What do readers think of The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton? Write your own review.

I enjoyed this story from Chanel Cleeton. Her writing flows smoothly between time periods and I found myself interested in both plot lines, not just one as is often the case. The story is haunting. I saw it described as Gothic and would definitely agree. I'm not sure if this is a series but I would love to see a sequel, or prequel, to this book. It seems like there is still so much to learn about the characters; I was left wanting a little more. Good read!

Parallel tales of romance, bankruptcy and murder in the 1920s and 1940s keep readers in suspense while Cleeton exposes the greed and ambition of the Miami of yesteryear. If you enjoy a good mystery with historical undertones, this book is for you. If you don't know much about South Florida and are interested in how Miami evolved into the mecca that it is today, you will be enlightened. The setting between post-World War I and pre-World War II will have you counting the years between the characters, making it more intriguing. This is a thrilling, quick read.

Chanel Cleeton does historical fiction so well! This very gothic novel is done in two timelines. The first is around 1920 with Anna and Robert Barnes, who are looking to join the up and coming Miami area. Robert builds Marbrisa, an enormous showy house, as a gift to Anna; Anna is not so thrilled. The second timeline is in the late 1930's with 19-year-old Carmen coming to Marbrisa to live with her sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher. Because of several accidents that happened during construction some of the locals believe the house is haunted. Anna seems very nice but very remote; the reader doesn't really get to know her. This is a book for pure pleasure reading.

I enjoyed this murder mystery with dual timelines, one in the 20s and one in the 40s. The story is very atmospheric, and I felt transported to Marbrisa with its macabre ambiance, rooftop gargoyles, ostentatious interior, and secret passages. Deaths occur and there are rumors of its being haunted. The story held my interest throughout; I did not know whose story to believe when the police were investigating the murders. I highly recommend this book.
Robert Barnes built Marbrisa, a glamorous estate for his wife, Anna’s 40th birthday. It is in Biscayne Bay, a remote area south of Miami. Anna loves the gardens, but to her, the house feels like a museum, filled with art and ornate furniture from Europe. Marbrisa is Robert’s legacy since they have no children, and he desires the envy and respect of others. They host a housewarming party, and a woman falls into the bay and drowns. Was it an accident or murder? Later, Anna is killed.
Asher Wyatt bought Marbrisa cheaply since it was in poor condition after being vacant for 10 years. He renovated it to its former glory. In 1941 Asher and his wife Carolina had lived there 6 years. Carolina’s younger sister, Carmen Acosta age 18, comes from Cuba to live with them after their parents were killed in an accident. Their father appointed Asher to handle Carmen’s inheritance and to be her guardian until she turns 21 or marries. The sisters were never close, partly due to their 13-year age difference. Carmen’s second night there, she hears her sister scream, and she races outside to find Asher carrying Carolina’s body from the garden’s maze. Carmen is determined to find out who is responsible – Asher, the gardener, the architect, her lover, or a member of the staff?

This is a book about a house. It’s a house that becomes the obsession and eventual demise of two men, one at the end of WWI and another at the start of WWII. It’s the scene of two, or is it three, murders involving the wives of these two men. It’s a house despised not only by these two wives but also the locals who believe it’s cursed and haunted. It’s a good, not great, murder mystery with an interesting twist at the end that makes it worth reading

I have read several of Chanel Cleeton's books and just loved her last one, "The Cuban Heiress". So, I was very much looking forward to her new book set in Miami. The author is a wonderful storyteller and she writes a very atmospheric story with this one. But, I must say the two connecting storylines didn't draw me in as I had hoped and I didn't care for the characters as much. It certainly was well told, but just not my favorite of hers.

The book is easily readable, but not really my genre. I classify this as a cozy mystery, meaning there is no real danger, but some unexplained suspicious deaths. Yes, it is a murder mystery, but with little suspense. The setting is high end real estate in southern Florida. The story spans over two decades and the involves fortunes of two separate families. The detail about the physical estate is tantalizing, but not thoroughly developed. The female characters are the focus of the story, actually both stories, but they evoke little empathy. The stories converge around events at the estate, and developments in the plot reflect problems with money and romance. The book does not rely on analytical investigation really, but a few innocent questions that solve the murders.

The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton alternates between Anna in 1918 and Carmen in 1941 while they live in Marbrisa, the mansion on Biscayne Bay, Florida. Similar to a gothic novel, there is mystery, terror, and dark deeds, but set in a "haunted" mansion instead of a castle. Anna's husband, Robert, is accused of murdering both his wife and his lover and twenty-three years later, Asher, Carmen's brother-in-law, is accused of murdering his wife. All the murders occurred at Marbrisa with a mysterious gold snake necklace as the only cue linking them. I enjoyed this easy read book and was engaged in solving with mysteries with Anna, Carolina (Carmen's sister), and Carmen. The descriptions of building and then remodeling Marbrisa were as interesting as the mystery.