Obit writer and editorial assistant Kris Langley feels like the newsroom slave – that is, until she stumbles across an unsolved murder while compiling "25 Years Ago Today" items from the microfilm. Determined to launch her reporting career, Kris investigates the cold case of Diana Ferguson, an artistic young cocktail waitress obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology.
She soon learns that old news never leaves the morgue and that yesterday's headline is tomorrow's danger, for finding out the truth about that night twenty-five years ago may shatter Kris’s present, costing her love, her career, and ultimately, her life.
“Some secrets are best left covered.Twenty-Five Years Ago Today follows Kris Langley as she tries to advance her career by looking deeper into a long forgotten case. But she soon finds that maybe it was unsolved for a reason, as beneath the surface the case is not what it seems. Even submerged for decades, those behind the case show why it has remained unsolved.Twenty-Five Years Ago Todayis an intriguing mystery that should not be overlooked.”
- Midwest Book Review
“Stacy Juba has written a page-turner! This has to be one of my favorite mystery books that I've read this year. The characters are well written and have so much depth that it feels like this has actually happened… Book club groups will enjoy this book because there is so much that happens between its pages. The murder took place 25 years ago and to recall those facts has brought up a lot for the characters. If you enjoy a good mystery book, then do not pass this by.”
- Book-Club-Queen
“Stacy Juba evokes a wide range of emotions in this poignant tale. The mystery itself is well done while the structure of the novel itself makes the reading flow smoothly. The tidbits starting each chapter add a nice touch asTwenty-Five Years Ago Todayis one of those books you pick up and don’t want to put down till the very end!”
- Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
“I enjoyed this mystery very much. It is well written and well put together with clues dropped so skillfully, I didn't pick up on them. There is tension and conflict in Kris's job, in her family, and most of all as she deals with the people who knew Diana twenty-five years ago. Edgy suspense and sweet romance make for an enjoyable read. I'll be looking for another book by this first time mystery writer soon.”
- Pat Elliott, BookLoons
“They say writers should write what they know, and as a long-time newspaper reporter, Stacy Juba has done just that. Her depiction of a small town newspaper feels real, and even her minor characters are well-developed. The story flows smoothly to its surprise ending, and only then does the reader recognize the hidden clues that have been there all along. She has created an interesting main character with a rich background that could easily carry another book. This is Juba’s first adult novel, and I found it to be an impressive effort, definitely an enjoyable read.”
- Marlene Pyle, The GenReview.com
“Even when I’m interested in a premise or story concept, I can be disappointed in how the author handles it. Not so with Stacy Juba. She did a great job with the story. The writing was top-notch, the plotting and pacing excellent, the characters – especially the protagonist – carefully and wonderfully drawn. I can’t imagine a reader who won’t cheer for Kris.”
- Diana Vickery, Cozy Library
“What do Diana’s studying and painting of Greek and Roman mythology have to do with the surprise ending? You will have to read this well crafted, well-researched and outstanding first novel of the newest mystery writer on the block, Stacy Juba. To the great mystery writers of the 21st century, make room for the author of this great book.”
- Fran Lewis, Bookpleasures.com
“Stacy Juba has drawn a believable character and settings. The newspaper scenes are so real I could almost smell the ink—and feel the animosity between Kris and Bruce, the pushy crime reporter who'd like to see Kris on a date but not nosing into his territory. Kris manages to get herself fired, but after she figures things out, she gets back her job, and we can assume (and maybe hope?) she's ready for another crime-laden reporting adventure.”
- Patricia Nordyke Pando, Story Circle Book Reviews
“Stacy Juba has established herself as a first class mystery writer. InTwenty-Five Years Ago Today,Juba skillfully unfolds present-day drama as it relates to the seminal event—the unsolved murder—of twenty-five years before. You will be wondering and guessing right to the end, and the well-drawn characters will make you care about how each is affected.”
- Jim Ciullo, Author of Maracaibo and Orinoco
“This was a very intriguing and captivating book. I found myself carrying it with me whenever I thought I may have a few minutes to read while waiting on something. On top of that, this book stayed in my head even when I was not reading it. I loved the characters that Ms. Juba has so clearly laid out for her readers. The subplots of the book were also quite fascinating. Kris Langley is a character that you will remember long after you have completed reading this book.
"With just the right blend of mystery, romance, and danger, TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY will be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone who is smart enough to pick up a copy of it. Ms. Juba takes control and leads her readers the direction she WANTS them to move in and you won't be able to figure out the ending until she is READY for you to. All in all, this is a wonderful book. It was my first book by this author but I will be watching for more of them in the future."
- Lynn Cunningham, Fresh Fiction
"The scenes in the newsroom are fabulous and so true. The newsroom staff and their attitudes, trials, tribulations and challenges are as true today as they were twenty-five years ago. The machines are the only things that have changed. Each character has their own story that meshes with all the other characters. I guarantee to all mystery fans that once you pick this book up you will not put it down and will praise the author, who tells me that this is her first mystery novel. Keep up the good work, Stacy. The reading public needs good mystery writers."
- Mary Lignor, Bookpleasures.com
“For anyone building a collection of news-related mysteries, this will be a pleasant addition to the shelf. It also fits nicely into a New England collection, particularly Massachusetts .”
- Beth Kanell,
co-owner of Kingdom Books in Vermont and author of The Darkness Under the Water
Advance Quotes for Twenty-Five Years Ago Today:
“It isn't often you find a true depiction of a small town newsroom in a novel. This one is authentic. As to the story itself, when you finish this mystery, you realize there was plenty throughout the book to let you discern who done it, but you didn't. It's a fun trip.”
- John Hourihan, award-winning columnist, Connecticut Post; author of Play Fair and Win and Parables for a New Age
"As she threads a perilous path through seedy dives and wolves in sheep's clothing, Kris Langley never loses her commitment to the truth or her own sense of innocence. Part Jimmy Olsen, part Victoria Warshawski, she
embodies the newspaper business's perennial tension between the cold, hard facts and the complex dramas of people caught in the act of living their lives."
- Russ Olivo, Assistant Editor, Woonsocket Call
"This is not just a murder mystery - it is also a poignant story about the complexity of family relationships, the search for closure and the importance of forgiveness. Each character, and in particular, the heroine Kris, is truly three dimensional and believable, flaws and all. The author also does a great job in capturing the essence of a newsroom, the personalities of staff and the challenges of reporting news in today's world. Once you start this book, it will be hard to put down. There are no loose ends - each character and scenario flows seamlessly into the overall story. Not only will you be surprised at the ending, you will be filled with admiration at how every piece has fallen into its perfect
spot."
- Bonnie Adams, freelance reporter, The Worcester Telegram and Gazette, and
the Town Crier Publications
Download the
PDF version of the Reader's Guide.
-
Guilt over her role in her cousin Nicole’s death dominates Kris in her adult life. Do you think she is being too hard on herself, or do you feel her self-punishment is deserved? In what ways does the tragedy she feels responsible for as a child affect Kris’s personality? What other examples can you find in the book of characters dealing with guilt?
-
Kris feels that fate ended the lives of Diana and Nicole and that fate guided her to the microfilm. What are your thoughts on fate? How much control do you believe we all have over our destinies? Do Kris’s beliefs about “fate’s hit list” mesh with her intense guilt over Nicole’s murder?
-
Even though they’re dead when the book starts, Nicole and Diana act as catalysts for the current events. Based on the details that the author shared, how did you like each of their characters? Did they come across as real people, or could they have been fleshed out more? How effective was the flashback scene that showed Kris and Nicole walking home from school?
-
How did you like the references to Greek and Roman mythology? How much did you know about these subjects before reading this book? Why do you think Diana Ferguson identified with the Diana of myth?
-
The author draws upon her journalism background to sprinkle newspaper articles and “25 Years Ago Today” blurbs throughout the book. How did you like this technique? Did you find the segments interesting or distracting? What clues did you find?
-
Kris starts her job at the Fremont Daily News during a time of transition, in which Jacqueline will soon replace Dex at the helm of the paper. Who do you believe is the more effective leader, Dex or Jacqueline? What are each of their strengths and flaws? How does this transition at the newspaper mirror the transitional period in Kris’s own life?
-
Who was your favorite character in the story? Least favorite character? Why?
-
Fremont, where the majority of Twenty-Five Years Ago Today takes place, is a fictional town in Massachusetts. Why do you think the author created a fictitious community rather than using a real Massachusetts town? Does it matter to you whether the setting of a book is real or fictional? Did you like that the author set a few scenes in real places, such as Boston, Cape Cod and Hyde Park, NY?
-
How do you feel about Kris’s relationship with her parents? Was her relationship with her father any healthier than her relationship with her mother? Compare and contrast the mothers in the book – Kris’s mother, Irene, Cheryl and Aunt Susan. Which of these characters did you like best? Least?
-
What are the similarities and differences between the two sets of sisters in the novel – Holly and Kris, and Diana and Cheryl? Did you like Holly or dislike her, and why? Did it bother you that Kris’s conflict with her sister and mother wasn’t neatly tied up at the end?
-
Kris tells several lies during the course of her investigation. For example, she lies to Cheryl about the reason for their first interview. What other instances can you find of Kris “fudging the truth?” Did her lying bother you, or did her good intentions make up for her mistruths? Was it ethical for Dex and Kris to go behind their coworkers’ backs and publish a rewritten version of the Diana Ferguson story?
-
How did the author use setting to evoke the mood of the book? Would setting the story in the summer, rather than winter, be as effective? Why do you think the epilogue took place in May?
-
What did you think of the romance between Kris and Eric? Do you think the relationship can last?
-
What were the clues that led to the discovery of the killer’s identity? Did you figure out the puzzle, or did the identity of Diana’s killer come as a surprise? Did the author play fair, showing enough clues for the reader to solve the crime alongside the protagonist?
-
How plausible did you find the killer’s motive? Who would you classify as the villain of the book?
-
The last line of the book indicates that maybe Pandora’s Box wasn’t empty after all and that maybe they had replaced the lid just in time. How has Kris changed by the end of the book? Do you think she has found her niche with journalism?
Back to Books page.
