The Gray Line

Wonderful character development. Realistic dialogue. The story takes an interesting unexpected twist about 2/3rds through and you won’t be able to put this book down. Kudos for the matter-of-fact inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters.

Fantastic read!! I was drawn in immediately and struggled to put it down - more and more addicting with each chapter!! Can’t wait to see what’s next!

Grief can be a catalyst for so many things (violence, love, extraordinary actions, the list goes on...). One thing remains true: grief is best handled when you have a village of people to walk alongside you. Every character is equally inspiring and equally flawed. I loved that there were so many twists and turns in this book. From the very beginning to the very end, there was lots to keep me hooked. It was full of suspense, humor, sadness, and joy, BJ keeps you on your toes all the way through. You can tell that there is personal investment in each of the character's successes. Very well done.

BJ Cyprian is an incredibly gifted storyteller. Some authors can tell a gripping story, but leave you feeling uneasy. The Gray Line tells a completely gripping story from the first few pages, and you immediately want to know these characters. Not many authors can write about grief with humor. BJC does it expertly. I laughed out loud, cried, and had a few jaw drops at some of the plot twists. The group feels so real and at times I thought: "I'd really like to know these people." Read this book and get to know these people. It's a story that will stay with you. In a good way.

The Gray Line by B.J. Cyprian follows Angel Lamb as she tries to reconcile with the death of her wife. But when individuals from her support group go missing or wind up dead, Angel, Alex (the support group leader) and the rest of the support group must survive the onslaught from a mystery source as they uncover the truth about the deaths, and the internal truths they all must face to recover from their emotional scars. Can Angel learn how to find the moral middle ground in her actions before its costs another life? Cyprian has crafted a unique set of characters that are refreshing and frustrating. I only use that word because each character takes actions that make sense, logically, but also add to the complexity that can only be found in a group of people leaning on each other for support. Seeing how they grow and deal with their pasts felt therapeutic as a reader, although the underlying tension did not always serve as a very realistic setting for some of the emotional breakthroughs. The action scenes were also a bit farfetched, but the tension remained despite these stretched scenarios. The book really excels through the wisdom that each of the characters deliver to each other. Pretty much every chapter has a great piece of advice or a thoughtful observation, and it really demonstrates the author’s understanding of grief and emotional pain. If you are reading this review and have dealt with loss of some kind or another, then you will feel challenged by the conversations in these pages, but you’ll also feel that there is hope moving forward. Angel and her friends deal with the mystery and tension of a classic murder story, but they also heal and learn to live another day. 4.5 stars.

Nothing connects you and bonds you like grief and survival. Follow Angel, the protagonist, through pages of action, excellent dialogue, and a reminder of how much we all need love as she finds the support and friendships she needs to survive. Definitely a page turner with unexpected turns and twists!

The gray line by B. J. Cyprian is a suspenseful and thrilling read that takes the reader on a mysterious ride. We follow Angel Lamb who has survived growing up in an abusive environment. After losing her wife in an accident, she seeks help through a local support group. Forced to face her past, Angel must find her inner strength to keep herself safe. The irreplaceable value of relationships in one's life is beautifully depicted by the author. Cyprian published this novel in the loving memory of Serine Renee James Calvert, and that itself makes this special. The author’s writing style is conversational making it easy for the reader to relate and put themselves in the protagonist’s shoes. The suspenseful scenes that the author created really captivated me and made it hard for me to put the book down. Angel is such a strong character but I liked that she was not perfect. You see her ups and downs and root for her to find her strength in order to save herself. The author has definitely written an unpredictable story, one that I didn’t expect to turn out the way it did. Cyprian’s writing makes the readers question themselves and their values especially when it comes to relationships with others. I look forward to reading more books by this author. The Gray Line is a complicated and beautiful story that I highly recommend to those who are looking for a relatable read.

There are many pivotal moments in life. In The Grey Line, we experience many of them vicariously as the author finds a unique balance between loss and the search for light at the end of grief’s dark and painful tunnel. And along the way there are many micro and macro decisions that Grey Line’s rich, well-developed characters must explore. Over and over, our characters are faced with existential questions about who we are, who we want to be, and how we perceive others who are making decisions that differ from, or resonate with, our own. In this richly dialogued piece of inclusive fiction, readers will be forced to question their core values, the darkness of grief, and the love and levity of friendship and companionship. The genius of this story is that the grey lines are many, but subtle. The shades of grey never overwhelm us with platitudes or preferences, they simply allow us space to watch life unfold in all of its miraculous, painful, loving, sad, tragic, and unforgettable imperfection. As we read about their lives and their experiences, it forces us to ask ourselves many questions about who we are and who we want to be—particularly when we encounter the unpredictable realities of life in spaces where we don’t always get to make the rules, nor control the choices made by our peers and friends. Ultimately, The Grey Line challenges us to think about what it means to understand people who don’t live by the same rules that we value and the difficulty of reconciling our beliefs in the face of change and uncertainty. I hope this book is the beginning of a series, as there is so much this book ignites in my mind and heart about the difficult choices we make daily, and how they change us…even when we don’t want to change.

I loved this book. There were no used-up tropes, all the twists & turns were fresh! I'd highly recommend this to mystery book lovers.

This book is so well written! You fall in love with the characters and their lives! A great book to remind us that at the end of the day - relationships grown out of life’s challenges can be some of the most meaningful!