Review: In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel

In Spotlight and Shadow

by Rachel Scott McDaniel

About the Book

A Gem of a Mystery Takes Center Stage

​Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

Elise Malvern has a habit of letting people down. Her former boyfriend who hoped she’d be his bride. Her grandfather who hoped she’d take over the family’s auction company. But mostly she’s disappointed herself. What’s the point of pursuing her passion as a violinist, if she is too scared to audition for a seat in the Pittsburgh Symphony? Her internship at the elegant Heinz Hall places her in the wings of the stage, but never on it. By accident, she discovers an old stage prop. Her instincts tell her there’s more to the paste necklace than meets the eye. Whether a good idea or not, she accepts help from a childhood friend, who happens to be country music megastar—Pierson Brooks. Pierson and Elise share a history; one she doesn’t care to repeat. The more involved they become in the mystery, the more things get tangled, including her heart.
 
A century earlier…
Sophie Walters longs for center stage, her name on the marquee, and all that jazz, but climbing her way into an acting career is more difficult than she imagined. Having spoiled all her chances in Hollywood, she returns to Pittsburgh, accepting an insignificant role in a popular production. She watches her dreams pass by from behind the curtain at the illustrious Loew’s Penn Theatre. She finally gets the coveted spotlight, but not for her talent. No, her surge to fame is all one terrible mistake. Somehow, she’s suspected to be a notorious jewel thief known around Pittsburgh as The Mirage. The man she pleads for help is none other than the man she jilted at the altar five years before, Sterling Monroe.

My Thoughts

Once again, Rachel Scott McDaniel dazzles with her talent at penning sweet and snappy romance, this time with dual timelines.

Scott’s passion for Jazz Age-era Pittsburg shines in all of her books, and In Spotlight and Shadow is no exception. The William Penn Hotel comes to life in both its historic roots, as well as its contemporary state, and both are painted charmingly in Scott’s loving prose. Yet the characters are what made the book for me. In both timelines we are offered heroines who have deep wounds, yet strong spirits with loads of spunk and sparkling personalities. They are matched with complex and utterly charming heroes who are at once protective of the women they love, yet also leaving them room to be themselves.

The banter-filled dialogue is spot on. It fits in seamlessly with both the 1920s timeline, as well as the contemporary one. The fast pace of the stories will keep you turning pages, and the mystery will keep you guessing until the very end.

In Spotlight and Shadow is a charming new novel that fans of inspirational historical romance will not want to miss.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.