Book Review: Return to Tradd Street by Karen White

Readers return to historical Charleston in Return to Tradd Street by Karen White.

Having refused Jack's marriage proposal, Realtor Melanie Middleton is simply going through the motions of life while she ponders raising her child alone and copes with the never-ending renovations on her historical Tradd Street home.

When Melanie is awakened by the sound of a ghostly infant cry, she does what she does best--ignores it. That is, until the remains of a newborn are discovered hidden in the foundation of her home.

As the hauntings at Tradd Street become more violent, Melanie delves into the nature behind the baby's untimely death. When she finds her claim to ownership threatened, she wonders if she can seek Jack's help without risking her heart. But in revealing the secrets of the past, she also awakens the malevolent presence that has tried to keep the truth hidden for decades.

Though I love this series, I approached Return to Tradd Street with trepidation. Several online reviews didn't care for how Melanie was portrayed in this novel. They found her negativity and stubbornness annoying. I saw her character in a different light.

For reasons I won't reveal in case you haven't read previous books, she turned down Jack's proposal. Now, she finds herself forty, single, and pregnant. Considering what she endured in her early life, how could she not be highly anxious about everything that is going on? Plus, her mother, her best friend, the housekeeper, and even Jack's teenage daughter are determined to make sure she eats nothing but healthy food during her pregnancy. While Melanie should appreciate the sentiment, can you imagine having the food police following you around for 9 months? I would be sneaking donuts or something.

Then, there is, of course, the whole dead baby pulled out of her foundation. Melanie is feeling protective over her own baby growing inside, and the ghosts in her house are getting more dangerous by the day. Toss in a threat to her ownership of her historical home, and should we expect her to be more cheerful? Oh, did I mention, pregnancy is not being kind to her body?

For these reasons, and more, I enjoyed Return to Tradd Street. Even though I had mostly figured out the mystery behind the dead baby in the christening gown and how the threat to her ownership would end before I turned the last page, White continues to create engrossing stories filled with family, friends, and ghosts set in historical Charleston. In this book, perhaps more than any other in the series, she pushes Melanie to her limits.

I read in the reviews that some thought this was the end of the Tradd Street series. I don't recall what was going on back in 2014 when Return to Tradd Street came out, so I can't say...unless it had something to do with the epilogue.

Thankfully, the next two books are in my house. I have already started The Guests on South Battery. I hope we will see more adventures for Melanie, Jack, Sophie, Nora, and the rest of their crew.

Series: Tradd Street (Book 4)
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley (January 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451240596
ISBN-13: 978-0451240590

My family bought me a copy of this book as a Christmas gift. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.