Echoes of Titanic

Written by John Campbell Clark Mindy Starnes Clark
Review by Tamela McCann

Kelsey Tate is a rising star in the family business built by her great-grandmother Adele, a survivor of the Titanic. But just when everything should be going well, her meeting is interrupted by a distant cousin shouting accusations that Adele wasn’t who she said she was and the company’s ownership is false. At the same time, Kelsey’s trusted advisor commits suicide and a hostile takeover is launched; Kelsey and the company are thrown. Could the accusations be true? And who is trying to sabotage all her family’s hard work? Added into Kelsey’s problems are the ill health of her beloved father and the reappearance of her old love Cole into her life. Things go from bad to worse quickly.

Every few chapters the action moves from the present day to the ill-fated voyage of the Titanic and Adele’s initial trip to America. Adele is meeting the father she’s not known and is hopeful she will find a place in his company; her cousin Jocelyn is trying to decide if she will stay in America with Adele or return to Ireland. Both women interact with a rather sleazy business partner of Adele’s father, and their mutual devotion suffers at the critical moment of the sinking.

This is a good story but not one that held me riveted. The mystery is interesting and most of the characters’ actions are believable, but Kelsey didn’t inspire any excitement or loyalty in me. The inspirational theme is weak and forced, and the climax is resolved way too easily. It’s not a poorly written story, but the word that comes to mind most is adequate. Satisfying yet lacking any deep substance.