Books That Changed My View of Christian Mystery/Suspense

I started reading Christian fiction in its infancy. Gilbert Morris was one of the most prominent authors at the time, and I read nearly every book he wrote - YA, mystery, historical and more. Terri Blackstock was just getting started, and I became a fan of her writing from the beginning. I spent several years reading a mix of Christian and secular novels.

In college, I made the decision to stop reading secular fiction. My reading time was limited, and I wanted to get away from the bad language and inappropriate content of the mysteries I'd been reading. When I moved exclusively to Christian fiction, I found a few more good authors, but something was missing. The gritty, realistic mysteries I loved didn't exist in Christian fiction at the time. Around the same time, I got married and started a family, and for a while, I quit reading fiction altogether.

A few years later, my boys were getting older, and I found myself craving good fiction again. I discovered some great authors, but I was still looking for something more. Then I discovered Ted Dekker. Everything I knew about Christian fiction was turned upside down. Over the next several years, I discovered several books that changed my view of Christian fiction and turned me back into a voracious reader.

1. Thr3e - Ted Dekker

This was the first book I picked up when I decided to start reading fiction again. My boys were one and four. I was a stay-at-home mom looking for the kind of fast paced fiction I'd loved as a teen and college student. I'd heard good things about Dekker's books, so I splurged and bought a copy.

I had no idea what I was in for.

I started the book one night, curled up in a recliner in the study at the parsonage. Two days later, I finished the book, but I still couldn't pull myself out of Kevin Parson's world. I was so drawn into to the story that I couldn't put it down. By the end, I sat in that old recliner, shocked, thinking, "Did he really just do that? He can't end it like that, can he?"

This was exactly what I'd been missing. That book reignited my passion for reading, and I devoured as many Dekker novels as I could. I wanted to branch out and find new authors, though. That's when I found Steven James.

2. The Pawn - Steven James

I picked this up as a freebie on Amazon a few years ago. I'd had my eye on this author for a while, because his name kept popping up as an Amazon recommendation when I bought Ted Dekker books. The Pawn blew me away. Fast paced with a unique angle on crime scenes, this was another book I couldn't stop reading. FBI agent Patrick Bowers remains one of my favorite fictional characters.

The final book in the series, Checkmate, was released earlier this month. I have to admit, I'm a little reluctant to read it because it marks the end of this incredible series. Thankfully, there are more Patrick Bowers books coming in the future.

3. The Bride Collector - Ted Dekker

This was a controversial book for a lot of people. I thought it was a brilliant idea when Ted Dekker started working with a non-Christian publishing company, moving some of his books into more secular fiction circles. What an opportunity to reach people who wouldn't normally read Christian fiction.

This book took an even darker turn that his previous books. While it was a turn-off for many readers, I thought this book reached a new level. The message was toned down a bit, but it was definitely still there. The writing was brilliant. The mentally ill main character was unforgettable. Just don't read this one alone at night.

4. Isolation - Travis Thrasher

I thought Ted Dekker scared me...until I read Isolation. Not for the faint of heart, Travis Thrasher walks the line between suspense and horror. He pulls in a theme of spiritual warfare in this story of a missionary couple desperately in need of rest and healing. Unfortunately, they find themselves under attack. The message in this book is amazing, but it's definitely for readers who enjoy an edgier story.

What books have left their mark on you? Which authors make you look at life and faith differently?

Review of Water Walker by Ted Dekker

I’m a Dekker fan; I’d go so far as to say his writing has influenced my own. So I jumped at the chance to review, Water Walker, the second book in his Outlaw Chronicles series. For my review of the first book in the series (Eyes Wide Open), click here.

Like Ted’s other stories, the story concept is original. Ted does a good job of writing what I’d refer to as allegorical-type stories. I think this type of story might appeal to someone who is a seeker or is de-churched (that is, they’ve attended church before but no longer attend). I wished that at the end, there was some discussion to guide readers toward Ted’s intended point (maybe included at the end of the book). I think Christians can see the themes easily, but I think a guide would be nice for seekers.

The story starts out with a young girl named Alice who does not remember the past six months of her life and has been placed in a foster home. A man shows up claiming to be her biological father and wants to kidnap her; he tells the girl her name is Eve. Alive/Eve must decide who she can trust. A shadowy figure known as Outlaw appears and shows Alice/Eve she can become a water walker and that her body is just a costume. Like I mentioned previously, I think that many Christian readers will easily identify Christian themes in the story.

What I didn’t like was the way POV was handled. I think Ted is sort of a maverick when it comes to POV. For Immanuel’s Veins, I noted that he switched back and forth between chapters using first and third person. Ted also mixes things up a bit in this story as well. I felt like it worked in the other book, but for this one, I felt like POV could have been deeper. At least one shift could have been handled better with a scene break, at least in my opinion. Also, in my opinion, I felt it was odd that a character had lost their memory, but then a chapter or two later, recalls something from the past casually, but doesn’t find this odd that they suddenly remembered something. Maybe it was supposed to be written that way, but it felt like an “oops.” I’d also like to note that a curse word was used, and it really didn’t need to be. I understand going for realism, but realism is different than literalism (see post by Author Donn Taylor for more discussion on this subject). I get that the character would swear, but an author can show this without using the literal term that a character would use.

*Please note that I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own. 

Review of Eyes Wide Open by Ted Dekker

I just finished Eyes Wide Open by Dekker. 

This story is written in an episodic nature, though I read it like a novel, from front to cover. Dekker is offering the first episode of this novel for free on Amazon Kindle. The first episode is also available for free on Amazon in audiobook format.

Eyes Wide Open is the story of Christy Snow and Austin Hartt, two young people in love; the story is relayed using third person POV. Christy sets out to find a lost locket but becomes trapped. When Christy goes missing, Austin goes to look for her. In an eerie twist, the two become victims of mistaken identity and encounter a mysterious figure named Outlaw.

The phrase, ‘things are not what they seem’ might be the best way to sum up this novel. Vision is a common theme throughout the story, and Dekker uses symbols like lamps to demonstrate this theme. This story made me think of the Scripture, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18a KJV). The Christian symbolism used in this story is very evident. I’m curious to see where Dekker goes with the rest of the series. My only criticism is that perhaps the symbolism was a little overemphasized so that I felt pulled out of the story ever so slightly, but that could just be because as a believer, I immediately recognized the symbols. Perhaps the symbolism wouldn’t be so obvious to a mainstream secular audience. I don’t fault Dekker for making sure his message is clear. 

The story starts out more with a Boneman’s Daughters/The Bride Collector feel and ends with more of a Paradise series vibe. The beginning definitely hooks readers right away and, in a typical, Dekkeresque, spine tingling, nail biting fashion. Few books can do that. 

Dekker fans and other readers who enjoy suspense should appreciate this novel. I look forward to the other books in this series.

*Please note that I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Check out this gripping back cover copy from Eyes Wide Open: 

Who am I? 

My name is Christy Snow. I'm seventeen and I'm about to die. 

I'm buried in a coffin under tons of concrete. No one knows where I am. My heart sounds like a monster with clobber feet, running straight toward me. I'm lying on my back, soaked with sweat from the hair on my head to the soles of my feet. My hands and feet won't stop shaking.

Some will say that I m not really here. Some will say I'm delusional. Some will say that I don t even exist. But who are they? I'm the one buried in a grave. 

My name is Christy Snow. I'm seventeen. I'm about to die. 

Review of Trapped by Irene Hannon

I recently read Trapped by Irene Hannon. It reminded me more of something written by Ted Dekker (e.g., Boneman's Daughters or The Bride Collector). The book is told in third person deep POV using five POV characters. The book tells the story of librarian Laura Griffith, who is raising her teenage half sister, Darcy. When Darcy disappears, Laura contacts James Devlin, a PI and former ATF agent. James and Laura race to find Darcy.

This is definitely creepier than most of Hannon’s books. I like Hannon and Dekker’s writing, so I enjoyed the book. However, I can see where some of Hannon’s fans might not like the darker edge to this story.

I liked that the novel moved along at a fast pace and was suspenseful. From what I can tell, Hannon did a good job of researching law enforcement details, and she masterfully handled POV. 

I didn't like that a character cried out to God in what appeared to be in vain (though it was lowercase, so as not to refer to God, but I still didn’t think it was needed). 

 

This book will appeal to Hannon (and perhaps even Dekker) fans as well as anyone who hasn’t read Hannon but enjoys suspense and romantic suspense.

To learn more about Hannon and her writing, please visit her Website – www.irenehannon.com/

*Please note that I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. 

However, I was not required to write a positive review. 

The opinion expressed here is my own.