Castles in the Fog

Alladale Series

Young Adult - Social Issues
295 Pages
Reviewed on 12/30/2021
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Author Biography

Linda Heavner Gerald has received much acclaim for her books. She has been writing for over seven years and has published twenty novels. Her work includes all genres. Linda writes each day with the goal of publishing books of substance. She draws from her medical background to alert readers of current medical problems as well as provide inspiration through her many travels. Linda hopes to transport her readers from the safety of their home to places they may never discover. Her most important goal is to demonstrate that God loves all of us. Even though her characters create problems for themselves, she wittingly shows how God can extract us from the mess we make. The Alladale sequel transpires in the real-life estate of a family friend, Paul Lister. Paul's goal of reintroducing the wolf into a controlled environment inside Scotland becomes the brothers Reid desire in this gripping tale.
The Gulf of Mexico delights her as she shares her world with her husband, Buddy, of twenty-six years, and their yellow cat, Jackson Brownie Gerald. Linda’s books are available all over the world.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

The second book in the Alladale Series by Linda Heavner Gerald, Castles in the Fog follows the story of Malcolm Dargie and his bride-to-be, Molly. After surviving the evil machinations of two men, Malcolm and Molly hope to finish what their late best friend, Thomas Reid, has started. Now that Thomas’s widow Caroline has sold the beloved lodge and moved back to Charleston, it’s up to Malcolm and Molly to make things happen. But what appears to be a blissful new start is afflicted with a new nightmare, as the couple discovers more about the scheming of the madmen that almost killed them. On top of that, Molly suffers from a severe psychiatric disorder. Malcolm loves Molly so much. He would give his life to save her and protect her from any more pain—pain from the two madmen and from the harassment of the villagers.

Castles in the Fog sustains the growing intensity of the Alladale Series. Linda Heavner Gerald has a powerful narrative that illustrates a world that has gone wrong. She has successfully made a brilliant attempt to place her characters into a plot with a serene setting yet seething with intolerable tension. As mental illness gnaws at Molly, every moment she spends with Malcolm is saturated with a sense of deteriorating hope, yet ever-loving Malcolm continues to act as if everything he and Molly are doing still has relevance. This is character resilience at its best. Heavner Gerald has created a powerful domestic drama depicting a couple with a defiant streak. If I were to recommend a story about melancholy and hope, Castles in the Fog would be my first choice.

Jennifer Ibiam

Castles in the Fog by Linda Heavner Gerald follows the life of Molly Morgan Dargies after the death of her friends Thom and Duncan. This tragic event happened in Alladale. Molly’s traumatized friend, Caroline, who lost her husband, couldn’t bear to live there. Caroline sold the house to Molly and her fiance, Malcolm, before relocating to Charleston in the United States. The Dargies got married, but Molly, a former supermodel, hid a nasty secret. She suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder while using seduction and sex as an escape. Malcolm discovered this secret after their wedding and must decide on his next steps. How will he handle this life test and daunting situation? Will his love for Molly fade or stand the test of time? Find out in this captivating novel.

How would you react after discovering that your significant other suffered from mental disorders, especially in marriage? Will you walk away, practice tough love, help, or leave them to their vices? Castles in the Fog by Linda Heavner Gerald was an emotional and educative story that created mental health awareness. This book explored true love, loyalty, compassion, wickedness, deception, and more. The story was unique and realistic, incorporating flawed yet consistent characters. Molly and Claret were intriguing, as each personality had a whole life independent of the other. They only shared the same body. Malcolm was a hero, and Molly was resilient. I loved the settings used in this novel, from Scotland to America, the Caribbean, and London. It was fun to move about and learn a little about these places. Thank you for a beautiful book, Linda.

K.C. Finn

Castles in the Fog is a work of fiction in the social issues, psychological thriller, and interpersonal drama subgenres. It was penned for the young adult audience by author Linda Heavner Gerald, but also contains some content concerning severe mental health issues that are best suited to the mature end of the YA scale. In the second novel of the Alladale Series, we find ourselves following young Molly, who is betrothed to Malcolm Dargie. As Malcolm struggles to take over and continue the project started by Caroline Reid, his new bride’s secret psychiatric disorder rears its head. Determined to stand by her, Malcolm faces one stress after another in the hope that he can help Molly and also investigate the strange circumstances around Caroline’s deceased husband, Thomas.

Author Linda Heavner Gerald certainly knows how to pack a novel full of content. Even without reading the first book in the series, there was plenty of intrigue here that was very well explained and became enjoyably complex to follow without ever being too overwhelming. In terms of the mental health theme, I thought that the author showed great knowledge, compassion, and insight when tackling Molly’s difficulties, and it was interesting to see how the reactions of lots of different people around her were approached. I felt this realism grounded the novel and its characters, which made the mystery and whodunnit elements of the plot even more believable. Overall, I would certainly recommend Castles in the Fog to both YA and adult readers alike looking for an exciting and original read.

Natalie Soine

Castles in the Fog is a suspenseful mystery drama and draws attention to people who are afflicted by some form of mental illness. Author Linda Heavner Gerald brilliantly created the characters of Molly Morgan and Malcolm Dargie, their friends Caroline Reid and Caroline's late husband Thomas. Jack Abernathy and his lover, Robert Reid, hoped to win Alladale Mansion in Scotland. Jack was the brother of John Abernathy, Duncan’s father. When Thom was killed by Jack, Thom’s friend Duncan took his own life and Malcolm killed both Robert and Jack. Caroline could no longer tolerate living at Alladale and sold it to Molly and Malcolm before moving to Charleston. After their wedding and honeymoon, Malcolm and Molly discover that Jack and Robert had been helped by a third person. Molly’s life literally depends on Malcolm as Inverness residents Mrs. Peterson and Mr. Wallace may have discovered that Molly hides a dark secret.

Linda Heavner Gerald is a fantastic author and has created many thrilling stories, each one transporting readers to a different world. The interesting variety of characters in Castles in the Fog all have their own personalities, some more than others as readers will discover. Malcolm, Natasha, Remi and Innes show us the importance of caring for others and working together. Molly helps us to understand the difficulties associated with mental illness. The scenes and locations are beautifully described including Alladale and the picturesque St. Barthélemy. Castles in the Fog is well written and edited, comfortable to read and highly recommended to all adults.