Allison: Echoes of Titanic | Mindy Starns Clark and John Campbell Clark | Book Review

Last year when I was at BEA, I was just aimlessly walking around when a book that was on display caught my attention. I backtracked a little bit to the booth and picked up the book and read the description on the back. It was called Echoes of Titanic, and it turned out the authors Mindy Starns Clark and John Campbell Clark were actually sitting in the booth doing a signing at that exact moment. They asked me if I wanted a signed copy, and I quickly agreed admitting that I have a bit of an obsession with anything Titanic. It’s one of my favorite topics to read about, and I was so glad to have found another potential hit to add to my collection.

Echoes of Titanic Cover

Set in present-day Manhattan, Echoes of Titanic tells the story of Kelsey Tate, a young woman who is on the rise up in her family’s company Brennan & Tate. Everything seems to be going great for her until a man begins to spread disturbing rumors about her great-grandmother Adele Brennan, who survived the Titanic sinking, and established the firm 100 years ago. The rumors insist that it was not Adele who survived but instead her cousin Jocelyn, and that Jocelyn had lied and used Adele’s name upon arriving in America. In addition, a co-worker, Gloria Poole, is found dead by Kelsey in the conference room of the company; and it is announced that Brennan & Tate is facing a hostile takeover by another dominant financial corporation. Obviously, Kelsey has a lot on her plate, and as she begins to unravel all of it, she can’t help but wonder if it is all somehow connected. And if it is connected, who is responsible for putting all of these events in motion?

For me, Echoes of Titanic really was a hit. It has a wonderful mixture of mystery and suspense and even a hint of romance. Written in a double story format, it volleys back and forth between the point of views of Adele and Jocelyn Brennan as Titanic passengers (1912), and Kelsey’s current troubles at Brennan & Tate (2012).  I loved this, and felt that it kept me turning pages in order to find the truth regarding the cousins, and to see Kelsey’s troubles get resolved. Mindy Starns Clark and John Campbell Clark do an excellent job of keeping the stakes high as to who survived the Titanic and started the firm. They provide little teasers along the way continuously turning the tables, which keep you on your toes, as well as give you a brief insight as to the conditions of second-class passengers aboard the Titanic.

The tension and suspense is superb. I honestly cannot say enough about it. There is so much build, and you never really know what exactly is going to happen. The characterization is so good. You never know is the characters that Kelsey is trusting can truly be trusted, or if they are the ones responsible for everything that she is going through. From bosses, to co-workers, to ex-co-workers, to ex-boyfriends, to family, there is such a range of different characters. Personally, I really enjoyed the re-connection between Kelsey and her ex-boyfriend Cole throughout the story, and felt that their dynamic brought a lot to the story, especially when it was paralleled to what was happening in 1912 aboard the Titanic. Also, I loved the character of Adele, and her passion and desire to enter a male-dominated industry such as business. It was so obvious that she was smart and more than strong enough and dedicated enough to do so.

Echoes of Titanic is sure to please any Titanic fan that is hungry for something different and unique but still filled with adventure. It is also sure to please any mystery and suspense fan, or any reader who loves to read an inspirational story, or a story filled with great characterization. Overall, it is an easy, engaging, suspenseful yet inspirational read that I would gladly recommend to anyone. Check it out!

Titanic Gif

Disclosure: Received a signed copy at BEA.

Other reviews of Echoes of Titanic by Mindy Starns Clark and John Campbell Clark: 

2 Kids and Tired Books: “An engaging, easy read.

Cindy’s Book Reviews: “A great story with a great plot, you will not want to put this one down!!

Norah’s Book Reviews: “This book makes a great read and becomes more “unputdownable” as the story goes on and things start piecing together.

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Allison is 27 years old. She is always looking for new books, good music, quality/epic adventures, and a normal sleep schedule. She currently works with the elderly.

Comments

  1. Ohhh this sounds really interesting. I’ve never read any Titanic books. Honestly, they scare me much like cancer stories because you know it’s not going to end well, and I’m worried about getting attached to characters that have high chance of death…but maybe it’s time I get by that particular paranoia…

  2. I really love the variety of books that you ladies review over here 🙂 I wouldn’t say I have a lot of interest in the Titanic itself, but the history surrounding it is interesting to me and I really like a book that sucks you in and then immerses you with tension. Sounds like a great book!

  3. I love that there’s a mystery in this book! Plus, it sounds like the juxtaposition of past and present was done incredibly well. While I’m not particularly enamored with the Titanic, I am fascinated by this book, and am supremely glad you enjoyed it. I’m going to have to check it out sometime!

Trackbacks

  1. […] written reviews for Good Books and Good Wine (The Midnight Watch, The Watch That Ends The Night, Echoes of Titanic and Reflections of Titanic) and am always looking for new books to read. So when I found Titanic […]