The Turning By Davis Bunn Publisher: Moody Publishers: River North I have found at times a lot of Christian fiction lacks the punch of good secular fiction. My initial thoughts were that ‘The Turning’ was going to fall into the same trap. But after a slow start, it picked up, and provided some hope for the book. The story line centres around Trent Cooper a young man wanting to make his impact on the corporate world through Global Communications, by a massive marketing concept featuring the slogan "Hope is dead". Opposing Trent and his message, is a small group that God has distinctly called. Led by John Jacobs a manager at a trucking firm, the group work with media and churches to promote a message of hope. The bad characters are well developed, and it is easy to understand the perspectives, beliefs and feelings. The good characters are never fully developed, and lack some authentic. As well the books sudden ending leaves business unfinished. A though provoking story when you consider just how much power the media really has over our whims and fancies and how much control they have over the information we receive and what we tend to believe. But also a thought provoking story when considering just how much power is in prayer and in submission to the call of God. The book presents an interesting look at how the media can influence our ideas and desires. An interesting read, once you get into it.
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An Alex Delaware Novel By Jonathan Kellerman Publisher: Ballantine Books Jonathan Kellerman has made a success out of this series featuring Alex Delaware, a psychologist and part time police consultant. While I have only read open other of the Alex Delaware novels, I was immediately hooked in this story. Handled a simple case by the courts, Dr Alex Delaware quickly judges a custody issues between two sisters. However, the custody case set a chain of events going impacting the lives of many, with a disappearing child, murder, and even Alex’s own life being threatened. Jonathan Kellerman has once again written a mystery thriller, full of tension and suspense. A hard book to put down, and perfect for a quiet weekend. By David Vinjamuri Radical environmentalist, a crooked mine boss, a white superamcy group, and a ex-Speciali Ops soldier. This book seems to have it all. The book started slow and took a couple of chapters to warm up. Once it did though it was soldier action to the end. Mike Herne, call sign Orion, is asked by his old boss, Alpha, to look for a girl. A girl who was part of the protests at the Hobart mine. What seems a simple job, becomes a deadly adventure as one group after another sets out to kill Mike. This is the second in the series of Mike Herne stories, although it works well as a standalone book. Written in the same style as the Jason Borne books, it draws you I with the action, and cliff hanger chapter endings. For an action book the characters develop rather well, particularly the lead Mike, and his new found FBI buddy Agent Nichols, who plays the potential love interest in the book. This is a great read, and I can’t wait for the next. By Gary Gusick Publisher: Alibi The last clinic is the first in a series of Darla Cavannah crime mysteries. Darla, the star, and the only character fully developed in the first book, is a police detective returning to duty after a six month break following the death of her husband, Hugh, a former star football player. Darla is the smart, out of town female detective, that people turn to when the truth needs uncovering. She is supported in this book by Tommy, a detective who is infamous for his Elvis impersonations, “thank you, thank you very much”; Shelby, the sheriff with political ambitions, and enough smarts to back Darla over Tommy, and Doctor Stephen who runs a womens health clinic. The books are set in the deep south of Mississippi, where the cultural views and values have not changed in centuries. This book focuses on the murder of church minister Jimmy Aldridge, an avid campaigner against abortions. It is will protesting he is shot down and murdered. Detective Tommy is quick to find his man Dr Stephen, however with much adapt and smarts, Darla outwits him, proving each of Tommy suspects are in turn innocent. As expected she solves not one, but two cases, catching her man in the process. Darla’s humour is one of the best parts of the books. It is dry and witty, passing over the heads of some of her man counterparts. This is a classic murder mystery, and has the potential for many books to follow. It needs some further development of some of the supporting characters, which should happen in future books. I will be looking out for Gary Gusick’s next book. |
AuthorHeath writes reviews regularly for newspapers and magazines. Archives
January 2020
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