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Customer Reviews for Barbour Publishing The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Barbour Publishing The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Three women face trial, betrayal and redemption in historic Nebraska. Convicted of murder, Jane Prescott begins serving her ten-year sentence. Will the prison doctor be a balm to her broken spirit? Mamie Dawson believes God has called her to be a matron of the women's prison dormitory. Are the attentions of a homely guard another part of God's plan for Mamie? Ellen Sullivan, the warden's wife, is teaching literacy to the female convicts. Can this endeavor change her preconceptions of these incarcerated women? What will a cryptic quilt connecting these ladies reveal about one woman's past and mean for all their futures?
Average Customer Rating:
(11 Reviews) 11
Rating Snapshot (11 reviews)
5 stars
6
4 stars
4
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
0
11 out of 11100%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Review 1 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
Intrique,romance and a family devotion
Date:April 18, 2013
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
This book was a must read. The most unlikely devotion and caring that leads to love that is so precious. The prison and the care of the matron was something special. It show what can happen when we believe in the best of a person. a mothers love is certainly evident.
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Review 2 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
Really enjoyed this book
Date:November 26, 2012
Peggy Perriman
Location:St Joseph, Mo.
Age:Over 65
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
It was great seeing how women were able to reach out to help others even in a hard place.
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Review 3 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
A different setting for sure
Date:July 15, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Injustices are fought in a Nebraska prison.
Jane Prescott is a woman sentenced to ten years for man slaughter, but while in jail she forms friendships and longs for the day when she will see her daughter again. Max Zimmer is the man who has never doubted Jane's innocence and will do anything to set her free.
Three women are brought together under usual situations, and face unexpected obstacles.
Three women are brought together under usual situations, and face unexpected obstacles.
A jail is definitely an interesting setting for a novel, if I do say so myself. Since I've been a long time Stephanie Grace Whitson fan, I knew I had to give it a try and I wasn't disappointed. The characters were well developed and there was plenty of action, with escape attempts and more.
I especially liked the character of Jane because of how throughout the book she really came out of her shell and she was complex character who had many layers, and it was wonderful to see them fall away. And of course Max was quite the gallant hero, and he fought admirably for Jane. I think out of the other side characters I really liked Mamie Dawson, who was a sort of mothering figure to the ladies.
Overall, I would say that this is an excellent read, and I loved the freshness of the setting. This book moved along steadily, at a good pace, and I really liked how much action this book surprised me with :) This is a book that I would definitely recommend. Thanks!
I received this as an ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.Thank you!
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Review 4 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
Date:June 29, 2012
Patricia Cleeton
Location:St. Charles, MO
Age:Over 65
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Great read, difficult to put down, Whitson is a great
story teller and captures the reader with the first pages!
Love her books!!
story teller and captures the reader with the first pages!
Love her books!!
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Review 5 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
10 Thumbs Up!
Date:May 18, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Received this as a gift & what a wonderful book it was! I just can not imagine what life would of been like in a prison in the 1800's. This was one of those books that I had a hard time putting down and then when I did I found myself thinking about those ladies! Don't pass this book up you will not be disappointed. Job well done! A+
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Review 6 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
Fantastic book!
Date:April 28, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Jane Prescott is serving a 10 year sentence for a murder believed to have been committed by Jane Marquis. Jane Prescott and Jane Marquis are the same person, but she went back to using her first married name after being convicted of murdering her husband Owen Marquis.
She has a nine year old daughter, Rose Prescott, who went to live with Jane's sister Flora after the murder. Jane didn't give any reason for murdering Owen, a good man as far as anyone knew, except when he was drinking, then he became very abusive to Jane and that was never in public. He never hurt Rose, except for the fact that she heard and saw the abusiveness.
Jane had one person in town who tried to fight for her at the trial, but she wouldn't let him and she wouldn't say anything in defense of herself as to why she shot Owen. Dr Max Zimmer had seen the bruises and broken ribs as he watched her go to a silent obedient wife. He also treated Rose when she received an injury while Owen was teaching her to shoot a gun.
During her time in prison, Jane wrote to Rose and waited for Flora to bring her for a visit. After she'd been in there for a while she received a short note from her sister to quit writing to Rose because it was too upsetting to her and if she tried to continue there was a chance she'd move so Jane wouldn't know where they were.
Dr Zimmer continued to fight to get her out as he didn't think she was capable of commiting the crime she'd been convicted of. When he went to visit her after she'd served a few years one of the prisoners, Pearl Brand, attacked another prisoner who was pregnant, along with the warden. Dr Zimmer, being on site, treated the prisoner and delivered her baby. Jane was the prisoner selected to go with Vestal to be treated at the wardens house, but she and Max did not speak even one word to each other as that was not allowed. The next day, after visiting with the warden about the reason for coming to see him, to request a letter to take to the governor so Jane could be released, he got to see Jane and explain what he was doing. She told him to forget it and to not bother her again.
Jane had found a way to get through her ten year sentence by not thinking about the future when she would be free to see Rose again and have her daughter back. If she allowed Max to get her hopes up, she would have to start the process of forgetting where she was all over again, she just couldn't allow that to happen.
After the prison dust up, Pearl was not held with the other women and the warden's wife started helping out and would guard the women on Sunday's. After services one Sunday, the preacher's wife lost a necklace so that night Ellen took Jane to help her search for it and clean as they were looking. They didn't know that Pearl had escaped her cell with the help of a guard and had a homemade weapon. Ellen sent Jane to get a broom and when she returned Pearl had Ellen held hostage and now she would have Jane also. All the women were afraid of Pearl so Jane knew not to even talk to her but Ellen didn't, which worked out for them, she ended up finding out what the whole plan was. Max decided it was taking his wife an awful long time so he went looking for her, when Pearl saw him she jumped to stab Ellen, but Jane jumped up and diverted the attack to save the warden's wife and got stabbed instead.
Yep, that's it, you have to read it now! Stephanie did a great job with this book and holding your interest throughout. This is a must read! I just can't say enough good about this book. I am really anxious for the second book in this series, Shadow of a Name, to some out this September.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Review 7 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
Good Read
Date:April 25, 2012
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
4.5 Stars!
Jane is in prison for murder. Mamie is the Matron of the ladies ward of the prison and Ellen is the Wardens wife. The book starts off introducing us to each of these woman and slowly they come together and the story start to take shape. Jane has a daughter named Rose that she misses terribly. She struggles to adjust to prison and also when Max shows up a man from her past she deals with her feeling for him. Max was the man who danced with Jane and causes the final fight that ended in the death of Jane's husband. He does not think Jane should be in jail and works hard to get her released.
What I liked: I liked how this book told the story from three very different people. You have the prisoner Jane, the Matron who watches over her Mamie and the new warden’s wife Ellen. There is also a few chapters with Max and Rose telling as well which just adds to the storyline. The detail in this book was really good I felt like I was right there with the characters.
What I did not like: There where a few times I felt the book was dragging a little. I wish there had been a small epilogue. This is book one in a series so hopefully we might see a little more of these characters again in the next book.
Over all I really enjoyed this book. I have not read a book about woman in jail in this time period before and I found it very informative and I gather the author spent a lot of time researching and it showed. I highly recommend this book!
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Review 8 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
Awesome story line for the books characters.
Date:April 11, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Very different story line and setting. Thoroughly engrossing and didn't want it to end.Looking for the next book in the series.
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Review 9 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
An Original Historical Romance
Date:March 18, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Widow Jane Prescott soon realised she had made a mistake in marrying Owen Marquis in order to give her daughter a father. Owen was an abuser, and one night, after an innocent dance with the local doctor, the fight went too far and Jane found herself serving ten years for his manslaughter. Dr Max Zimmer feels responsible for Jane's imprisonment, as he alone knows of the injuries Jane suffered at the hands of her second husband, and he wonders if dancing with Jane at the town social might have caused the fatal argument.
The loss of her daughter affects Jane more than the loss of her freedom. To manage this loss, she withdraws herself, including from Dr Max Zimmer. As Christians we seek freedom in Christ for ourselves and for others, but we don't realise that some people are so bound up in their personal prisons that they are afraid of being free. That fear must be broken before they can be whole, before they can be free. Jane is one of these people.
The Key on the Quilt is an original story, well-written with strong supporting characters, interesting sub-plots and a strong Christian theme, although it slowed a bit towards the end. It is a story of 'grace notes', healing and redemption in Christ. Grace, in Christianity, is sometimes defined as the unmerited favour of God. In music, grace notes are extra notes added as an embellishment. They are not needed for the melody or the harmony, but are simply to enhance the overall sound. So Christian grace notes are those extra things God gives us that we don't deserve, but which make life so much more than it could be.
One of the problems with having read a large number of books is that I don't often find a truly original plot, so it was a pleasure to discover The Key on the Quilt. Perhaps most gratifying for a history junkie like me is the note from the author at the end, explaining the inspiration behind the story, her research and the (very few) liberties she has taken with the facts. One of my pet hates is a historical novel that gets its facts wrong, so Stephanie Grace Whitson scores highly in this regard. Overall, a novel that is well worth reading.
Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
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Review 10 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
The setting makes the story interesting
Date:February 29, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
The Key on the Quilt, written by Stephanie Grace Whitson, takes place in Nebraska in the late 1800’s. The setting is a woman’s prison and the main character is a murderer. Or is she?
Jane is serving her time after being accused of murdering her abusive husband. Her sister has taken over the care of her daughter Rose. Rose is led to believe that her mother has died but the memories of her mother and the time of the murder haunt her dreams. Meanwhile Jane sits in the prison counting the days till she will be free again.
Dr. Max Zimmer desperately wants to help Jane but she has asked him to stop, as she does not feel there is any hope. Even though Jane asks him not to, he tries to help Jane by talking to the prison warden. The warden and his wife, Ellen and Ian McKenna, play an important role in the story.
There are a few story lines in this book. Each one compliments the other. The characters all have depth and the stories themselves move along quickly. I liked the action, emotion and plot and felt the book flowed well. The author also did very well at describing the setting and time period. Overall it was a very well written and enjoyable novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.
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Review 11 for The Key on the Quilt, Quilt Chronicles Series #1
Overall Rating:
Unconventional Setting
Date:February 5, 2012
Quality:
3
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
3
out of
5
The Key on the Quilt is the first novel in Stephanie Grace Whitson's new series The Quilt Chronicles. As the debut book, we are introduced to a range of characters who will likely make appearances in the upcoming novels. The primary focus of The Key On the Quilt is Jane Prescott, an imprisoned mother with a tragic past. Her acquaintances in prison (inmates and free women) offer additional plots, particularly Mamie Dawson and Ellen Sullivan. The story is told from several different perspectives, which allows us to see 19th century prison life from a variety of angles. Interestingly, the second half of the novel suddenly introduces Jane's daughter Rose as a main character. The glimpse into Rose's emotions and life added extra depth to the novel, and I would have enjoyed more opportunities to read the story from her perspective.
The setting of The Key on the Quilt is the most notable element of the novel. Whitson demonstrates skill in relaying historical details through her description of the women's ward and the depiction of prison life. The backdrop of a prison sounds reminiscent of Dickens, but the plot is much more heartwarming and ultimately uplifting. Whitson introduces some difficult topics, but illustrates the power of faith and love in overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Jane Prescott is truly an inspiring character from the beginning of the novel to the end. Hopefully future novels will feature Jane's continuing story. I would have been more satisfied with the ending if it had featured a short epilogue or at least a few more pages.
I also enjoyed Mamie's character and her story, which was like a charming novella integrated into the pages of a full novel. Ellen Sullivan is an integral part of the novel, but I did not feel impacted by reading her point-of-view. Some of her interactions with her husband were a bit "mushy" for my taste; there were some scenes that I feel were unnecessary. Despite feeling distracted by multiple perspectives, I would recommend this novel to fans of historical fiction. The Key on the Quilt is an enjoyable and worthwhile read with a memorable plot.
I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from NetGalley, courtesy of Barbour Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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