Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #21

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt!

• The hunt BEGINS on 10/23 at noon Mountain with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.

• Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).

• There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 10/26 at midnight Mountain)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.

• Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

Hi! I’m Joanna Politano and in between homeschooling and playing with kids, I sneak in time to write atmospheric historical novels with mystery and romance. My favorite stories contain old, forgotten manor homes, real-life history, generational family secrets and epic, authentic love stories that linger after the book closes.  You can learn more about me and what I write by peeking around my website here, or connect with me on Instagram. I’m thrilled to be launching my first ever series next year, but my latest available release is a standalone, The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House. Here’s what it’s about:

A clever young woman, a contested will, and an estate that does not easily give up its secrets.

It is 1901 when clockmaker and tinker Sydney Forrester receives a most unusual inheritance. Blakely House, the island estate of an estranged uncle she’s never met, seems almost alive, revealing and hiding its secrets at will. It is filled with remarkable inventions, including an intriguing unfinished automaton Sydney is itching to get her skilled hands on.

The estate is also home to a number of peculiar people–including two men intent on removing this interloper from the island. Convinced that Sydney has something to do with their uncle’s death, the late master’s nephews contest the will and work against their cousin at every turn.

Sydney finds a sometimes-ally in the estate’s butler, an ex-adventurer who ran aground on the island years ago. But when a mysterious man washes ashore with a stunning surprise that upsets everything, Sydney must prove she has inherited the late master’s brilliance as well as his property–or someone else will.

The Living Walls of Cragside: Secret doors and how they operate

If you were to find a secret passage at Cragside, the house that inspired my latest story, such a delight wouldn’t rely on mere hinges and hidden latches. Cragside pulsed with water and invention, and everything ran on impressive amounts of water pressure. Lord Armstrong’s beloved estate was a wonder of hydraulics: hydroelectric powered lifts, rotisseries, and servants’ machinery that made the house run more smoothly than any in Northumberland. That same invisible force might easily trigger a hidden door.

Imagine a carved panel concealing a brass lever connected to a small hydraulic ram—a cylinder that used the pressure of nearby water lines. A discreet pull would release the valve, sending a rush of water into the chamber. The ram would extend smoothly, lifting a bolt or sliding a counterweighted door along iron tracks built flush with the wainscoting. When released, the pressure eased, and gravity, Armstrong’s favorite tool, would draw it shut again.

Even the ventilation shafts could conceal narrow staircases, with water-powered lifts rising silently behind grates once meant for warm air. The beauty of it all lies in the endless supply of electricity—water paired with gravity.

If you’re interested, you can order this book on Amazon or at your local bookstore!

Link to Stop #22, the Next Stop on the Loop: T. Elizabeth Renich’s site!

Similar Posts

204 Comments

  1. Subscribed! Look forward to exploring your books! ???? The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House looks very enticing!

  2. I am pre-ordering the new book – it sounds so intriguing! Thank you for offering the giveaway as well; I’ve subscribed to your email newsletter and follow you on Goodreads and Instagram.

  3. Hey Joanna! I’m new to your stories and found you because of the scavenger hunt, but love Christian historical fiction. I’ve just followed you on social media so I can stay updated on your work!

  4. Hi, Joanna! I am also an homeschool mom and am already an email subscriber. Thank you! I cannot wait until “Blakely House” releases!
    Susan

  5. Hello Joanna! I am now an newsletter subscriber and follow you on both Goodreads & Instagram. Thank you for participating in the scavenger hunt and the extra giveaway!

  6. Hi Joanna, I’m already a subscriber to your newsletter and I follow you on Goodreads and Instagram! I also entered your giveaway in the newsletter! I already bought two books from Baker House recently and need to wait for my next payday to preorder your Blakely House book. It sounds amazing though!!

  7. I am a current email subscriber, follow on GoodReads, and Instagram. I’m excited for your upcoming release!

  8. This sounds delightful! I signed up for your emails and I already follow you on fb, instagram, and goodreads.

  9. I am an email subscriber and follow you on both Instagram and Goodreads. Thank you for being part of the scavenger hunt.

  10. Good morning Joanna ????
    Didn’t mean to put the question marks on my first comment. Lol!
    Sherry Brown

  11. I had already pre ordered your newest book which I am so excited to get. I just signed up for your email newsletter and will follow you on insta.

  12. Hi! I really enjoyed reading about the failed inventions. I hope the inventors went on to create something more successful.
    I already subscribe to your emails because I LOVE your books.
    Thank you for offering the extra giveaway.

  13. Hey Joanna! I am soo excited for your new book! I am currently subscribed to your newsletter, and I follow you on Goodreads.

  14. I just signed up for your newsletter. You are new to me and I look forward to trying your books!

  15. Hello! 🙂 I just subscribed to your e-newsletter and am following you on Goodreads! Your stories sound so interesting; can’t wait to read one of them! 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *