'Enemies of Doves' is one of the best debut mystery/suspense that I have read. You can feel the power coming off of it. Told between two timelines, the plot so perfectly intertwines itself that the twists and turns just flow with it. This is an emotional story that will take your breath away. The story of two brothers and the girl they loved as told by the possible grandson of one of the brothers many years later. I was glued right from the start. The story is so well-developed that the author just naturally engages you with the characters. Joel and Clancy grab you from the start. You can't put the book down because, like Garrison and Molly, you have to know what happened. This is a book so well-written that I hope there will be more from this author. I will be eagerly awaiting more. I am a new fan of hers. If you love suspense and mystery, you should read this one. ( )

In Enemies Of Doves, author Shanessa Gluhm's debut historical mystery novel, the reader follows a riveting tale of family secrets, jealousy, mystery, and deception.

This complex and multi-layered tale is told in alternating timelines between the World War II years of 1932-1946, and the years of 1991-1992. The story begins in 1932 Carthage, Texas, where the reader is introduced to twelve year old Joel Fitchett and his ten year old brother Clancy. A horrific incident has occurred that left Joel with a scar on his face, and the brothers claiming that they don't know what happened. Fast-forward to 1941, the brothers are adults and living in Longview, Texas. They have kept their long-held pact to hide the truth, but they struggle and can't escape the past, as another traumatic incident occurs in 1946 that continues to spin the tangled web of deception, as they make a second pact to hide the truth, and a difficult decision is made that will ultimately change the course of the brothers' lives forever.

In 1991, college student Garrison Stark travels from Ohio to Texas after hearing a rumor that a man named Clancy Fitchett may be his biological grandfather. Clancy and his wife Lorraine disappeared from Longview, Texas in 1946, and Garrison is determined to find the truth and hopefully gain a family. Garrison has no idea that his search will lead him on an emotional odyssey, as he uncovers a tangled web of secrets that spans over sixty years.

Enemies Of Doves is a riveting historical mystery story that easily draws the reader in from the start. The author provides the reader with a fascinating and richly detailed tale that has enough drama, secrets, deception, tension, heartbreak, and surprising twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing until the surprising conculsion. You can't help but get caught up in this multi-layered story, as the alternating timelines slowly reveals Joel and Clancy's past, and just when you think you know the outcome, the author teases the reader with subtle clues cleverly interwoven within the twists and turns, culminating in a surprising ending that will simply leave the reader stunned. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the surprise in learning what the title of the book meant to the brothers, I was intrigued by this conundrum, and when the meaning was finally revealed, I was left with my mouth hanging open, it doesn't get any better than that!

Enemies Of Doves is a well-written, and fast paced debut novel that left me completely satisfied. Diehard historical mystery fans won't be able to put the book down.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2020/06/enemies-of-doves-by-shanessa-... ( )

When you start reading Enemies of Doves, you will want more. A story of two brothers, Joel and Clancy Fitchett. Their father is a dentist and a tough man, abusive to the boys with words and actions.

This book tackles topics such as abuse, PTSD, and addiction. Told in two storylines, in the early '40s tells the story of Joel, Clancy, and Lorraine, the girlfriend of Clancy. The other storyline is of Garrison Stark, who thinks that Clancy is his grandfather. Garrison travels to Texas on a rumor of his grandfather possibly being there.

Alternating stories from WWII to 1992, tells a historical account of one brother in jail and the other brother missing since 1946 and their love of one woman. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters and the ending I did not see coming. The author did a remarkable job with the two storylines.

I think that if you like a mystery story that follows alternate timelines, then I think that this book is for you. I enjoyed it immensely and I do recommend this book. ( )