Moonrise

I am torn between giving this three or four stars.The writing is descriptive without being superfluous. I was especially enthralled by the description of the mirror like surface of the lake and the moongarden.The main plot of Helen’s struggles as a second wife trying to fit into the family and social group of her new spouse was great. I found it well paced and believable.The characters on the other hand were not believable for the ages they were supposed to be. I thought they would have been better portrayed as 30-somethings, not an over 50 crowd like myself. Insecurities are a big part of my life, but along with that comes mistrust and I just don't see blindly trusting someone I had only known a few weeks like Helen did with Kit.Overall, I liked it, but execution left a lot to be desired.

I spend my summers in this area of North Carolina so the setting described with Ms. King's deft hand captured me in its web as she spun the tale of some very unlikable characters. I felt myself drawn into the story as the novel Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier pulled me into its tale of a house haunted by the ghost of its queen. However, I didn't much care for any of the characters. I especially tire of marriages and friendships tainted by dishonesty and non-communication. The only character I felt any compassion for was Willa, the caretaker of the wayward summer folks.

This book was likened to the book "Rebecca" by Daphne de Maurier. That is a bit of a stretch. Yes, it has a woman married to a widower, who owns a large estate and mansion. The mansion is spooky and discomforting. But it essentially ends there. The book is Ok but it lacks the spine tingling mystery of Rebecca. There are a few strange things happening in the mansion but when the truth comes out about it, it is glossed over and really is not "much of a much". I did not feel myself get involved with the main character as I did with Rebecca. It did not have the impact that the book Rebecca had. In the end, I felt a bit let down. I will admit that I am a huge fan of de Maurier's Rebecca. It was one of my first books to read and love, in the mystery genre. Outside of a few basic similarities, this book is not anywhere as good as the original.

I read Rebecca in high school and subsequently all of du Maurier's books. King's book pales in comparison. The storyline is melodramatic, unbelievable, the characters one-dimensional and totally unlikeable. The protagonist Helen is neurotic, gullible and craves acceptance from her husband's female self-absorbed, cruel friends. I keep hoping Helen will grow a backbone but unfortunately she doesn't. And husband Emmet is emotionally abusive, unpredictable and displays an explosive personality. Emmet's male friends however are darned near perfect; a kind professor Linc and handsome playboy with a heart Noel. They're spending the summer together in Highlands NC. As the saying goes, with friends like these, who needs enemies? Unbelievable that Helen would put up the the abuse from these witches. The circumstances of Emmet's wife's death which advances the storyline is tied neatly in a bow. To her credit, King keeps the pace of the book moving nicely. But this novel is no match for the intriguing Rebecca.

When you start this book, don't give up. It's kind of hard sometimes to distinguish which character is talking, but hang in there anyway, and you won't regret it. Really good character development and builds up to the finale very well. Characters are not one dimensional - they all have their flaws and good traits. Here's a line from the book that I thought was absolutely beautifully written: "IN THE MOUNTAINS, THE STARS LOOK LIKE CANDLES CARRIED BY ANGELS TO LIGHT THE WAY THROUGH THE CORRIDORS OF HEAVEN, AND THE SLICE OF MOON IS A SMILE." Isn't that stunning? How beautiful. I'll never look at the night sky in the same way again.

Loved this book and the characters were well developed. Takes place in a beautiful part of the country, Highlands, N.C. It is also a well written mystery. You want want to put it down. Cassandra Conroy is a great writer.

It is a shame that a good editor didn't get a hold of this book.The writing is awesome but there really doesn't seem to be a character that you route for.The heroine seems to be kind of stupid and unbelievably naive considering her life begore this. It wouldn't take a half-wit to know you don't make a special designed birthcake for your newly step daughter to know that is a real dumb idea.The characters are in their fifties but look and act like they sre in their thirties. Not every fifty year old is model like in appearance.I love gothic type books and would love to see more written.This book could be so much better. Ms King, work on it a little more and it would be a winner.

This novel is a modern American homage to English author Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca. Moonrise doesn't fail the genre and is beautifully written spinning a dark mysterious tale of betrayal and broken trust. Like in Rebecca, there is a second wife who believes she must compete with an 'overbearing' dead first wife. However, there the similarity ends. This story unfolds through additional voices, not just via the new wife. Unlike in Rebecca, this protagonist has a name. She has a previous life that includes an unhappy marriage and subsequent divorce. Yes, she is a little unsure of herself and in her new marriage; however, she has survived obstacles and has a tough fiber of inner strength. The answer to the mystery is unexpected and there is no disappointment in the story's final outcome.