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Colleen Coble
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Butterfly Palace Kindle Edition

by Colleen Coble (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,118 ratings
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Elegance and wealth. Privilege and politics. The extravagance of the Butterfly Palace
overwhelmed Lily’s senses and nearly smothered her painful memories. She pushed
away her misgivings . . . She was perfectly safe in this huge house.

Austin, Texas—1904: Abandoned by the love of her life and still mourning the loss of
her mother, Lily Donaldson has turned her back on the pain and come to Austin
for a fresh start, working for the Marshall family as a kitchen maid in their
luxurious mansion, the Butterfly Palace. The tasks before her are legion, and her
mistress less than pleasant, but at least Lily’s new life will be, if nothing
else, distracting. 

But one night, while serving at a dinner party, Lily recognizes the man who abandoned
her, Andy, her liaison from the livery stable, the blacksmith’s son . . .
sitting among the distinguished guests. Though he recognizes her, Andy does not
acknowledge her aloud, and Lily is left reeling, flabbergasted, and
irate. 



But before she can get an explanation, the path of the Servant Girl Killer swerves
very close to the Butterfly Palace, sowing terror among the maids. Having come
to Austin to start anew, Lily suddenly feels trapped in a spider web. How can
she know who to trust in a house where lies come dressed in fine suits and
deceit in silk gowns the colors of butterfly wings?

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  1. Book 1 of 1
    Love Across the Sea
  2. Print length
    332 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Thomas Nelson
  5. Publication date
    January 28, 2014
  6. File size
    1.7 MB
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From the Publisher

Other Historical Fiction from Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble may be best known for her romantic suspense, but her historical fiction-often with a hint of mystery-is equally transporting. If you love historical fiction or Colleen Coble, you'll love these titles.

Freedom's Light
Butterfly Palace
Bluebonnet Bride
Blue Moon Promise
Safe in His Arms
Buying Options
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Customer Reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars 867
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,118
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,118
4.5 out of 5 stars 925
4.5 out of 5 stars 658
Price $12.39 $12.79 $12.79 $12.99 $12.99

Editorial Reviews

Review

Written with passion and love, at first Butterfly Palace seems like all of the other stories in this genre but, with the addition of several murders, goes in a different direction. Readers will come to care about the characters and their plight very much. Two different storylines leave readers wondering how they are connected throughout the tale. Romantic Times

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Colleen Coble has written several bestselling romantic suspense novels, including Tidewater Inn, Rosemary Cottage, and the Mercy Falls, Lonestar, and Rock Harbor series.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00DNBE91Y
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Nelson (January 28, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 28, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Up to 5 simultaneous devices, per publisher limits
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 332 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,118 ratings

About the author

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Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble

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Best-selling author Colleen Coble's novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers' Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has over 5 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana. Visit her website at http://colleencoble.com.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,118 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the plot interesting and engaging. They appreciate the well-developed characters and faith themes. The book holds their attention and keeps them hooked until the end. Readers describe the story as heartbreaking, bittersweet, and emotional. Opinions differ on the writing quality - some find it easy to read and remember, while others feel the writing is mediocre or rough. There are also mixed opinions on the pacing - some find it nice and fast, while others say it's slow.

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SuspensefulCharacter developmentFaithAttention retentionHeartbreakPaceWriting qualityMystery content
147 customers mention "Suspenseful"140 positive7 negative

Customers enjoy the book's intriguing plot and engaging storyline. They find it captivating with multiple mystery stories intertwined throughout. The premise and characters are well-loved by readers. Overall, they describe the book as an enjoyable read that keeps the pages turning.

"Colleen Coble's "Butterfly Palace" offers an intriguing foray into a blend of Christian romantic suspense, set against the opulent backdrop of 1800s..." Read more

"...Review: This was a thrilling read!! I loved the premise and all the characters. They were well written and enjoyable. Lily was a great hero...." Read more

"...The plot was interesting enough to keep me reading to the end, even though I was sick at the time, but I was disappointed that a couple of threads..." Read more

"...‘Butterfly Palace’ darts along the shadowy paths of an invigorating mystery whodunit, comprising of killers, assassination plots, and hidden passage-..." Read more

37 customers mention "Character development"31 positive6 negative

Customers enjoy the book's character development. They find the characters interesting, colorful, and wonderful. The plots keep readers engaged and hooked until the end.

"...Review: This was a thrilling read!! I loved the premise and all the characters. They were well written and enjoyable. Lily was a great hero...." Read more

"...There are many characters to keep track of in this book, and that makes for plenty of red herrings...." Read more

"...I enjoyed this story. It was an easy read and I loved the characters. A specific death in there made me sad, but overall the story was a good one...." Read more

"...Set in 1904, in two Texas cities, Larsen and Austin, the characters are drawn from real life and provided a glimpse into the beginnings of the..." Read more

27 customers mention "Faith"25 positive2 negative

Customers appreciate the author's faith-based writing style. They find the integration of faith elements graceful and enjoy the Christian lessons in the stories. The author weaves God into the books with suspense and wisdom, making them heartwarming and thought-provoking.

"...reflects the novel's underlying message about the transformative power of life's challenges...." Read more

"...written when Hunt was still alive, and it made me pause and think briefly about life before I moved on to the book...." Read more

"...Law Enforcement was involved so that good won over evil. Prayer was mentioned and practiced, but it felt more like an add-on, not a spiritual..." Read more

"...The beginning was an excellent emotional action scene that showcased the two main characters, a couple, Lily and Drew who are engaged when the story..." Read more

16 customers mention "Attention retention"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging. They say it keeps their attention with unexpected twists and is captivating from beginning to end.

"...They are intriguing, captivating, wholesome, and worth reading and rereading...." Read more

"...The book definitely kept my interest, and there were a few unexpected twists to the story line...." Read more

"Quick paced and held my attention quite well. Great for home bound weekend read...." Read more

"Grabs your attention from the start. Filled with interesting characters and twists and turns that help to heighten the political intrigue and misses." Read more

9 customers mention "Heartbreak"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and heartbreaking. They describe it as an elegant, bittersweet story of love that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The book is well-written and sad when the victims are killed. It's full of suspense and life-changing moments.

"...I loved that the secret passage in the house. It was sad when victims were killed and well written...." Read more

"...reunited after years of separation, and how their love has sustained the test of time yet matured in so many ways...." Read more

"Lovely story of love, heartbreak, and discovery that lead to an even greater love and bond. Courage and perseverance is key" Read more

"This book will tear at your heart as well as keep you on the edge of you seat. Lots of twists an turns..Michele" Read more

15 customers mention "Pace"7 positive8 negative

Customers have different views on the book's pace. Some find it nice and fast-paced, with no slow or unnecessary parts. Others felt it started out slowly and took longer to read, with an odd introduction that made it difficult to follow at times.

"...the plot lines were intermingled well and the narrative did not have any slow or unnecessary parts. As I said such promise...." Read more

"This book was fast moving and had many significant happenings.So many characters that it was hard to keep them all straight in my mind...." Read more

"...I was not disappointed. Her books always have a good pace with just enough description to provide details but not so much that it bogs down the..." Read more

"...It didn't have quite the mystery and it took me longer to read it. She's still my favorite novelist and I will continue reading her books." Read more

13 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive8 negative

Customers have different views on the writing quality. Some find it easy to read with good pace and enough description to provide details without bogging down. They appreciate the period detail and language without foul language or explicit sexual content. However, others feel the writing is mediocre, clunky, and simplistic, with trite dialogue.

"...The other problems included a bit of clunky language, the disconcerting inclusion of God and faith near the end but not in the rest in the story,..." Read more

"...I enjoyed this story. It was an easy read and I loved the characters. A specific death in there made me sad, but overall the story was a good one...." Read more

"...classes were crossed, which I felt wasn’t realistic, and the dialogue was disjointed or in some cases didn’t make sense...." Read more

"...The writing was poor, at one point I actually reread a sentence three times trying to figure out if I had found a clue or a mistake...." Read more

9 customers mention "Mystery content"6 positive3 negative

Customers have different views on the mystery content. Some find it engaging and suspenseful, keeping them guessing until the end. Others feel the story lacks cohesion and is predictable.

"...Butterfly Mansion is a meaty read of twists and turns, suspicion and murder...." Read more

"...The book lacked something. It seemed disjointed and difficult to follow at times. The main characters lacked chemistry...." Read more

"...This vintage mystery has a nice pace and leaves many questions unanswered until the story comes to a fitting conclusion." Read more

"...This book was a surprising mystery and I'm glad I read it" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Ellie Mae Kay
    5.0 out of 5 stars exciting, page-turning read
    Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Colleen Coble's "Butterfly Palace" offers an intriguing foray into a blend of Christian romantic suspense, set against the opulent backdrop of 1800s Austin, TX. The other novels I've read by this author have all been contemporary, so this one surprised me. I do agree with other reviewers who mention the cover doesn't fit the book. It gives the impression of a romance rather than a suspense novel, which may have been the reason it took me so long to get around to reading it after I purchased it. Had I known what to expect, I'd have read it sooner.

    The novel masterfully intertwines elements of mystery and romance, all while maintaining a subtly creepy undertone that enriches the narrative.

    The story unfolds in a manner that aligns with the classic structure of a suspense novel, delivering a conclusion that follows some classic tells, but I'll exclude any spoilers here. The narrative cleverly navigates through a web of characters, each holding potential keys to the unfolding mystery, while also leaving the reader yearning for a more thorough resolution to certain plot lines when they reach the end.

    Coble's storytelling is immersive, drawing the reader into the characters' lives. A real page-turner with a well-paced mix of intrigue and historical richness. The integration of faith elements is gracefully done. While I don't mind more spiritual content, the balance in this book gets the point across with seeming preachy.

    The inclusion of the author's personal letter to the reader adds a nice touch, offering insights into the inspiration and themes woven throughout the story.

    A particular quote from the book profoundly encapsulates the nuanced portrayal of faith and resilience: "Though she wouldn’t say she would ever pray for adversity, she could see how God had used it in her life." This line beautifully reflects the novel's underlying message about the transformative power of life's challenges.

    In essence, "Butterfly Palace" is a compelling read for anyone drawn to a story that will transport them to another time and place where danger lurks around every corner (or in every wall).
    One person found this helpful
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  • Coramdeo540
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling Mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Butterfly Palace
    Colleen Coble

    Book Summary:Elegance and wealth. Privilege and politics. The extravagance of the Butterfly Palace overwhelmed Lily’s senses and nearly smothered her painful memories. She pushed away her misgivings . . . She was perfectly safe in this huge house. Austin, Texas—1904: Abandoned by the love of her life and still mourning the loss of her mother, Lily Donaldson has turned her back on the pain and come to Austin for a fresh start, working for the Marshall family as a kitchen maid in their luxurious mansion, the Butterfly Palace. The tasks before her are legion, and her mistress less than pleasant, but at least Lily’s new life will be, if nothing else, distracting. But one night, while serving at a dinner party, Lily recognizes the man who abandoned her, Andy, her liaison from the livery stable, the blacksmith’s son . . . sitting among the distinguished guests. Though he recognizes her, Andy does not acknowledge her aloud, and Lily is left reeling, flabbergasted, and irate. But before she can get an explanation, the path of the Servant Girl Killer swerves very close to the Butterfly Palace, sowing terror among the maids. Having come to Austin to start anew, Lily suddenly feels trapped in a spider web. How can she know who to trust in a house where lies come dressed in fine suits and deceit in silk gowns the colors of butterfly wings?

    Review: This was a thrilling read!! I loved the premise and all the characters. They were well written and enjoyable. Lily was a great hero. She cared about everyone. Belle who had started off with a heart but arrogance due to her class turned into a great woman. Drew exciting and dashing. I loved that the secret passage in the house. It was sad when victims were killed and well written. It was the last 20 pages when the events intensified that I slowed down. So much was happening so fast in 20 pages it made it difficult to keep going. I just loved the entire story. The position of Lily as a maid was the gem in this story. Someone with so little power, yet she was able to be helpful and a sleuth.
    I would like to thank Net Galley and Thomas Nelson -ficton for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Sally McC
    4.0 out of 5 stars Not Coble's Best But Still Enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    There’s a dedication before chapter one. Take a moment to read it. Colleen Coble wrote it to her friend, Diann Hunt, who sadly lost her battle with cancer at the end of last year. This dedication was evidently written when Hunt was still alive, and it made me pause and think briefly about life before I moved on to the book.

    Butterfly Mansion is a meaty read of twists and turns, suspicion and murder. Lily hadn’t seen her former fiancé since the night their fathers were killed in a fire. She was stunned to see him hobnobbing with Austin’s elite, and the explanation he gave her was almost unbelievable. Had their fathers been murdered because of a counterfeiting operation? Was it possible her new employer was involved? What was the connection between a prized butterfly collection and a spate of murders in the city?

    I find something about butterfly collecting vaguely disquieting, and so I read the sections about the hobby quickly. Thankfully, there aren’t many where the dead insects were described in all their morbid glory. There are many characters to keep track of in this book, and that makes for plenty of red herrings. Any one of them could’ve been the main villain and I only began to narrow the possibilities near the end. To be honest, I felt some scenes could’ve been cut without causing problems in term of plot progression and perhaps some of the characters also. The plot was interesting enough to keep me reading to the end, even though I was sick at the time, but I was disappointed that a couple of threads were left undone.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Neil Mackenzie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thriller!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 14, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Loved this book! Stayed up all night to finish it.
    Report
  • Catherine Johnson
    5.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed this book.
    Reviewed in Canada on July 25, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Colleen Coble is one of my favorite authors.
    Report

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