In the Cradle Lies by Olivia Newport: Book Review

About the Book

Book:  In the Cradle Lies

Author: Olivia Newport

Genre: Christian Fiction

Release Date: November, 2019

Book 2 in the Tree of Life Series: A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Faith Journeys on Family Trees

On a solo ski vacation in Canyon Mines, Colorado, Tucker has a love-hate relationship with his wealth, spending indiscriminately while skiing fearlessly and preparing to conquer the overgrown slope of Hidden Run, a dangerous run not attempted in decades. As genealogist Jillian tries to uncover enough of Tucker’s family tree to understand his charming nature but reckless resolve, Jillian’s equally charming father, Nolan, cajoles Tucker into giving him ski lessons to get him talking about the suspicious circumstances surrounding his grandfather’s life in St. Louis in the 1930s.

On the surface, Tucker’s family’s history seems too perfect. The secret may lie in the sealed envelope Tucker carries with him at all times—even on the ski slope. When no one can find Tucker to tell him the fiancée he never mentioned turned up in Canyon Mines, they realize he must be off attempting to ski Hidden Run alone in a snowstorm. And they may be too late.

In the Cradle Lies is the second book in the Tree of Life series by Olivia Newport. You’ll want to return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys.

Click here to get your copy!

Book Review:

If these characters were real, I could sit and talk with them all day.

I love, love, love, the conversations in this book. Olivia Newport has created a dialogue-rich story in a magnificent setting that left me wanting nothing more than to curl up with a warm blanket, a cup of coffee, and In the Cradle Lies.

While I’m more often a romance reader, I don’t mind stepping away from romance when I’m given such a developed and in-depth story like Tucker’s. The split timeline is easy to follow and adds to the mystery of Tucker’s behavior while giving an interesting look into the past history of infant abduction.

Jillian and Nolan crack me up. Their father/daughter relationship is solid and their faith is strong. Nolan’s ability to find the heart of the problem and mediate a desirable outcome made his own estrangement from his brother hit with more grit and clarity while making me wonder if perhaps that fallout is what led to Nolan becoming a mediator in the first place.

If you enjoy Christian Fiction with believable characters and heart-to-heart dialogue, it doesn’t get much better than this series.

I requested a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author

Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twenty something children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of Pikes Peak.

More from Olivia

True confession. I live in Colorado and don’t ski.

In the Cradle Lies includes several references to “How can you live in the Colorado mountains and not ski?” Jillian, a main character in the Tree of Life series, has lived in the mountain town of Canyon Mines since she was two, and by the time she was eight she knew she didn’t want to ski.

I grew up in Illinois, and while my high school had a ski club and somehow found places to ski (I’m not sure where; um, not exactly mountain territory), I was sure I would break something. Arriving in Colorado in my forties did not persuade me to take up skiing at that age. I live at the base of Pikes Peak, not in the mountains like Jillian. I do love the views!

But one of the fun things about being a writer is learning a lot about things you know little about. Enter Google and YouTube. And more YouTube. And … you get the drift.

Some quick facts about Colorado skiing to help get you in the mood for In the Cradle Lies:

• Colorado typically leads the country in “skier days”—days of skiing purchased in ski areas.
• Actually, most people in the state don’t ski. By a large margin. Like 90 percent. (So I feel better and so does Jillian.)
• People visiting the state to ski or snowboard are important to our economy. (So thank you!)
• Colorado has hosted about 175 ski areas since it became a state in 1876. Today, we have only about 30 operating resorts—so there are lots of dormant, lost, and hidden runs like the one in my story.

I hope you’ll check out In the Cradle Lies—and find out why Tucker came from St. Louis to Canyon Mines to ski an abandoned run that put his life at risk.