We’re all so delighted for Jessica Estevao’s (that is, our own Jessie Crockett’s) debut of
a new mystery series. Whispers Beyond the Veil is historical, a little paranormal, and a splendid can’t-put-it-down read.
Ruby Proulx, the smart, strong protagonist, sometimes hears a voice in her head that gives her good counsel, and she learns to trust it – mostly. Wickeds – have you experienced messages of any kind that you can’t explain? Voices, knocks on the wall, apparitions, a whiff of perfume, whispers beyond the veil? Intuition is a kind of message, no matter what its origin, so that counts too. Please share!
Liz: Of course, my story is animal related. One of my rescue cats died unexpectedly not long after moving to Connecticut, and I was heartbroken. The next morning, there was a whole bed of little flowers outside my window that hadn’t been there the day before, and they were gone the next day. I know Jordy sent them to let us know he was okay. It made me feel a whole lot better, and reinforced my belief that we do get messages from the other side.
Edith: In the year before my father died in 1985 (I adored him, and he was a year younger than I am now, so he was way too young to leave us), I had read a book suggesting a fifth dimension parallel to ours, where departed spirits live – or something like that. The author said a ringing in the ear might be a communication from one of them. After we lost Daddy, the next time I got such an ear ringing I stopped and paid attention. I don’t really know if it’s him or not, but to this day I pause and consider what he would say about my life at the moment. It makes me smile and keeps his memory fresh in my mind and heart.
Julie: I have, many times. My grandmother is a frequent visitor. One example, last year my sister and I were nostalgically walking around Alton Bay in New Hampshire, thinking about her. We’d just paid a visit to the site of their summer cottage, only to find that the owners had torn it down. We were a little heartbroken, but then heard an organ player at the craft fair. A couple of moments later he started to play one of her favorite songs. Gramma was telling us it was alright, we still had the memories. I’ve also had very vivid dreams of friends who’ve passed, letting me know they were all right.
Barb: Like all Victorian B&Bs in all harbor towns the world over, our house in Boothbay has a ghost. She’s a young woman who lives in room #2. I have never seen her. Some guests have seen her, but the only person I know who has was my husband’s late aunt, and she was a total loon. A lovely woman, but a loon nonetheless, and not only because, or even because, of the ghost thing. I will say that one night my husband and I stayed in room #2 with our cocker spaniel Mackenzie and he whined and panted and wouldn’t so much as lie down all night. Finally, in desperation we let him out into the hallway where he went immediately to sleep. I still say there were squirrels in the walls, but…
Sherry: Two incidents come to mind. About ten years ago we were on a steep escalator descending down to the Metro. My daughter asked for her phone which she’d stuck in my purse earlier. I told her no that it wasn’t safe to text on an escalator. Seconds later the escalator came to a jarring halt. It threw a woman in front of us down several steps and we scrambled to make sure she was okay. She was except for some minor bruises. I’ve always wondered if it was just me doing risk assessments or something else. Another time a friend and I went to a movie. On the way home we were stopped at light under an overpass. We took to reminiscing about our time living in LA and how we didn’t like to stop under overpasses there because of earthquakes. I hadn’t been home fifteen minutes when one of the rare Virginia earthquakes hit.
Jessie: Ruby hears a clear voice directly in her ear because I have been fortunate enough to have had a similar experience.
When I was sixteen, and a newly licensed driver, my parents asked me to take my younger sister to a middle school dance. On the way home I heard a soft voice in my ear urging me to turn into the nearest of the two driveways leading up to my house. Since it was one I had never before used because it was inconvenient, I ignored it. As the driveway grew closer I heard the voice again but much more distinctly. This time it was a command. I remember thinking how weird it was and decided to follow the advice. I turned in and almost immediately saw an oncoming car abruptly swerve into the yard opposite my own and slam into a tree. I went into the house in a bit of a daze and told my parents I thought there had been a car accident.
My father went to the end of the second driveway, the one I usually used, and found fresh skid marks in my lane. Apparently, the car that swerved and I narrowly missed a head-on collision. The phone began ringing off the hook. The pastor of the church, the woman whose children I babysat and a friend’s mother all called, one after another, to say they had a strange feeling I had been hurt and to ask if I was okay. We assured them I was fine. Unfortunately, the college kids in the other car who were driving drunk all were killed by the collision.
Readers: Tell us of your messages, your mystical experiences.
I love this post, Edith. Terrific way to invite connection with “a little paranormal” and historical mystery!
Jessica/Jessie I am anxious to start reading Whispers Beyond the Veil. Best wishes for a successful launch!
I’ve had many messages and mystical experiences, since I was a child. The first I remember was feeling very uneasy passing a hospital in Danvers. I said something to my mother about it once when we drove by. All she would say was it was just a hospital. I felt very curious about it and couldn’t let go of the strange feelings whenever we drove past. My grandmother’s sister lived very close by, so we drove past often. Years later, long after my mother was gone, I learned that it was the state hospital that was built on the hill where Judge Hathorne of the Salem witch trials lived. No one in the family talked about it, and I’m fairly certain they didn’t know our family connections to the trials… long story not for here, but yes, I felt the connection that no one talked about. I had to go to graduate school and learn about it in my course work in religious practices and history in colonial New England.
That is eery, Reine.
My sister is planning a visit next month, and her first request was to visit Salem. I have no idea why, but we did have an ancestor that lived in Salem town, and more in Salem Village, including an accused witch. I will keep my antennae up during this trip.
Who is your ancestor, Sheila? My aunt is a very dedicated genealogist and has discovered we are descended from Samuel Wardwell, who was hanged, and his wife Sarah who was accused and tried but later released.
Sarah Towne Bridges Clayce, who survived. Her two Towne sisters Rebecca and Mary didn’t. I’m also descended from her brother Jacob through another line. And I have some Wardwells back in England–11th and 12th g’g’parents.
We are probably related!
Thanks for the good wishes, Reine! And what a perfectly spooky story!
Jessie, I am really looking forward to reading your book!
I love these stories. One incident that I remember is when my grandfather died. I was probably 12 or 13. Grandpap had a habit of tapping his keys on the front window whenever he came home. On the day he died, everyone had gathered in the living room after returning from the hospital. The adults were discussing funeral arrangements and I probably had my nose in a book. All of a sudden there was a distinct tapping of keys on the front window. Everyone stopped talking and looked at each other for a few seconds, then picked up right where they left off. We all knew it was just Grandpap telling us he was home.
One of my dad’s sisters lived out of state and she said she was in her kitchen and felt someone behind her. When she turned my mother was standing there smiling. That’s how she knew my mother had died–no one had called her yet. She had stopped to say goodbye.
My mom’s sister is still alive and she always smells roses before there’s a death in the family. I never dream (or at least I never remember them), but when I do, they always come true–sometimes years later.
I love these stories, Joyce!
Thanks, Joyce! One of my great-grandmother’s always dreamt about the death of a person known to her just before they died. Not a gift I’d want to have inherited. I hope your prophetic dreams are always good ones! In the second Change of Fortune book the protagonist’s aunt has prophetic dreams but hers are sometimes good and sometimes bad.
My mother’s family always had leanings toward the paranormal (and of course we all know how the Irish feel about the things they can’t see). My grandmother always promised to visit me after she passed on, and I was disappointed when she didn’t reach out for quite a while.
But a few years ago I was driving to visit a friend in New Jersey, and stopped for lunch in Westfield, where she and my grandfather had lived for years, and where they are both buried. I was sitting in my car in the parking lot at McDonald’s and suddenly I was surrounded by her perfume–a very distinctive scent that she always wore. I’d been driving in the car for over four hours, but the scent didn’t appear until I reached Westfield–her first “hello” from the other side. It made me smile.
Haunted in your car in a McDonald’s parking lot. I guess it can happen anywhere.
Sadly I don’t have a great story so instead I’m going to take the opportunity to rave a little about Whispers Beyond the Veil. I was a lucky winner/early reader. I could fill an entire page with all the details I liked, but instead I will share why others will also like it. Jessie did an amazing job of making you feel like you were back in 1898. This will appeal to those who enjoy historical mysteries. The paranormal element was done beautifully but not over done. This will appeal to those who enjoy paranormal but will not put off those who don’t. Her main character Ruby is strong and has a very quick wit. Even if she is hurt by what others say about her she will never let on that it bothered her one bit. There is a potential love interest. I can’t wait for book 2 to see where that goes! And lastly the mystery element was well done. I urge everyone to pick up this book. It has all the bits and pieces us readers love, but is done in such a unique way. Congrats Jessie! I can’t wait for more and hope this series has a very long life.
I agree Bec! I finished reading it on Sunday and can’t recommend it highly enough, for all those reasons.
What a wonderful review. Now I am even more eager to get started.
Thanks so much for your enthusiasm for Whispers, Bec! I can’t tell you how much it means to hear someone liked it!
Can’t say I’ve had anything like that happen to me.
But you’re young yet, Mark! ;^)
71 years ago when I was 10 my daddy was lost at sea.I was very close to him, a much wanted child. born when he was 35. He was in the navy and we lived in San Diego and he often hitched a ride home if the ship came in early. No matter where I was he had a funny little whistle to let me know he was home. Over the years I’ve heard this whistle, my mom never heard it, in times of trouble in my life and I know it’s my daddy letting me know he’s still watching over me..
Ruth that is a beautiful story.
How lovely, Ruth!
There are so many times things have happened here I cant even begin to write them all. I grew up with a ghost in the house and it would perform for friends. Our family members that have past will show up from time to time (especially after we watch Long Island Medium for some reason). We have dragonflies follow us in the same colors are our angel furbabies. I have heard things that made me change what I was doing or where I was going. I truly believe in all of them. And by the way I had to force myself to put the new book down last night so I could get some sleep. Will finish it up tonight.