Elisabet’s Will by Sandra Sperling

Elisabet’s Will by Sandra Sperling.

The few relatives who are still friendly to Lisbet spend the summer at her northern Minnesota home. Determined to discover the reason why the rest of the family has shunned her since she was a child, she confronts Evelyn, her estranged uncle’s wife. This action exposes her and her loved ones to danger and thrusts Greta, her beloved 5-year-old granddaughter, into deadly peril.

Review by MK Alexander: 5.0 out of 5 Stars. Slow burn to a fantastic finale!

Somewhere near Hibbing, Minnesota, what remains of a large and proud family sees its final demise. We are thrust into the rural life of these descendants of Finns, three generations at least, and we come to know their daily, sometimes rather humdrum lives. There is much more beneath the surface though: good people on one side of the family, and on the other, lurks the banality of evil.

The story centers around the book’s namesake Elisabet, and her courageous granddaughter Greta. At five years old, she is wise beyond age. Around them swirl the rest of the family in close proximity, namely at nearby farms and houses out in the middle of nowhere.

The story begins as a desolate Minnesota winter gives way a tenuous spring, and a brief but significant summer as we are treated to the minute details of the many characters’ lives. Author Sandra Sperling’s simple prose make this a pleasure to read; small details accrue, clues to the larger mystery gain momentum and lead to a devastating climax. Recommended.

5 Stars: Family drama entwined with mystery and suspense.

This extraordinary family drama plays out in rural Northern Minnesota. In this case, there is nothing more destructive, than a ‘Will’ left behind by a prosperous family member. Family secrets leave Lisbet to only imagine why most of the family shuns her. Author Sandra Sperling masterfully pulls back the curtain allowing us into the daily lives and attitudes, of this seemingly normal American family.

I especially enjoyed the rural setting with large acreages, houses, farms, barns, secret places, hidden spaces, and three mysteries to unravel. This story centers around Lisbet (namesake for her grandmother Elisabet). Ignored by most of the family, Lisbet has an amazing relationship with her five-year-old granddaughter Greta. As a loving, protective grandmother, the local new is most disturbing. Let me bring you into the first of three mysteries to unravel.

…That evening Lisbet stared into the refrigerator, trying to figure out what to put together for a light supper when Roger hailed her from the living room, where he was watching the six-o’clock news.

…The newscaster said, “Kenzie is four years old, with short, ginger-colored hair and blue eyes. She is wearing blue jeans and a pink windbreaker.”

…Roger shook his head. “She vanished from the greenhouse about three this afternoon. She’s what? The fourth or fifth kid who’s been snatched.”

… “Mom and I were there right before it happened. Good Lord! I do wish they’d catch that bastard.” She shivered, feeling ill at the thought of what the girl’s parents must be going through. The phone rang, and she answered it in the kitchen, certain it was her mother, upset by the abduction.

…It was, and they discussed the crime at some length. Doris said, in conclusion, “I don’t remember any local kids being kidnapped until recently. And no cougars or timberwolves were roaming around here when I was growing up. This whole area is going to hell.” “So, it seems.” Lisbet hung up, saddened that the region was no longer the safe wilderness paradise it had once been.

It is Lisbet’s quest to uncover family secrets, that leads her, Greta, and other family members into dangerous territory. This family saga will keep you turning the page, reflecting on your family tree, and childhood experiences will lead you to an unpredictable conclusion.

Author Sandra Sperling brings her life experiences and creativity from Nevada, Minnesota, to Kentucky where she enjoys taking nature walks, refinishing old furniture, and reading. Sandra writes contemporary family fiction giving us ‘Elisabet’s Will’, contemporary women’s fiction with ‘The Beginner’s Guide to Spouse Removal, a thriller suspense novel with ‘Snowmelt: Dealing With Betrayal’ and humor (satire) with ‘A Few Trivial Felonies’. I look forward to reading more novels from Sandra Sperling in the future.

Editorial Review (Book Marketing Global Network).

Review by Susan S.- VINE VOICE: 5.0 out of 5 Stars. A Great Read!!! Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2022. Verified Purchase. I’m not quite ready to cast aside the world Sperling created in ‘Elisabet’s Will,’ as her characters almost immediately popped off the page and became actual people. Some of them, I’ve felt like I’ve known or would like to know, a couple others – not so much. This is a carefully crafted work, both in terms of characters and plot. After first reading the list of characters, I worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep them straight, but Sperling does a masterful job at helping the reader along, and soon I was able to allay my fear. With stunning realism, we enter the daily routines of two sides of a fractured family in rural Minnesota. We smell their much believed coffee, see their refurbished couches, barns, and enter their steamy saunas. More than one mystery ensues.

My favorite characters are Lisbet, a young grandmother, and Greta – her five year-old grand- daughter. They make quite a team. Conversation between the two is full of warmth and wit. Greta prefers her grandma’s company more than anyone else’s. While Lisbet encourages Greta’s love of fairies—and hence her imagination—she also cautions the child about cougars loose in the area, as well as a kidnapper.

Throughout the book, we wonder, along with Lisbet, why she continues to be shunned by part of her family. Why is Dennis so despicable? What had happened to cause such a rift in the family? Does the title—Elisabet’s Will—refer to Lisbet’s grandmother’s will, or rather, the strength of will (sisu) shown by so many of these mostly good and decent people?

This is a novel of family relationships – of deep love and wide divisions. Humor offsets extreme difficulties. The ending is extremely satisfying, as justice is served. Also, the future for Lisbet is a hopeful one. I’m looking forward to reading other novels by this talented author!

Review by MK Alexander: 5.0 out of 5 Stars. Slow burn to a fantastic finale. Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2022. Verified Purchase. Somewhere near Hibbing, Minnesota, what remains of a large and proud family sees its final demise. We are thrust into the rural life of these descendants of Finns, three generations at least, and we come to know their daily, sometimes rather humdrum lives. There is much more beneath the surface though: good people on one side of the family, and on the other, lurks the banality of evil.

The story centers around the book’s namesake Elisabet, and her courageous granddaughter Greta. At five years old, she is wise beyond age. Around them swirl the rest of the family in close proximity, namely at nearby farms and houses out in the middle of nowhere.

The story begins as a desolate Minnesota winter gives way a tenuous spring, and a brief but significant summer as we are treated to the minute details of the many characters’ lives. Author Sandra Sperling’s simple prose make this a pleasure to read; small details accrue, clues to the larger mystery gain momentum and lead to a devastating climax.

Review by Mark Schultz: 5.0 out of 5 Stars. An amazing story! Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2022. Verified Purchase. Oh, mylanta! This is an amazing story about several generations of one family in Minnesota. The story started slow for me. But I am so glad I kept reading. The author weaves a startling and clear tapestry about the depths of depravity some people in a family can sink to while other members of the same family remain normal. There are a lot of people in this family and many of them play an important part and all wonder what happened to the will of the matriarch, Elisabet.

This story has wonderful texture! The author has woven so many details about their daily lives and activities into the story that I feel like I know them all very closely. The intimacy is extraordinary and wonderfully portrayed.

I love this story about family life and you will too. “Elisabet’s Will” gets 5 stars from me!

Review by R Reader: 5.0 out of 5 Stars. Great read! Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2022. Verified Purchase. Sandra Sperling’s 3rd book really knocked it out of the park. Elisbabet’s Will is a hold your breath family sage . Some of the characters will remind you of your own family and glad some of them don’t . It will leave you wondering if you have an old witch in your family tree. or even worse . Sperling’s book is a wonderful adventure . Great read!

Review by Mary Kay: 5.0 out of 5 Stars. Fun to read of Minnesota since I’m originally from there. Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2022. I was gifted via a friend Ms. Sperling’s new novel. She has done it again. Sandra Sperling’s “Elisabet’s Will” is such an interesting read and since I’m originally from Minnesota and know the areas she writes about it’s extra fun.

As with her other novels there are so many little bits of knowledge from ideas about food to healing teas to crystals. The lovely relationship is such a special one between Grandma Lisbet and Greta. It touches your heart. I like Sperling’s novels because she writes of intelligent, strong women who no matter what they have lived through or are presently going though they triumph because of their strength.

There’s several lives involved in this novel, and they all intertwine coming to a surprise ending. This is another reason why I like Ms. Sperling’s novels. They are full of twists and turns but all tie together in the end.

Product Details:
Paperback: ‎395 Pages
Publisher: ‎Independently Published (January 28, 2022)
Language: ‎English
Fiction (Contemporary Family Saga)
Fiction (Contemporary Family Suspense)
Fiction: (Family Life)

Amazon Hard-Cover Print:
https://www.amazon.com/Elisabets-Will-Sandra-Marion-Sperling/dp/B09PLKDSWN/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645813983&sr=8-1

Amazon Soft-Cover Print:
https://www.amazon.com/Elisabets-Will-Sandra-Marion-Sperling/dp/B09RFVGN6T/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645813983&sr=8-1

Kindle:
https://www.amazon.com/Elisabets-Will-Sandra-Sperling-ebook/dp/B09MDR6527/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645813983&sr=8-1

Customer Ratings:
https://www.amazon.com/Elisabets-Will-Sandra-Marion-Sperling/dp/B09RFVGN6T/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645813983&sr=8-1#customerReviews

About The Author: Sandra Sperling was born in Nevada and began her creative life in Minnesota, where, as a child, she wrote a play and a short story.

Eventually, she attempted a horror novel, but it didn’t horrify. Her mother, while reading the manuscript, began to laugh helplessly and leaned against a door for support, sliding to the floor like a piece of cooked spaghetti.

Deciding she was a failure as a writer, Sandy switched to painting dry-brush watercolors. The pull to write, however, was too strong to resist, so while still in Minnesota, she again began to write, publishing some short stories and advancing to novels.

She currently lives in Kentucky with her husband, she enjoys taking nature walks, refinishing old furniture and reading.

Amazon Author’s Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Sperling/e/B09L6GMXRP/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Twitter: Sandy Sperling3

Author’s Page At Book Marketing Global Network:
https://bookmarketingglobalnetwork.com/book-marketing-global-network/sandra-sperlings-books/

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