two sets of characters as this is a dual timeline book. Minnie, her father, and Mrs. Pickston reside at Ambrose Fields in 1888. Ambrose Fields holds many secrets, most of them dark. Shadows, footprints of a mystery child and her father's mental decline cause Minnie to pursue answers. Present day, Triss is the new bookshop manager at Ambrose Fields. She too hears bumps in the night and other unexplained sights. Her past, as a ghost hunter, prepared her for unexpected visitors but she wants to forget the past and move on.

There are two very sweet love stories. There's also a couple of murders and mentions of drug addiction. The author's note is encouraging and inspiring!

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley through Interviews and Reviews. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Randi Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaime Jo Wright's books truly are unlike anything else in Christian fiction. She never fails to deliver captivating mysteries that are spooky and will have you questioning absolutely everything right through to the very end... but that will always have a 'Scooby Doo' type reveal where we discover that nothing is really quite what it seems. This one was certainly no exception, effortlessly weaving together the storylines of Minnie in 1888 and Triss in present day as they search to uncover the secrets of the historic mansion and its 99 doors. And as always, I absolutely loved it! From the first page to the last, I found myself at the edge of my seat wondering how it was all going to play out in the end. With beautiful messages of faith and eerie mystery, this was another fantastic must read from one of my very favorites!

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! How does Jaime Jo Wright do this! What a book! What twists and turns!

A great setting, an old house, ghosts, mysterious doors, and personal growth. Triss has run away from her family and their paranormal tendencies, she is looking for faith. She ends up at an old house, working in their bookshop, creating a new life. But this house has its secrets and dark past.

In walks her brother and his ghost hunting crew. And things take a hard turn.

We also have a companion storyline of Minnie who has moved into the house in the late 1800's. Ghosts, violent stories from the past, a scary housekeeper and a father with something wrong all parallel what is happening in modern day.

This ends so beautifully, and yet sad too. Very clever!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bethany House for the opportunity to read an early copy for an honest review.

[Aprilslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

JAIME DID IT AGAIN. The perfect combination of the spiritual realm and Christian faith. I love how Jaime incorporates spiritual themes like ghosts, mediums, and spirits, while also providing strong faith elements to counteract those beliefs. This one was such a good story on both timelines. I loved the historical pull in both stories and the setting was intriguing. There was a twist I was not expecting and I loved how there was a little more romance thrown in than she usually has in her books. Again, this is the perfect “ghosty” suspense for someone who knows ghosts don’t exist and loves a good “scooby-doo” ending where everything has a logical explanation. This one had some deep, meaningful moments to it and I loved the character growth we saw. SO SO GOOD!!

*I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher. All my opinions are my own.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t say that I loved every minute of this book, but there’s definitely a lot to appreciate. Wright does a phenomenal job of showing that God calls us to have nothing to do with ghosts and evil spirits. The conflict main character Triss is navigating felt authentic as she has turned away from her family’s pursuit of the spirit world through their television show investigating paranormal activity. Triss articulates her desire to obey God’s commands in a way that is meaningful.

Read if you love:
* Dual timeline
* Alternating perspectives
* Gothic settings
* Suspense and mystery

Good to Know: paranormal investigations are described, infidelity is referenced

Thank you, Bethany House Publishers for a complimentary e-ARC of this book! All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Kaetrianne Ramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bookshop of 99 Door was not what I was expecting, but it wasn’t entirely unwelcome in that way. As always, wonderful timeslip elements, and all the grand reveals were jaw dropping and gobsmacking. Triss and Minnie were both lovable protagonists, and the hint of romance was sweet and not overdone.

I found that there was a LOT more spiritual darkness and stuff that, frankly, made me a bit uncomfortable, but some things about the spiritual world are uncomfortable, so I don’t begrudge the story that.

Overall, four stars!

I received a complimentary copy of this book; All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sold…a story centered on a bookshop in an historical mansion with civil war history and the hint of paranormal. The memories of past lives take on a ghostly quality in this Christian cozy mystery. Wright has a talent for dual timeline suspense and I was quickly invested in the mysteries from both timelines. I enjoyed both Minnie’s story with the dark atmospheric vibe of 19th century psychological horrors and Triss’ modern view of the paranormal and her search for faith.

Pub date: April 07 2026
#NetGalley #TheBookshopof99Doors

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House for the ARC.
This is the third book I've read by this author, and I find that I like the past timelines better than the present day. This still held true but I didn't find myself like the past nearly as much. The mystery wasn't that compelling and the entire plot was a bit weak. The characters were a bit shallow, and in the present day the dialogue felt forced. It was okay for a quick read.

[Karen R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep dark secrets lie behind the doors of an old estate turned into a bookshop. This suspenseful dual timeline mystery will please readers who like a story with a gothic feel. Civil War era history collides with modern day as the characters try to find the truth.

The main characters from both time periods face situations that involve difficult family relationships and complicated friendships. There is a spiritual aspect that is both intriguing and frightening as they try to sort out what is true and real in their surroundings; they ask deep questions that help move them ahead in their faith journey. Both women find it hard to trust others, making it difficult to get help when needed. Ultimately, they find help and hope as the truth comes to the surface. The 'big reveal' is worth the wait, and all is explained in the end.

A terrific read that kept me up reading late into the night. Recommend! 5 stars

(An ebook was received via NetGalley, as part of a LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaway. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Just know that sometimes you have to define the darkness before you can step into the light.’

An enjoyable novel that combines gothic horror and Christian fiction, something this author has done before and is quite masterful at. With thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy

[Kelsey | kelseys.booknook · Rating 5 out of 5]

sooooooo goooooooood. full review to come