Christian romantic suspense

Buried Secrets by Irene Hannon

A summer joy ride leaves three college students scrambling to cover up a horrible secret.  24 years later, Chief of police Lisa Grant opens the cold case to solve the mystery of the unearthed, unidentified skeleton in her small town of Carson, Missouri.  She joins forces with the very handsome Detective Mac McGregor.  As the cold case heats up, so do the sparks between them.  When the suspects begin dying in accidents, Lisa has no idea that the killer has targeted her next.  Can Mac save her?

Buried Secrets is a great example of romantic suspense.  The author makes it clear from the outset that Lisa and Mac will end up together.  The suspense kicks in about half-way through the book when the killer strikes.  It took me a while to get hooked by the book.  There were a couple of twists that kept me wondering, but the ending was not a surprise.  An astute reader can sense that the author is poised to continue the story of the McGregor family, so fans will want to read the next book.   It was a satisfactory read.

Muslim conversion story

Hiding in the Light by Rifqa Bary

Rifqa Bary wrote this book to give an accurate account of her personal experiences within her family and community.  In 2009-2010 her story broke in national and international media and intrigued many people.  I wanted to read her book to find out her side of the story.

She traces her story back to the day, when as a child, she sensed the Lord’s presence in a remarkable way.  As she becomes increasingly discontent with Islam, God continues to work in her life to call her to Himself.  During high school, she becomes a follower of Jesus and knows that she must hide this fact from her family.  One day, the unthinkable happens and her faith is discovered.  To save her life, she runs away.  But her struggle is only beginning.

I enjoyed Rifqa’s faith and how she trusted God to help her.  Her story is inspiring and enlightening.  It is invaluable to help us understand and reach out to our Muslim neighbors and converts.  I was thankful to have the opportunity to read her book.

 

 

Riveting historical fiction within present day fiction

The Sea Keeper’s Daughters by Lisa Wingate

Whitney Monroe is desperate to save her restaurant from a hostile takeover.  She hopes to rescue her business by selling her newly inherited, but dilapidated hotel, The Excelsior.  She travels from her home in Michigan to the outer banks of North Carolina to quickly settle her inheritance and hopefully turn a quick profit.  But her problems are not easily nor quickly solved.  She must deal with her estranged stepfather and the tenants who are determined to rescue the once-elegant building.  She stumbles across some family heirlooms that tell a fascinating love story.  Will these artifacts hold the key to her understanding her rather eccentric maternal grandmother?  Will they enable her to find a way to save the floundering restaurant?

This was the best book I have read in a long time.  I heartily recommend it.  Author Lisa Wingate skillfully weaves two tales, one of the present and one in the past, of Whitney and her ancestors.  Both storylines kept my attention.  I was fascinated by the tales of her ancestor Alice’s adventures as part of the federal writers program.  I was also kept on edge by the developing relationships Whitney had with her step-father, one of the building’s tenants and a real estate developer.

Lisa’s style is very easy to read and flows smoothly.  There are several different sub-plots, which add to the suspense of the story.  Of course, the ending has a real twist that I never saw coming.  Readers of Christian fiction, who enjoy non-preachy but riveting stories will really enjoy this book!