The Measure of a LadyBy DeeAnne GistPublished by Bethany House ISBN: 0764200739
Rachel van Buren arrives in Gold Rush San Francisco with two wishes: to protect her younger siblings and to return east as soon as possible. Both goals prove more difficult than she could imagine as her brother and sister are lured by the city's dangerous freedom and a missionary-turned-gambler stakes a claim on her heart. Rachel won't give up without a fight though, and soon all will learn an eloquent but humorous lesson about what truly makes a lady.
Speak Politely. Even when you’re the only respectable woman around, protesting the decadence of a city lost to gold fever.
Dress Modestly. Wear your sunbonnet at all times. Ensure nobody sees your work boots muddied by the San Francisco streets.
Remain Devoted to Family. Protect your siblings from the lures of the city, even against their wishes.
Stand Above Reproach. Most difficult when a wonderful man turns out to be a saloon owner.
Rise Above Temptation. No, not even just a little kiss….
When these rules become increasingly difficult to uphold,can Rachel Van Buren remain a beacon of virtue in a city of vice?
Those who love A Bride Most Begrudging will be delighted to discover that Deeanne Gist has done it again with The Measure of a Lady. San Francisco in 1848 is no place for a decent woman. Even if one manages to contend with the ankle-deep mud, the daily ruckus of gunfights, and noisy saloons, there's no place to sleep unless you quarter with the men lured west by the stories of gold.
Should a lady find herself in this indecent shantytown, her best option for survival is to either marry one of the miners or become a woman of ill repute. Going home isn't an option. As soon as the ships pull into port, the sailors abandon their duty and join the city's riotous ways.
It is into just such a city that twenty-five-year-old Rachel Van Buren disembarks with her two younger siblings in tow. She has no intentions of remaining one second longer than necessary, but while they wait for a ship, she isn't going to allow her charges to become corrupted. Neither is she going to wed, and if she has any say about it, she single-handedly is going to oversee that all of San Francisco improves their morality.
But San Francisco isn't without its own allure. Her younger sister is tempted by the flirtations of the men, her brother is attracted making money, and the virtuous Rachel Van Buren is having a hard time remaining upright when around saloon owner Johnnie Parker—a man not about to let morality get in his way of becoming a millionaire and wooing the woman he loves. As Rachel clings to the high standards of a lady, everything spins out of control, forcing her to decide what is really of value and what isn't.
DeeAnne Gist's novels are the perfect medium for crossing over from the Christian market into the general market. Readers who appreciate romance will find themselves delighted with writing that is filled with delightful characters and vivid imagery. –Recommended.
Reviewed by Jessica Dotta
Grace in Thine Eyes
By Liz Curtis HiggsPublished by Waterbrook PressISBN: 1578562597
Glen of Loch Trool. Spring 1808. Davina McKie is a bonny lass of seventeen, as clever as they come and a gifted musician. Unable to speak since childhood, she is doted on by her belligerent younger brothers, Will and Sandy, who vow to protect their silent sister.When the lads are forced to depart the glen, Jamie McKie intends to brighten his daughter’s summer by escorting Davina to the Isle of Arran. Her cousins make her welcome at the manse, and the parish delights in hearing their talented fiddler.But when she catches the eye of a handsome young Highlander on Midsummer Eve, sheltered Davina is unprepared for the shocking events that follow.A timeless story of passion and revenge, of lost innocence and shattered dreams, Grace in Thine Eyes explores the sorrow of unspeakable shame and the gift of immeasurable grace.
Liz Curtis Higgs stands out as one of the most gifted writers that I have had the pleasure of reading. The Scottish historical series that opened with her acclaimed novel Thorn in My Heart ends just as brilliantly with Grace in Thine Eyes.
Davina McKie is but a slip of a lass, whose childhood accident left her mute and her family divided by her father's resentment. When Davina is seventeen, her twin brothers are sent to Edinburgh to begin their schooling and she sets out to visit her cousins on the Island of Arran. There, the rumor of her uncanny talent on the fiddle spreads, and she invited to play before a Duke. Thrust unsuspecting into higher society, her innocence is quickly robbed but not her spirit. As she is forced to choose between resentment and forgiveness, her decisions propel an epic story of betrayal, love, and intrigue.
Liz Curtis Higgs explores one of the most puzzling passages of scripture, fictionalizing the biblical story, and providing a woman's perspective—so well that she brought tears to my eyes. Backdrops that with an amazing talent at holding readers captive, descriptions that are poetry, and it becomes a classic. I anxiously await her new Scottish historical releasing in 2008—Highly Recommended
Reviewed by: Jessica Dotta
The Dream
By Gilbert Morris
Published by Zondervan
ISBN-10: 0-310-25233-4
Lanie Freeman had to grow up fast. Her mother died when she was just fourteen and now her father is in prison. The oldest of five children, seventeen-year-old Lanie has transformed into a surrogate mother … and a beautiful young woman. Not only must she keep her family together, but lately she has drawn the attention of Roger Langley, son of the richest man in town.
Tensions run deep between the Freemans and the Langleys. And on top of it all, Louise Langley accuses Lanie of trying to snatch away her handsome fiancé, Dr. Owen Merrit. Dr. Merrit has long helped out the Freeman children, but Lanie isn't sure he even notices that she's no longer a child.
Then Fairhope is thrown into chaos when the new preacher arrives—wearing blue jeans and riding a motorcycle. In only a month, dashing Brother Colin Ryan shakes the entire town to the core of their beliefs.
With the town embattled over the preacher, her family struggling to survive, and her own heart in turmoil, Lanie seeks solace in her writing. She pours out her heart to God, trusting his promises. But when things fall apart at every turn, will Lanie continue to trust?
Morris is a gifted story-teller and offers up a memorable novel of the coming-of-age of Lanie Freeman. I enjoyed it thoroughly. With rich characterizations, the Freeman's come alive: the quirky Aunt Kezia, zealous Cody, strong-willed Maeva, dependable Davis, sweet Corliss and Lanie, whose attempts to mother them sometimes get rebuffed. It's more than the story of a family, it's the story of a town, of faith and of believing in one another. I recommend The Dream to anyone who loves good literary fiction.
Reviewed by Robin Grant
GermRobert LiparuloHardcover: 496 pages
WestBow Press
ISBN: 0785261788
Book Description:"The list of 10,000 names was created for maximum devastation. Each person named will be part of the most frightening brand of warfare the world has ever known. The germ-an advanced form of the Ebola virus-has been genetically engineered to infect only those people whose DNA matches the codes embedded within it. Within days, their internal organs liquify. The release of the virus will usher in a new era of power where countries are left without defense. Where a single person or millions could be killed with perfect accuracy and zero collateral damage. Where our own DNA works against us.
The time isn't coming. It is now. "Reviewed by Gina Holmes Plenty of books are claimed to be "thrillers". Once you read Liparulo's work, the difference between a suspense and a true thriller becomes clear.Germ starts at warp speed and doesn't slow down longer than it takes the reader to refuel for the next lap. Robert's prose in the first chapters are what I love about his writing. He has a literary bent that few thriller writers do. After the first chapters, the action continues to pick up and his writing moves into less literary and more unobtrusive, which serves the story well.This book had unique, believable characters who were layered and likeable. The writing was top notch and the action moved along so quickly I had to take breaks, just to catch my breath and process it all.In short, this novel read like an action movie, which is apparently a good thing, since I believe it's being made into one. Though not as gruesome as Liparulo's first novel, Comes A Horseman, it does contain a good amount of violence in the form of shootouts and fist-fights.
Germ is a great choice for thriller lovers and most especially for men as it isn't weighed down with a lot of romance or mushy gushy feelings and deep self-exploration. This stays true to its genre.If you're not afraid to be scared sick, pick up this Germ, er, gem.
Freefall
by Kristen Heitzmann
Published by Bethany House Publishers
ISBN-13: 9780764228292
A victim of amnesia--and maybe worse--"Jade" can't remember how she came to Kauai, Hawaii, or even what her real name is. She has only a vague sensation of danger. Enlisting the help of a cynical-but-talented investigator, Cameron Pierce, she seeks answers. But will recovered memories bring healing---or more trouble?
Wow! Freefall left me speechless by the time I finished the story. At first I thought, "I love Kristen Heitzmann. I've read all of her historicals and they were awesome. This'll probably be good, but not as good as her past novels." WRONG! The suspense was incredible. The plot intricate. The setting exotic (nothing like spending time on the beach and not getting a sunburn. I think I even learned how to surf without hitting a single wave.) The romance also sizzled.
Of course, those who know me know I love the edgier stuff (in other words, the passion and realism of romantic tension) and this baby is packed with it! The perpetrators and thugs were believable and unlikable--as they should be. I felt the heroine's fear, her confusion, her passion. Boy, that was a wild ride! I liked how the author occasionally inserted another person's POV to give you that person's perspective. Sweet.
In regards to the spiritual element, it was so smoothly done that for me, that was one of the best parts of the story. The faith piece fit so naturally into the characters' lives I almost forgot to mention it! Overall, I'd have to say that this is the best romantic suspense novel I've EVER read. I mean EVER!
Michelle Sutton (pen name)
"Writing truth into fiction"
Great Beginnings finalist 2005
writer/book reviewer
www.MichelleSutton.nethttp://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com
The Jade Bracelet
By Wilma Wall
Published by Kregel
ISBN 0-8254-3948-5
A riveting story of three women who are bound by family ties yet torn apart by conflict. Elsa Meier and her mother, Rachel, are as different as east is from the west. Elsa—lively, willful, and resentful of her mother's domination—struggles for acceptance on her own terms. Born in China but not Chinese; American, yet foreign to America, she is torn between cultures.
Rachel, a reluctant missionary, is eager to return to America and the life she remembers. But the death of her beloved husband causes an even deeper rift between her and Elsa. After Elsa marries, against her mother's advice, Rachel turns to Elsa's daughter, Crystal, for solace.
Crystal, outwardly obedient, is trapped in a tug-of-war between her mother and grandmother. Will a return trip to China and a long-lost jade bracelet bring these three women to reconciliation?
Wall pens a gripping tale of competitive relationships between mothers and daughters. The child Elsa is culturally Chinese and at hem among the people. They are her people; her friends. When tragedy strikes the family and the Communists invade, they return to America. Elsa is burdened with guilt and at the same time resentful of her mother.
Unlike any book I've read, I found The Jade Bracelet to be as riveting as promised. Elsa wormed her way into my heart; I understood her mother's angst, and I cheered for Crystal. The culture of China in the 1930s came alive through Elsa's eyes, drawing the reader deeper into the story. The superstitious tales told by her Amah and frowned on by Rachel, deliciously entranced little Elsa and her younger brother, Jasper. I was fascinated by the custom called Kerchieh … one mustn't accept an invitation the first time or one would seem too eager. Wall credibly portrays the difficulty Elsa has in assimilating in to the American culture. When Elsa becomes a mother, she finds herself in competition with her mother for her daughter's affection—and her mother's approval.
Haunting and deeply moving novel, The Jade Bracelet is highly recommended.
Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com
The Only Best Place
By Carolyne Aarsen
Published by Warner Faith
ISBN 10: 0-446-69681-1
Leslie VandeKeere had a good life: a happy family, a great career (even if it did pull her away from home), and all the energy of urban living. But she finds herself miles away from the city she knows and loves when her husband moves her and the kids back to his boyhood home in Montana to help his mother work the struggling family farm.
Being a farmer's wife was not in Leslie's plan, and now she finds herself dealing with dirty cows, long days filled with monotonous chores, and an extended family she doesn't quite fit into. When her husband hints that the move might be permanent, Leslie must decide how much she can handle.
She has never felt as alone as she does surrounded by so much family. And as she faces questions about her marriage, her future, and her faith in God, Leslie struggles to find the only best place for her heart.
Aarsen has delivered an engaging story of one woman's lonely struggle to discover who she is and where she belongs. A trained nurse, Leslie is competent in the emergency room, but her husband's family thinks she's greedy and a bad mother. I fell in love with this confused character from the first page. I chuckled at Leslie's loving-but-misguided sister, who through emails encourages Leslie to take control and not "give in to the cult."
A domineering mother-in-law and a plethora of VandeKeeres to keep straight don’t make Leslie feel welcome. Only her new job at the local hospital gives her a sense of self-worth and a dangerous alliance. How Leslie reconciles all this is a wonderful journey of discovery and faith.
Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com
No Place Like Home
By Debra Clopton
Published by Steeple Hill
ISBN 0-373-87393-X
When her ancient RV caught fire, candy maker Dottie Hart was stranded in Mule Hollow. So much for her promise to help her brother with is women's shelter. She would never make it to California now!
Help arrived in the nick of time, in the shape of handsome sheriff Brady Cannon. And though Dottie made it clear she was just passing through, the local matchmakers had another agenda. No single woman had yet encountered them without leaving happily married … a sticky situation for the lovely confectioner.
Perhaps Brady could convince her that love was its own sweet reward …
And so the saga of Mule Hollow continues. The humor Clopton infuses into her love stories makes a fun read. Although I missed Samantha the mule, No Place Like Home is populated with the characters we've come to know and love.
When young hitchhiker Cassie Bates is picked up by Dottie, the unlikely friendship leads Dottie into an adventure she never bargained for. Cassie's been reading Molly's newspaper column and has come to Mule Hollow to get herself a cowboy. The matchmakers, Adela, Norma Sue and Esther Mae, are in fine form as they attempt to steer Brady and Dottie together. Just when it looks like they might get their way … Brady shuts the door. Now what? Well, you'll have to read it to find out. Be prepared for laughter and tears in another adventure in Mule Hollow.
Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com
Reluctant Burglar
By Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Published by Multnomah
ISBA 1-59052-686-4
Art stole her heart—now can she return the favor?
If Desiree Jacobs knows anything, it's art. Her father, whose security is internationally renowned, taught her everything he knew. Most of all, he taught her about honor. Integrity. Faith. So surely God will forgive her for despising the one man determined to destroy her father's good name?
Special Agent Tony Lucano knows Hiram Jacobs is an art thief. But what he can't figure out is Desiree. Is she an innocent victim … or a clever accomplice?
Then Hiram is murdered. And alone with his company, he leaves Desiree a hidden container full of stolen paintings. But she can't admit her father was a thief! That would destroy their business, put people out of jobs, and embarrass international museums that have been displaying clever forgeries. No, she must find out why her honest father would turn criminal. And she must return the priceless art to the rightful owners without their knowledge. Even if it means facing down a ring of cutthroat art thieves … or accepting help from the man she most distrusts.
If you read this novel, book a manicure. Nelson's writing is witty, her characters multi-dimensional, but above all, the suspense will have you biting your nails. Thus the manicure. Anyone who reads this blog knows I don't DO suspense. I've already admitted to being Queen of the Big Honkin' Chicken Club. Halfway through Reluctant Burglar the suspense was getting so intense, I thought about giving it to someone else to finish. But Jill dared me to finish it.
The story is wonderful—full of twists and turns I never say coming. If you like suspense, you'll love Reluctant Burglar and count it as one of the best of 2006.
Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com
Blinded
by Travis Thrasher
Publisher: Moody Publishers (August 1, 2006)
ISBN: 080248672X
Michael sits in a café in on a late Friday afternoon. He has sixteen hours to kill before his flight home to Chicago, sixteen hours in which to re-live his business failure. He came here to complete a merger that's taken the last six months of his life. At the last minute, the buying company axed the plans and now the jobs of 250 people are on the line. He's alone in a strange city, at a low point in his life, and ripe for disaster.
It comes in the form of a gorgeous female. They've flirted with each other over their glasses of wine and now she's seated at his table. He tries to convince himself it's nothing, but before she leaves he has a name, Jasmine, and a phone number tucked into his pocket.
He also has a wife and two children back home in Chicago. But his home life hasn't been the best lately and besides, he's in New York! Lisa will never know what transpired here. And so Michael rationalizes his first step into trouble he never could've dreamed up back home in the Chicago suburbs.
Blinded by Travis Thrasher is a novel that drew me in from the opening sentence. Michael is a well-written character at war with himself. He's a man who has worked hard to provide for his family, but is losing them in the process. An only child, he must become parent to his mother, and watch her succumb to the disease that is taking her mind. Temptations abound, from billboards, magazines, and his morning paper. And the Internet is a gold mine of enticing places that swamp his mind with forbidden thoughts. Michael is a man struggling to make it on his own, and drowning in the process. Fast-paced, it's full of twists and turns, that kept me off balance and guessing until the end.
Review by Cheryl Russell
www.unseenworlds.blogspot.com
Wishing on Dandelions
by Mary DeMuth
Published by: Navpress
ISBN: 1576839532
Description: When Miss Peach arrives to take over the only place Maranatha's ever called home---leaving trails of fabric swatches and cloying perfume in her wake---it rouses Maranatha's issues with trust. Can the 17-year-old, whose childhood was bruised by abandonment and abuse, sort out the confusing layers of love for friends, family, boyfriends---and God?
Wishing on Dandelions is another amazing work of art by the author, Mary DeMuth. The prose is beautiful, the story is riveting, and I loved the entire novel. The characters are so real. Some parts were so funny they had me rolling and other parts had me on the edge of my seat. I loved Watching the Tree Limbs, but I think I love Wishing on Dandelions even more. I love how the author shows true Christianity in her stories through the love that is shown to Maranatha by the people who care about her.
I also loved the honest portrayal of merely religious people and their stifling ways. They are often the people who stunt the growth of new and struggling believers. Oh, and the tension between Maranatha and the two Charlies was fantastic, and the racism issue very realistic. Plus, the reluctance Maranatha exhibited in regards to helping put the "bad guy" in jail is very typical of abuse victims. They are SO afraid. Totally believeable.
Georgeanne and the uncle are so classic--as is their relationship. I loved watching them grow emotionally by occasionally popping from behind their protective walls to show affection to Maranatha the only way they knew how.
And I loved Camilla's quirky poem ministry to Maranatha. Great stuff! You have to read the story to get my meaning there. The long and short of this review is...I don't want the series to end. I want to see Maranatha get married and deal once again with the issues that will arise when she makes those sacred vows and bears children. I hope the publisher agrees! Highly recommended!
Michelle Sutton (pen name)
"Writing truth into fiction"
Great Beginnings finalist 2005
writer/book reviewer
www.MichelleSutton.nethttp://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com
The Guy I’m Not Dating
By Trish Perry
Published by Harvest House
ISBN-10: 0-7369-1872-8
What’s a girl to do when she’s just decided to give up dating, and then a handsome new guy shows up? Not just handsome, but drop-dead gorgeous? And a Christian, too!
Kara Richardson finds herself in that predicament when she meets Gabe Paolino, owner of the new deli in town, in Trish Perry’s debut novel, The Guy I’m Not Dating. Like a giddy teenager, Kara fumbles over her words when she meets Gabe and catches herself unintentionally flirting. “She was still new to the whole dos and don’ts of the no-dating concept, but flirting probably wasn’t at the top of the “do” list.”
The attraction being two-way makes it even more of a challenge. Gabe asks Kara out for lunch the second time they meet. When she declines, explaining her decision not to date, he smiles and nods, then says, “Okay, then. I’ll respect your wishes, how about that? Just friends. Maybe that will make you want to go out with me someday.”
But she wants to go out with him now! Kara is torn by her interest in Gabe and her desire to stick with her decision. The rest of the book is a fun, warm-hearted, humorous journey as these two are thrown together and discover even more they like about each other while exploring further what it means to not date.
I chuckled out loud before I finished the first chapter. Not only did the charming premise appeal to me, but the characters themselves were believable and delightful. I found myself captivated. I could not put it down, and all the other books in my stack sat untouched while I devoured this one. It had a sweetness to it, and it satisfied me on several levels. My one complaint is that sometimes she used ‘said’ when an action beat would have sufficed, and that made it sound a bit disjointed in spots, but for the most part her writing was smooth and I breezed through it, laughing cover to cover, and the story and characters were so well-developed, I could overlook that one ‘glitch’.
Reviewed by Reni Bumpas
SAINT
By Ted Dekker
Published by WestBow Press (Oct. 2006)
ISBN: 1595540067
How does one cope when their identity is stripped from them and everything they believed to be true turns out to be lies?
This is what Carl Strople is forced to face an hour after he awakens tied to a bed next to his wife.
Carl and his family have been kidnapped. To save his wife and son, he must cooperate with their captors and kill two people within the hour.
The instructions are simple:
Kill Joseph and Mary Fabin.
No head shots.
No one else is to die.
Return within sixty minutes or your family dies.
Armed with a gun loaded with only two cartridges and using skills he learned in the Special Forces, Carl races to the Andrassy Hotel where the targets are staying. Overpowering the two guards at the door was easy, killing the targets became complicated.
Carl finds the Fabin’s waiting for him. With a tape recording made by Carl’s wife Kelly as proof, the Fabin’s tell Carl that he is in fact a missing CIA agent by the name of Peter Marker. Kidnapped by an underground operation known as the X Group two years previously, Carl’s memories and identity have been stripped and then rebuilt over and over again in order to train him as an assassin.
Carl finds himself faced with two choices: Believe that the woman tied to the bed with him less than an hour earlier is his wife and that she will die along with his son if he doesn’t kill the Fabin’s, or believe the Fabin’s story that everything he has been told is a lie and his wife is waiting for him back home in America.
Things soon become even more complicated for Carl Strople, otherwise known as Saint. Through torture and specialized drills, Carl has learned to shot with accuracy from 2000 feet out and has gained extraordinary emotional control. He has been trained for a specific mission, one that dangles by a thread when Carl comes face to face with the past the X Group tried to erase from his mind.
Ted Dekker has once again raised the bar in fiction. Comparable to any “24” television episode, SAINT is a tightly woven coil of twists that will keep readers glued to its pages long into the night. SAINT is Dekker at his best: action, suspense, and romance, with a touch of political intrigue.
Readers who enjoyed THR3E and BLINK will be pleased to find Dekker has returned to the psychological thriller genre. But be warned – all is not as it seems. SAINT is part of Project Showdown, so it stands to reason that the book switches to supernatural midway through. The only disappointment here for me was an element at the end of the story that didn’t seem to be foreshadowed earlier on in the book.
When asked about SAINT, Dekker likened it to the story of all of us born into the Kingdom. When the world tries to beat the Kingdom out of us, we can easily lose our first love and become confused about who we are and what we want to be.
Once more, Dekker has integrated an important message for all of us into a plot that will entertain and inspire until the very last page.
Reviewed by: Vennessa Ng
Review Blog: www.illuminatingfiction.com
Squat
By Taylor Field
Published by B&H Publishing GroupISBN: 0805432922
Twenty-year old Squid lives in a "squat", an abandoned building, blocks from Wall Street. He lives an uneventful life within the homeless subculture, abiding by its own particular codes of conduct.
But now, he's violated a fundamental principle-he's stolen cash from another street person named Saw. A violent and unpredictable drug dealer, Saw has placed a bounty on Squid's life. For the cash-strapped homeless, the promise of cash if they deliver Squid is more than they can resist.
For twenty four hours, Squid is on the run, out thinking and out maneuvering the hunters. But his obsession with the mission worker Rachel is his downfall. Trapped in an abandoned alley he knows he must fight a fight he's guaranteed to lose.
Taylor Field has an M. Div from Princeton and a Ph. D. from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. He has worked in New York's inner city since 1986 and is able to bring a unique perspective to his story.
At three hundred pages, "Squat" isn't a long read, but it is a compelling glimpse into a subculture most Americans chose to ignore. Since the book covers a twenty four hour time period, the pace is quick, and that is a bit of a drawback. I was never pulled into the story, but watched it unfold from the sidelines.
But Squid, at times, did strike a chord. Squid is on the streets by both choice and circumstance. He left home years ago to escape his mother's abusive boyfriend, and is now trapped in a cycle. The one thing Squid longs for is to be seen as important and worth remembering. He wants people to look past his obsessive compulsive tendencies and the stereotype of the streets to see him for who he is.
In short, he wants to be important enough to someone that they will remember him when he's gone. Just like anyone else.
All of the book's royalties will be donated to Graffiti Community Ministries, Inc, the service arm of the East Street Baptist Church, aka Graffiti. You can visit the website at: www.graffitichurch.org.
Review by Cheryl Russellwww.unseenworlds.blogspot.com
Messenger of Truth
Jacqueline Winspear
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
ISBN: 0805078983
"London, 1931. The night before an exhibition of his artwork opens at a famed Mayfair gallery, the controversial artist Nick Bassington-Hope falls to his death. The police rule it an accident, but Nick's twin sister, Georgina, isn’t so sure. For help with the case, Georgina seeks out Maisie Dobbs, psychologist and investigator. Before long, the evidence surrounding Nick’s death leads Maisie to the beaches of Dungeness in Kent and the underbelly of London’s art world, in another confrontation with the perilous legacy of the Great War.”
Although this is the fourth entry in the Maisie Dobbs mystery series, Messenger of Truth was my introduction to the 1930s-era British sleuth. A blurb on the cover compares Maisie to Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, only “younger, prettier, and not tied to St. Mary Mead.” From that, I expected a sort of madcap, cozy mystery—which did not turn out to be the case. The book’s tone reflects a somber time in England's history. Unemployed veterans of World War I—many maimed or disabled—fill the streets. Poverty runs rampant. And people are talking of that controversial political figure in Germany, Adolf Hitler.
The mystery of Nick Bassington-Hope's death is almost overshadowed by the drama unfolding in the characters' lives and the society around them. Maisie herself served as a nurse in the war, and she started life in service to a wealthy family. Consequently, she finds herself struggling to respect clients like the Bassington-Hope family, wealthy artists who have been able to indulge their interests. In stark contrast, Maisie's assistant, Billy, shares his small flat with an entire family of unemployed in-laws. When his young daughter catches a serious fever, there is no money for a doctor.
There are hints that Maisie suffered a breakdown recently, and she finds herself fascinated by Nick, the deceased artist and subject of her investigation. Nick's art reflects the same emotional turmoil and struggle to adjust after the war that Maisie herself is experiencing.
Messenger of Truth is not published for the Christian market, but has little to offend in the way of sex, violence, or language—although a couple of four-letter words are scattered about. Maisie's spiritual life seems to tend toward Eastern or New Age beliefs. When her assistant's daughter is ill, she does not pray but engages in a sort of visualization technique: “Opening her mind, she imagined the sweet face of Lizzie Beale…She told Lizzie that her heart was strong, that she could rest now, and that when she awoke, she would be well again.” Fortunately, this type of scene is not typical of the book as a whole.
If you're looking for a fast-paced thriller, this book probably isn't for you. But if you want a character-driven, thoughtful narrative that is rich in period detail, you'll enjoy Messenger of Truth.
Reviewed by Robin Johns Grant
In All Deep Places
By Susan Meissner
Published by Harvest House
ISBN 0-7369-1665-2
"Luke could understand that God would purposely place humans on a planet with limitations … but that he would also instill on every person a tiny longing for heaven; a longing designed to blossom. He even began to feel that tiny longing stir within his own heart and soul. In all made sense except for one thing …"
For bestselling mystery author Luke Foxbourne, an uncharacteristic bout of writer's block is the least of his worries when his father's stroke pulls him back to his hometown to run the family newspaper. Soon, Luke's disturbing childhood memories of the house next door—and Norah, the young girl who lived there—begin to resurface.
Norah was a blonde wisp of a girl who grew up beneath a perpetual cloud of misfortune. Luke's childhood promise to protect her was an unrealistic one, as tragedy continued to strike in ways that caused him to question God's goodness.
When Luke decides to tell their story, a soul-searching memoir ensues. But how will it end? Norah moved away years ago, taking with her any hope of closure for Luke. Determined to know the truth, Luke seeks her out to find the answers to this real-life mystery—a mystery solved in all deep places.
In All Deep Places is a poignant, heart-wrenching story of a gallant boy and a hapless girl, both driven by the unrealistic expectations of their youthful friendship. The title is apt, and Meissner has drawn deep from a well of emotion. Though much of the book deals with tragic events, it's not dark, but it is haunting—a story that will remain in your heart. A book you can't read and remain the same.
Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com
Tangled Memories
By Marta Perry
Published by Steeple Hill
ISBN 0373873840
All Corrie Grant wanted was to know who she was – where she came from. Raised from infancy by her great Aunt Ella, Corrie longed to understand what had happened to her parents and why their love hadn’t held their tiny family together.
After the death of Aunt Ella, Corrie found herself sorting through family papers turning up her birth certificate with her father’s name blank. She eventually learned her father was from the blueblood of Savannah, Ga.
Baxter Manning was an elderly tycoon who held a self-righteous control over his family. He manipulated their every move and when they stepped out of line, the price was a heavy one. After all, who wants to be disowned by one of the wealthiest men in Savannah? Corrie finds her way into Baxter’s presence, demanding to know about her father, Trey Manning, Baxter’s son. She didn’t want his money, and she didn’t want his name. She only wanted to understand.
Upon her entry into the Savannah home, she meets Lucas Santee, the right-hand man to Baxter, and the one who keeps the family in line and at peace. But the Manning family immediately takes the offensive, accusing Corrie of being there to take their place as heirs to the family money. Pettiness, greed, and selfishness all play a part in trying to rid Savannah of Corrie and her questions.
Numerous attempts are made on Corrie’s life as she tries to piece the family puzzle together. Which member is desperate enough to kill for the family money? Is it Eulalie, the family matriarch; Deidre, the spoiled southern daughter, or Ainsley, her brother? Perhaps it’s Lynda, the long-time family friend. Just how far will this Georgia blueblood family go to keep their secrets buried and their money safe? The distance…they’ll go the distance.
This love-inspired suspense is a fast read, loaded with twists, turns and sudden jolts which hold you tight into the story. Marta Perry does a wonderful job of intertwining Corrie’s determination with her faith and allows her goodness, witness and her honesty to change the heart of one man. Her ability to gently place a spiritual message neatly within the pages of her books makes this read an especially pleasurable one.
Four stars to Marta Perry.
Reviewed by Cindy Sproles
www.mountainbreezewriter.blogspot.com
Like Dandelion DustKaren KingsburyPaperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Center Street Book Description"Jack and Molly Campbell enjoyed an idyllic life in their small hometown outside Atlanta with their adopted 4-year-old, Joey. Then they receive the phone call that shatters their world: a social worker delivers the news that Joeys biological father has been released from prison and is ready to start life overbut with his son. When a judge rules that Joey must be returned to his father, the Campbells, in a silent haze of grief and utter disbelief, watch their son pick a dandelion and blow the feathery seeds into the wind. Struggling with the dilemma of following the law, their hearts, and what they know to be morally right, the Campbells find that desperation leads to dangerous thoughts. What if they can devise a plan? Take Joey and simply disappear...LIKE DANDELION DUST. "Reviewed by Gina Holmes:Let me start by saying this is my first Karen Kingsbury novel. It won't be my last. I found that Karen has an amazing ability to bring the reader on an emotional roller-coaster ride. It was equisite the way she made me cry and even the feelings of love, joy and grief that crept up as I read this book. The writing itself was unobtrusive so that the characters took center stage. It was a dark story with a heavy feel but that did not put me off at all. Life is sometimes dark and I like that Ms. Kingsbury didn't sugar-coat it. I took mental notes as I read this work and hopefully some of her ability to evoke an emotional response in readers will rub off on me. I recommend Like Dandelion Dust. From what I've heard, this is one of her heavier novels but very well written and absolutely worth a read in my opinion.
A Seahorse in the Thames
By Susan Meissner
Published by Harvest House
ISBN 0-7369-1760-8
Alexa Poole was to spend her week off from work quietly recuperating from minor surgery. But when carpenter Stephen Moran falls into her life—or rather off her roof—the unexpected happens. His sweet, gentle disposition proves more than she can resist and now she's falling in love with him.
And then the news comes that Alexa's older sister, Rebecca, has vanished from the Falkman Residential Center where she has lived for the past 17 years, since an auto accident left her mentally compromised. Alexa, fearing the worst, calls her twin sister in England and Priscilla agrees to come home despite a strained separation from her family—not to find Rebecca but to deliver some startling news.
As Alexa begins the search for Rebecca, disturbing questions surface. Why did the car that Rebecca was riding in swerve off the road, killing her college friend, Leanne McNeil? And what about the mysterious check for $50,000 found in Rebecca's room and signed by her friend's father, Gavin McNeil?
And can Alexa, in love for the first time, embrace the news about Stephen's future with courage?
This is a fast moving story, thoroughly entertaining and mesmerizing. I read it in one sitting, stopping only long enough to make dinner. Not your typical love story, Susan Meissner sweeps her readers away on a journey, beginning with the first paragraph: "Stephen's wounded body lies just inches from me ... I look at him lying there, an injured man I barely know, and all I can think is, 'So this is what it is like to fall in love'."
It's a saga of coping and broken relationships, and not once did I think, "No way." The coping mechanisms for the members of this family were all different and not contrived at all. Alexa, who wants to be needed, coped by doing, Priscilla by running away and their mother by breeding pugs and ignoring the problem.
Meissner's unconstrained writing style turned off my "inner editor" from page one until I closed the book. I found the ending just right. Satisfying but fitting, she avoids tying it all up in a neat little bow of predictability. I enjoyed A Seahorse in the Thames so much I ordered another of Meissner's books which I will begin tonight.
A Seahorse in the Thames receives this reviewer's high recommendation for a great read.
Reviewed by Ane Mulliganwww.anemulligan.com
The Cubicle Next Door
By Siri Mitchell
Harvest House Publishers
ISBN 978-0-7369-1758-2
Jackie Harrison, a computer administrator at the Air Force Academy, is a self-proclaimed geek who must share her cubicle space with the new guy, instructor and former pilot Joe Gallagher. She turns to her online journal to vent and eventually to express her growing feelings toward this office neighbor who is everything she is not--fun, happy, and social.
But when her blog is featured as a top pick on primetime news, everyone reads it--including Joe. Will he figure out the words of adoration and confusion are written about him? And will Jackie ever risk expressing her heart offline?
In this wonderfully witty story of love, forgiveness, and finding the strength to move on despite ones past, Siri Mitchell has created two unforgettable characters. Joe is lovable in his enthusiasm and determination, contradicting the surly, cynical attitude of his new and geeky cubicle mate.
Despite Jackie's reluctance to leave her comfort zone, Joe opens up a world of fun and excitement that draws her in. But in direct proportion to Jackie's ability to have fun, is her fear of letting go.
Though I tripped over some of the military humor, not being military, I highly recommend this contemporary chick-lit style romance. You'll find the story fresh and the verbal sparring between Joe and Jackie laugh-out-loud fun.
Reviewed by S. Dionne Moore www.sdionnemoore.comMurder on the Ol' Bunions/ Summer of 2007
