Book Review: Undetected

Posted on September 2, 2014 by Barbara Harper

Dee Henderson is one of my favorite authors, so I am always alert to her new releases. I’ve had Undetected on the shelf while I tried to be a good girl and keep to some of my reading commitments before delving into it, but I finally gave myself permission.

Most people acquainted with Mark Bishop only know he is a Navy submarine commander. In truth he is one of a small number of people “entrusted with half the U. S. deployed nuclear arsenal” (p. 12). He commands one of a few a ballistic submarines that is on patrol every 90 days, switching off with other submarines for the next 90. Though ready to launch a nuclear missile if ordered to by the president, their mission is to try to keep peace and to observe trouble spots. He is a widower with no children and is just starting to think about dating again.

Gina Gray is nearly 30 and unmarried, though she wants to be. Her relationships seem to end with the guy giving the “It’s not you, it’s me” speech. With above average intelligence (to put it mildly), she sailed through school and college at early ages. Though she has a vast number of interests, her brother’s being a submariner led her to map the ocean floors to help subs avoid accidents and find optimal places to hide. Further discoveries lead to improvements in sonar readings, each one further into classified territory, hugely helpful to the US but dangerous if its enemies should make the same discoveries. Thus she finds herself with a security detail posted around the clock for her safety.

Since Gina’s brother is one of Mark’s close friends, they’ve met before, but never considered each other as potential for a relationship for various reasons, chiefly their age difference. But as Gina’s work brings them into closer contact, Mark begins to see qualities he admires. He may be too late, though, as she begins dating another submariner.

Though Dee’s books are usually action-packed and suspenseful, that aspect of the story only came in the last part of the book. But I’m fine with that. The details of submarine life and Gina’s work were fascinating. In a previous book where a couple of characters dealt with rare coins, I felt there was too much detail for the average reader and it bogged down the story a bit. I didn’t feel that way in this story: there was enough detail to make it understandable, to make you feel like you were watching over someone’s shoulder, but not so much that an average reader would feel it is too technical. I’m wondering if Dee has spent time on a sub or was in the Navy: her portrayal seemed pretty realistic to me. I wondered, too, how much of Gina’s sonar work was real and in use or just from Dee’s imagination.

I’m not much for “romance for romance’s sake” books, but Dee’s books are rich in story and are mature: I don’t mean just that the characters are a bit older, but after recently finishing a different book that would be classified as a romance that I can only describe as silly, I am glad that Dee’s books aren’t that. I also like that the characters seek the Lord’s will in a genuine way.

I like the multiple shades of the book’s title, dealing with the sub’s need to stay undetected, the value of being able to see other vessels previously undetectable, and Mark and Gina’s finding value in each other previously undetected.

Bryce and Charlotte Bishop from Unspoken make an appearance in this book: Bryce is Mark’s brother. But you don’t have to have read that story first in order to understand this one. The only problem if you read them in reverse would be knowing Charlotte’s true identity, which is part of the mystery in that book.

There were just a couple of places I felt could have used a bit more editing: a couple of places that seemed repetitive, and awkward sentence or two. I thought the “competition” between two men for Gina’s interest was handled more maturely than it probably would have happened in real life. But those are all minor criticisms.

Overall I loved this book and feel Dee has another winner on her hands.

(This will also be linked to Semicolon‘s Saturday Review of Books.)

Give-away: E-version of The Tenth Plague

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Barbara Harper

Several days ago I commented on a post on Adam Blumer’s Facebook page to be entered in a drawing for an e-version of his book, The Tenth Plague. I had thought I was entering to win his new book – which, if I’d thought about it for a second, I would have realized that wasn’t possible because it is not even out yet (I can be a little dense sometimes. 🙂 ). I did happen to win Adam’s drawing, and since I’ve already read The Tenth Plague (reviewed here, along with an author interview), I asked him if I could have a copy sent to one of you instead, and he agreed.

The story is a sequel to Adam’s first novel, Fatal Illusions (reviewed here), but can be read independently. It involves Marc and Jillian Thayer, who have just adopted a new baby boy, and a friend has invited them to a Christian-themed resort for some rest and time together as a new family. But soon odd things begin to happen: someone rigs the water system to dispense what appears to be blood from the faucets. At first this is thought to be a weird prank, but soon other events occur which are based on the ten plagues of Egypt found in the book of Exodus in the Bible. Marc and a retired detective friend try to find out what is going on while Gillian runs into someone from her past who has hurt her deeply. One of the major themes in the book is the need to extend forgiveness.

Adam writes suspense very well, and his characters are realistic, everyday Christian people trying to discern and apply God’s will in their circumstances.

You can read an excerpt here.

If you’d like to be entered in a drawing for a free Kindle or Nook version of The Tenth Plague, leave one comment on this post. I’ll use random.org to draw a name from among the comments next Wed. morning (June 4).

The drawing is concluded and the winner is Lou Ann! I’ll be contacting her shortly. Thank you all for entering!

Book Review: Unspoken by Dee Henderson

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Barbara Harper

I’ve mentioned before my history of reading Dee Henderson novels. Her latest is Unspoken, which involves a survivor of one of the most famous kidnappings in Chicago. Charlotte Graham was kidnapped at sixteen and found four years later but has never said a word about it to the police or much of anyone else in the eighteen years since. She has a new life and profession and tries to keep a low profile.

But her grandfather, who is evidently wealthier than most of the population, has died and wanted her to manage his estate, part of which is a massive amount of valuable old coins. That brings her to Bryce Bishop, a dealer in coins who has his own respectable family business in Chicago. Bryce had been bored and prayed for God to shake up his life a bit, and Charlotte’s coins, the way she offered them for sale, and the woman herself have certainly answered that prayer.

Charlotte has decided she is single for life, so at first she is uninterested in anything but a business relationship with Bryce. The time they spend together leads to a friendship and interest on Bryce’s part. It’s a while before she feels free enough to disclose anything about her past, and she does so in stages. She describes herself as “at best a messed-up Christian” because she can’t reconcile how God could love her and yet let this happen to her, and how He would have forgiven her kidnappers if they had repented.

As Bryce and Charlotte work through their issues, a well-known investigative reporter decides it is time to write a book about the case. Not only will the book open old wounds for Charlotte, but it opens the door for danger as well. There is a reason she hasn’t said anything to the police about her abduction, and this reporter’s book could not only jeopardize her privacy but also the safety of her loved ones.

Paul and Ann Falcon from Full Disclosure are characters in this book as well, as friends of Bryce. You don’t have to have read that book to understand this one, but it was fun to “see” them again.

As always, Dee had done a wonderful job with the story, the suspense, the characters, and the spiritual issues in a natural way. I can always count on her books to pull me right in and keep me interested all the way through. This one did get a little boggy in places with all the detail about coins: I understand some detail was needed to be authentic, but I could have used less in places. But overall I loved it!

(This will also be linked to Semicolon‘s Saturday Review of Books.)

Book Review: The Chance by Karen Kingsbury

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Barbara Harper

In The Chance by Karen Kingsbury, teenagers Ellie Tucker and Nolan Cook have been best friends since grade school. He says he is going to marry her some day, but she just laughs. Tragedy strikes when Ellie’s parents separate because her mom has been unfaithful and her dad decides suddenly to move himself and Ellie from Savannah to San Diego. Ellie and Nolan decide to write letters to each other about their true feelings, bury the letters in a tackle box under the tree in the park that is their special place, and plan to meet together in exactly 11 years to unearth to contents. They assume they’ll be in touch in the meantime, but just in case, they’ll have this last chance to connect with each other.

As it happens, they do lose touch. Ellie’s letters don’t get to Nolan and he doesn’t have an address for her. In the years that follow, Nolan realizes his dream of playing NBA basketball and Ellie becomes a single mom, barely supporting herself and her daughter as a hair stylist, all thought of college and writing a novel long gone. Ellie has also lost her childhood faith. As their 11-year rendezvous approaches, Ellie assumes Nolan has forgotten her and wouldn’t be interested anyway since their lives are so different from one another’s now.

You probably have an idea where this plot will go (especially if you’ve ever read Kingsbury), but that’s not all bad. After all, in movies like An Affair to Remember, you know, or at least hope, it will end up as you think it’s going to, and you still enjoy the ride.

I hadn’t expected, though, the depth in the subplot with Ellie’s parents and the exploration of the hard work that is involved in forgiveness and taking the first steps toward restoration. Even though the ending is maybe a bit happily-ever-after-ish, none of the characters gets there easily. If you’ve ever known anyone with these kinds of breaches in relationships, this is how you’d wish it would end.

Some readers might object to Ellie’s mother’s adultery as a catalyst for the plot-line, but I’d just say this happens all too often, even in Christian circles, and the hard consequences are clearly spelled out. Though the author tells a bit more about it than I would personally care to know, there is nothing explicit.

If you’ve read The Bridge, also by Kingsbury, the two main characters from it make an appearance in this book, though it is not necessary to know their story to understand this one.

Though there are some unlikely and mildly problematic plot elements, overall I did really enjoy this book. I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator was okay: I’ve heard better and worse.

(This will also be linked to Semicolon‘s Saturday Review of Books.)

Book Review: The Merchant’s Daughter

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Barbara Harper

I picked up The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson on Lisa’s recommendation.

It’s the story of Annabel Chapman in the England of 1352, whose merchant father has died and whose proud family refuses the duty of every villager to work in the lord’s fields. As punishment, someone from her family is required to be his servant for three years, and Annabel offers herself for that position.

Lord Ranulf le Wyse is said to have a very short temper and to have some sort of deformity, making him repulsive to look upon and frightening to Annabel, but she soon discovers a different side to him.

Meanwhile, the bailiff, old enough to be her father and disgusting, has set his sights on her. Unfortunately, her duties at the lord’s house bring her into more contact with him, and even worse, her brother has given the man permission to pursue her.

Annabel feels the only way to both escape the bailiff and have access to the Bible she longs to read for herself is to escape to a nunnery as soon as her servitude is over, but when the opportunity arises, she questions that desire.

This story is based loosely on Beauty and the Beast, so of course I knew where it was ultimately going, but that was actually fun, to see how it corresponded to the fairy tale. It is a realistic retelling, though – no magic wands or spells – but I enjoyed that.

Probably my favorite parts involved Annabel being asked to read the Bible to Lord le Wyse since she is one of the few people in his household who can read Latin. Reading the Bible for herself (not everyone had one: even the local priest did not) has been one of her lifelong desires, and it’s a joy to watch her pore over it and discover its treasures for herself, stopping in her reading to ponder what it says.

This book was a pleasant companion on a recent “sick day,” and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to checking out Melanie’s other books.

Here’s the book trailer for The Merchant’s Daughter:

Updated: I just discovered that the Kindle edition of this book is on sale for a limited time at $2.99. You don’t have to have a Kindle to get deals on Kindle books: they have apps for computer, tablets, and phones.

(This will also be linked to Semicolon‘s Saturday Review of Books.)

And Carol‘s Books You Loved.

Book Review: Betrayal

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Barbara Harper

Betrayal by Robin Lee Hatcher is the second in her Where the Heart Lives series about three orphans who were separated and try to find each other as adults. Each book focuses on one of the siblings: the first book in the series, Belonging, reviewed here, featured older sister Felicia.

In Betrayal older brother Hugh Brennan has just been released from prison where he had served as a result of his father’s betrayal. He has heard that Felicia is in Idaho and sets out to find her, but then his horse is injured and he has to stop for a while. He comes across the ranch of Julia Grace who, though wary, offers him food, a place to stay, and a few days work while his horse heals. Hugh, of course keeps his background as private as possible.

Julia has secrets of her own. She was plunged into a marriage of convenience to escape a lifetime of shame, but her husband abused and belittled her. He has passed away, and her one security is the ranch he left her, which she steadfastly refuses to sell to her husband’s brother.

Can these two wounded souls ever come to trust each other with their futures as well as the secrets of their pasts?

I enjoyed the story and the journey Robin led Hugh and Julia through and the things they learned along the way about trust and true security.

(This will also be linked to Semicolon‘s Saturday Review of Books.)

The Tenth Plague: Book Review and Author Interview

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Barbara Harper

In The Tenth Plague by Adam Blumer, Marc and Jillian Thayer have just adopted a new baby boy, and a friend has invited them to a Christian-themed resort for some rest and time together as a new family.

When they arrive, however, the retreat is in upheaval. A company planning a new Bible translation is having meetings at the resort, and a throng has arrived to protest. Someone rigged the water system to dispense what appears to be blood from the faucets. What seems an odd prank is soon discovered to be the first in a series of events based on the Biblical ten plagues of Egypt, some of them resulting in fatalities. Marc calls on a friend, a retired homicide detective, to help with the investigation as the plagues escalate.

Gillian, meanwhile, runs into someone who has hurt her deeply in the past. She thought she had put it all behind her, but the old anger and hurt rush back in like a flood, and she wrestles with the need to extend forgiveness.

The Tenth Plague is a sequel to Fatal Illusions, Adam’s first book (which I reviewed here), but you don’t have to have read the first book to understand and enjoy the second. Both books are tremendously suspenseful and feature realistic, everyday Christian people trying to discern and apply God’s will in their circumstances. I enjoyed them both very much!

Here is an interview with Adam:

What was your inspiration behind The Tenth Plague?

One day I was reading the book of Revelation and came across 22:18–19. “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (ESV). My mind began playing the “what if” game. Would God really bring a biblical plague on someone who tampered with His Word? I chatted with a few theologian friends, and the plot emerged from there.

How does this novel compare with your first novel, Fatal Illusions?

Though the plot, of course, is different, the two novels share a number of similarities. Both are set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where I live. I like to write about average folks like Marc and Gillian Thayer, a pastor and his wife who face unexpected, even threatening, events. Of course, there’s another really bad killer who wants to do them harm, and their retired homicide detective friend, Chuck Riley, once again comes out of retirement to help them. I also like to weave in a historical event that somehow relates to the present day. In Fatal Illusions, it was the killer’s obsession with Houdini; in The Tenth Plague, an old mine disaster plays an important role. The past always plays an important role in the present—a running theme in my novels. Overall, I like to write about redemption: how biblical truth offers the answers to the complicated issues of life. Stories, like parables, present some of the best ways to illustrate biblical truths.

What was one of the most important lessons you learned during the writing of this novel?

The power of the collaborative process. I had a fairly strong first draft, but I was stuck. A novel editor provided a creative springboard and helped me see where my true story lay. Without her help, I doubt this story would have seen the light of day.

What part of writing this novel took the most work?

This novel required a ton of research. From an old mining tragedy to autism, from adoption law to anthrax, from pheromones to the Oklahoma City bombing, the research for this one required much more than I ever expected. I’m so thankful for technology and ease of access, thanks to the Internet. Without Google and so many resources at my fingertips, I’d probably still be researching this story.

So far, what has been your favorite work experience in life?

During one summer between years in high school, I worked at a library, a book lover’s paradise. Granted, a lot of the work involved stocking shelves, but being surrounded by so many fascinating books and interesting authors was pure heaven. I was born a die-hard book lover, and I’ll probably die one too.

Consider the qualities that make you unique. How do these qualities come out in your writing?

I love suspense fiction and history, so a blending of the two always seems to come out in my writing. In high school, I won awards in calligraphy; Gillian Thayer, my female lead, is into calligraphy in a big way (it’s her job). I’ve always been intrigued with how one’s past impacts his or her present and future. This is a recurring theme in my novels because it’s part of who I am. Now that I think about it, what I write is inseparable to some degree from who I am.

Introduce your plot summary and main characters. What is your favorite part of the story?

Water turns to blood. Flies and gnats attack the innocent. Marc and Gillian Thayer’s vacation resort becomes a grisly murder scene, with a killer using the ten plagues of Egypt as his playbook for revenge.

When their friend turns up dead, Marc and Gillian put their vacation on hold, enlist the help of a retired homicide detective, and take a closer look at the bizarre plagues as they escalate in intensity. Meanwhile, a stranger is after the Thayers’ newly adopted baby. Will they uncover the truth behind the bitter agenda before the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn son?

My favorite part is when the firstborn son is revealed and the novel culminates in the tenth plague. This is the most suspenseful and action-packed part of the story, with several key characters in jeopardy. I had a blast writing it.

One of the main themes of The Tenth Plague is confronting and dealing with your past. What can readers take away from this theme, especially in a novel that deals with religion and death?

Both the villain and my heroine, Gillian Thayer, grapple with heartbreaking real-life issues from their past. But how they respond shows two very different paths. My hope is that readers will see the stark contrast in the context of biblical truth presented in the story. The bottom line is that God is enough, and He offers the solution to every problem of life. This is another repeated theme in my stories. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my latest project.

Some content used by permission of Kirkdale Press

The Tenth Plague is available in e-book format only from Amazon and Vyrso. You can read an excerpt here.

Thanks to Adam for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

(This will also be linked to Semicolon‘s Saturday Review of Books.)

Book Giveaways

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Barbara Harper

Author Adam Blumer writes edge-of-your-seat suspense infused with Biblical principles. His new book, The Tenth Plague, will be released as an e-book on January 29. I’ll have more to say about it then, but meanwhile, if you’d like to have a chance to win a copy of The Tenth Plague or a physical copy of his first book, Fatal Illusions (linked to my review), go here or click on the graphic.

Adam discusses the book here, and you can read an excerpt of The Tenth Plague here.

Book Review: Dawn’s Light

Posted on May 23, 2008 by Barbara Harper

Dawn’s Light is the fourth and, I believe, final installment of the Restoration series by Terri Blackstock which focuses on the effects of a global blackout on one community and particularly one family.

The subject matter of this series normally would not have drawn me to it, because I am afraid I like my creature comforts all too well, and I know how I am after even a few hours of no electricity. But, this is Terri Blackstock. And I love Terri Blackstock. I think I have read every novel she has written. So I knew it would be good, suspenseful, and convicting. And it was.

I am not going to say much about the plot beyond what you would find on the first few pages so as not to spoil it, but I can’t say the same for the comments. If you’ve read the book, let me know what you think — I’d love to discuss it.

In the previous books we’ve seen the struggle and growth of various members of the Branning family. Thirteen year old Beth has witnessed a lot of trauma which has caused her to be fearful of “The Next Big Thing.” So when she begins to exhibit even more fearful behavior, her family thinks she is just having further trouble handling everything that has happened emotionally. She won’t open up to them or to a counselor. What no one knows is that she has witnessed a double murder: she got away from the scene, but the killer saw her and threatened her and her family.

Meanwhile the pulses from a dying star which caused the blackout have finally stopped, and the massive effort to get electricity flowing again begins. Terri did a lot of research into the technology behind what this would mean and does a good job giving enough information to make it plausible yet not so much that the book gets bogged down.

Oldest daughter Deni had left her high-powered Washington career and fiance behind and fallen in love with a friend she had known for years, but her fiance comes back into town, not only to help with the electrical situation but to win Deni back.

One of the things I love best about Terri is that her characters are so real, so genuine, you feel like they are your personal friends, and they struggle with exactly the same issues I would in their place. When a family tragedy occurs, they wrestle with all the questions and issues almost any Christian would in the face of seemingly unanswered prayer.

A blurb on the front page says, “Terri Blackstock weaves a masterful what-if series in which global catastrophe reveals the darkness in human hearts — and lights the way to restoration for a self-centered world.” I am embarrassed to say that it wasn’t until I read that sentence that I “got” the symbolism of the darkness and the restoration — not just of electricity, but more importantly, in hearts. Though perhaps much of what I have said about it focuses on the “darkness,” the series ends with restoration and hope.

Fall Y’all Giveaway

Posted on October 29, 2007 by Barbara Harper

Comments are now closed and I am about to draw a winner….

If you haven’t heard yet about Shannon’s Fall Y’all giveaway extravaganza, the guidelines are here, and the list of participants is here.

One of my most favorite things to do is read, and I spend a number of posts talking about good books I’ve found, so I wanted books to be a part of my giveaway.

I also spend a lot of time talking about the importance of the Word of God, so my first giveaway is a devotional book called Daily Light on the Daily Path. It is made up entirely of Scripture, compiled by the Samuel Bagster family. I don’t know how many times my reading for the day has given me just what I needed for the time.

The other books I want to give away as a set: The Secret Life of Becky Miller and Renovating Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck. I reviewed them earlier here and here. I know a lot of “Mom bloggers” participate in this giveaway, and Becky Miller is a young mom who wants to do “big things for God” but finds out life doesn’t always go the way she dreams it will. There are some hilarious moments as well as sweet and poignant moments. You don’t have to be a mom to get the spiritual lessons in the books, though.

Leave a comment on this post and let me know if you are interested in either the devotional book or the Becky Miller set or both. I will close comments Friday night at midnight EST and use the random number generator to draw two winners on Saturday morning. This contest is open to anyone anywhere. One comment per person, please. You don’t have to have a blog to enter, but if you don’t just be sure to leave your e-mail address so I have a way to notify you if you’ve won.

I am also going to try to have another crafty give-away in a couple of days if I can get it together — it’s shaping up to be another busy week! But if I do I will post another link to the Fall Y’all giveaway page.

P.S.: Here is a works-for-me tip for keeping up with the giveaways I’ve entered. I started an e-mail to myself (though it could also be done via a Word document — I just used my e-mail because it’s always open when I am online and it’s handy) and listed the item and the address of the contest, then saved it in the “Mail waiting to be sent” folder. It’s easy to open back up when I go back to checking more giveaway posts. I think most of those offering a giveaway notify the winner, but some don’t, so this way I can run back through the list when this week is over and check the winners’ names.