Wednesday Review: The Star Family

Title: The Star Family
Author: Theresa Crater
Genre: Metaphysical/Mystery
Publisher: Crystal Star Publishing
Publication date: October 2013
Point of sale: Amazon and Barnes and Noble
Price: $4.99 Kindle, $16.19 Paperback
Reviewer: Cybelle Greenlaw

Description:  A secret spiritual group. A recurring dream. A 400-year-old ritual that must be completed before it is too late. 
Jane Frey inherits a Gothic mansion filled with unexpected treasures. A prophecy claims it hides an important artifact – the key to an energy grid laid down by the Founding Fathers themselves. Whoever controls this grid controls the very centers of world power. Except Jane has no idea what they’re looking for.


Good evening, Everyone! This week I had the pleasure of reading a wonderful paranormal mystery by Theresa Crater. Jane Frey has just lost her job with a powerful corporation and realizes that, at her age, her career prospects are limited. The same morning, she receives a call informing her that her former music teacher, Miss Essig, is dying, and that she has been chosen as heir. Although she has not been in touch with her teacher for decades, Jane decides to return to her hometown and visit the dying woman. As she makes the journey home, memories of her childhood and Moravian culture come flooding back to her. Jane makes a promise to the dying woman to take care of her house without realizing the enormous responsibilities the task will require. Jane soon finds that she has much to learn about her family's past, the secrets of the mansion, and the rich culture of the Moravian church.

This novel is extremely well researched and provides a fascinating introduction to the history of the Moravian communities in Europe and the U.S. Jane's quest to understand and solve the mysteries of her new situation leads her on a spiritual journey through Europe. Along the way, the reader learns of Moravian connections to famous historical figures, including the great artist and poet, William Blake. It's a captivating, well-paced story of international power brokers with occult interests, who are trying to shift the direction of the future. Along the way, Jane suffers the loss of a friend and rejoices in the renewal of an old relationship.

Comparisons could be made with Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code, but I actually found this to be a much better read. The characters are realistic and engaging, and the writing style is elegant. Nothing is oversimplified for the reader (one major complaint I had with the DaVinci Code), but the plot is still easy to follow. I think this book would appeal to a wide audience. It's very hard to put down, and I'll definitely look for more novels by this author!