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ADULT
FICTION
Ten years later their lives again cross, this time
when Jade is in desperate need of a lawyer,
about to lose her only child because of her faith
in Christ; because of a bitter, angry husband
with intentions to destroy her. Tanner is the only
man who can help her in her darkest hour, yet so
much remains between them and only God can
heal the deep hurts each one harbors.
Author Karen Kingsbury ends the book with a
letter to the reader defining her intention in
writing A Moment of Weakness; the intention to
demonstrate God’s truth about sin, particularly
sexual sin, and His readiness to forgive and
welcome sinners with open arms. Although the
scenes of sexual desire are phrased delicately,
this book is not written for young people but
rather for adults. Its message is strong and clear
and belongs on the shelves of church libraries.
Ceil Carey, Young Adult Librarian, Plano, Illinois
The Omega deception, by John F. Bayer.
LCCN 99046480. Nashville: Broadman &
Holman, 2000. ISBN 0805419667, PAP,
$12.99.
F. World War, 1939-1945--Secret service--United
States--Fiction. 310 p. Adult.
German military top secret project code name
Omega Deception is being developed to
annihilate thousands of New York City
residence. Michael Jason Shaw, is recruited be
American intelligence to stop this massacre of
innocent people. This is the chance for
vengeance Michael has been waiting for since
he lost his beloved wife Barbara to a German
torpedo, three years ago.
Michael infiltrates the German military as an SS
officer assigned to oversee the Omega project.
Michael’s life is spared through one catastrophe
after another, and he finds himself praying and
regaining his trust in God. Unable to find a way
to keep the project from completion, Michael
finds himself on the U-boat with minutes to
launch, taking the last chance to save thousands
from a most painful death. Michael lays his life
on the line, knowing it is certain death. He races
to reprogram the rocket and fails. As the rocket
launches, Michael is blown into the freezing
water of the North Atlantic Ocean. God sends
an instant storm to change the path of the rocket,
and a cargo ship to pluck Michael out of the
water seconds before his death from exposure.
In The Omega Deception, author John E Bayer
could have a page-turner. The violence is in line
with the era and situation even though the
characters do not leave a lasting memory, and
the suspense stops short of being heart stopping.
The plot is well thought out and a good story
over-all. Glossary of German words is a great
help and makes the story seem more authentic.
Adult men who enjoy military history will find
the cover and the story line appealing.
Mari Williams, Literature Reviewer and Critic, Port Orchard,
Washington
Reaping the whirlwind : a Trent Tyson
historical mystery, by Rosey Dow. Fort
Mill, S.C.: Diadem Ministries, 2000. ISBN
1579212964, PAP, $15.99.
F. Scopes, John Thomas--Trials, litigation, etc.--
Fiction; Evolution--Study and teaching--Law and
legislation--Tennessee--Fiction. 399 p. Adult.
The Scopes trial is the background for this
murder mystery by author Rosie Dow. Deputy
Sheriff Trent Tyson, recently moved to Dayton,
Tennessee, finds suspicious deaths increasing in
number. He discovers poisoning in two of the
unexplained deaths and begins his investigation.
In the meantime, city leaders decide to challenge
the law about teaching evolution in school.
Finding an ally in John Scopes, a high school
science teacher, the town leaders fabricate
events to bring notoriety and business to their
small town. The reader travels with Tyson as he
struggles with his own faith while confronted
with the skepticism and anti-creation views of
his friend the local doctor. In the midst of the
sleuthing and self-discovery, Tyson’s father
comes for a visit and declares that he is now a
believer. The deputy’s whole foundation and
belief system is challenged and through the
course of the novel, he comes to terms with his
wife’s death and his beliefs in God.
In an attempt to educate people about the
importance of the landmark Scopes trial case,
author Rosey Dow chooses a unique and
interesting way of presenting the material in
Reaping the Whirlwind. The mysterious deaths,
budding relationships, and introspective
musings are enough to make this book a pageturner.
She keeps the reader in suspense as to
who the real killer is while allowing interesting
glimpses into the mind of Trent Tyson as he
comes to terms with his own beliefs. The
characterizations are tight and consistent and the
dialogue realistic. Dow also includes enough
subplots to keep the story moving at a quick
pace.
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North
Dakota
The redemption of Sarah Cain, by Beverly
Lewis. LCCN 00009407. Minneapolis:
Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 0764223291,
PAP, $9.99.
F. Lancaster County (Pa.)--Fiction; Guardian and
ward--Fiction; Orphans--Fiction; Aunts--Fiction;
Amish--Fiction. 316 p. Adult.
Embittered by being made to feel inferior by her
older sister, and emotionally wounded by the
death of one of her students, Sarah Cain gives up
her teaching job and pours her life into the fast
track of real estate, high commissions, and an
extravagant lifestyle. However, when Ivy, her
widowed sister, dies and names Sarah guardian
of her five Amish children, Sarah is forced to
deal with her bitterness and grief in a way she
never would have dreamed.
At first the “plain” life-style seems stark and
oppressive to Sarah, the “fancy Englisher.”
Eager to return to her “real” life in Oregon,
Sarah immediately makes plans to find an
Amish family to take over the children’s
guardianship. During her stay with Ivy’s
children, Sarah begins to develop great respect
for Lydia, the oldest, who keeps the family
together and the farm running. And she finds
that little Anna Mae, who struggles mightily to
come to terms with her mother’s death, tugs at
her heart in a way that her former student did.
Gradually, the Amish ways become more
appealing to Sarah in her search for peace. As
Sarah reads her sister’s journals, she discovers
the transformation her sister underwent when
she accepted Christ as her Savior. Sarah, too,
comes to know the Lord, and decides to stay on
as the children’s guardian.
The Redemption of Sarah Cain, by Beverly
Lewis, is a story of hope and healing. It
illustrates the subtle ways greed can infiltrate
our lives, and reminds us that ultimately, the
things of this world will not satisfy us. While
the story does not specifically promote the
Amish lifestyle, it makes one want to take a
deep breath, slow down a bit, and appreciate
life’s many blessings. As with Lewis’ other
books, the characters are richly developed, and
endear themselves to the reader; their struggles
with life are real, and answers to their problems
do not come easily—but eventually they do
come, in the Lord’s timing.
Sherri Beeler, Teacher, Cascade Christian High School, Medford,
Oregon
The rose legacy, by Kristen Heitzmann.
(Diamond of the Rockies; 1.) LCCN
00009990. Minneapolis: Bethany House,
2000. ISBN 076422381X, PAP, $10.99.
F. Italian Americans--Colorado--Fiction; Women
pioneers--Fiction; Colorado--Fiction; Christian fiction;
Western stories; Love stories. 395 p. Adult (High
school).
Ten thousand feet up in the crags of the
Colorado Rockies, nestles the throbbing mining
town of Crystal. With all of her belongings
trashed at the bottom of a cliff and her hot Italian
blood bubbling, Carina determines to claim the
home she purchased through the ad that enticed
her to this drab hole. Carina finds her home
already occupied by coarse characters, so she
marches to the nearest lawyer’s office and is
heartily welcomed and reassured that her
concerns will be cared for. Carina unwittingly
becomes immersed in the underbelly of
malevolent politics fueled by the town’s legends
and superstitions.
The Rose Legacy is an abandoned gold mine
with an eerie history, and Quillan is a by-product
of its deceased owners. His father was a savage
and his mother a prostitute. He tries to maintain
a low profile in Crystal to keep from disturbing
sleeping memories. But due to Carina’s
nosiness about the history of the mine, tensions
escalate to volcanic proportions and burst,
engulfing the citizens of Crystal. The aftermath
leads to vigilante justice and grisly death.
Author of the Rocky Mountain Legacy series,
Kristen Heitzmann’s talent has evolved with The
Rose Legacy which begins the Diamond of the
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