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ADULT FICTION problems which they face in their personal lives, crises of faith, family, and career. Authors Judith Pella and Tracie Peterson show their expertise as Christian writers in creating believable characters who are able to live and share their faith without clubbing others over the head with it. Their witness is natural without resorting to fantastic miracles and instantaneous conversions to make their point. Judy Driscoll, Retired Teacher, Poulsbo, Washington True devotion, by Dee Henderson. (Palisades pure romance.) LCCN 00008387. Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah, 2000. ISBN 1576736202, PAP, $6.99. F. United States. Navy. SEALS--Fiction; Widows-- Fiction; Christian fiction; Love stories. 352 p. Adult (High school). SEAL is the acronym for an elite branch of the U. S. Navy special forces. From the sea, air, or land, they get the job done. This is the basis upon which True Devotion is built. Kelly, a young widow whose SEAL husband Nick is killed in the line of duty, grapples with her loss. Blaming God, she feigns spirituality before everyone, and now caught in the ocean’s riptide while attempting to rescue a surfer, they drift further out to sea. With plenty of time to scrutinize her life and possible death she confesses her folly. Joe, Nick’s buddy and their mutual friend, is Kelly’s mainstay when she needs emotional cleansing and support following Nick’s death. They explore the possibility of becoming more than friends, but have many issues to surmount. Kelly yearns for a family but is reluctant to risk being a SEAL wife again. Joe is in the SEALs to stay and cannot justify being an absent father while on lengthy missions. Both determine to seek God’s will and guidance as they explore furthering their relationship. Dee Henderson infuses this romance with facts regarding the tactics and terminology of a Navy SEAL team and briefly explains where she diverges from fact. She details several SEAL team missions which injects a bit of action and mystery as the plot unfolds. The characters interact realistically as they resolve their respective grief as spouse and friend. The conclusion is weakened by a sense of deja vu because Kelly again finds herself floating in the ocean awaiting rescue. Debbie Lindsay, Homeschool Parent, Eatonville, Washington Unseen riches, by Gilbert Morris and J. Landon Ferguson. (The chronicles of the golden frontier; 2.) LCCN 98051867. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1999. ISBN 1581340222, PAP, $11.99. F. Newspaper publishing--Fiction; Women publishers- -Fiction; Colorado--Fiction; Western stories; Love stories. 332 p. Adult. Newspaper editor, Jennifer DeSpain, and Jason Stone, her assistant, have established a successful newspaper in Virginia City during Nevada’s gold rush. Now they are ready to face new challenges. Jennifer, her children, Jason, and their good friends Lita and Abe are moving to Black Hawk, Colorado, to establish a newspaper in the Colorado gold fields. On the train to Colorado, the notorious Kissing Bandit steals all of Jennifer’s money as well as a kiss. Although all of Jennifer’s capital for the newspaper is gone, Jason and Abe still have some money, which they pool to get the paper started. A serious accident leaves Jason paralyzed, and Jennifer is unable to print the newspaper by herself. Help comes in the form of a preacher and a handsome rancher. In Unseen Riches, Jennifer, her family, and friends face the temptations and tragedies of life in the Colorado gold fields together, but they all must work out their own problems through their faith in God. How they accomplish this, get the scoop of the century for the newspaper, and discover the identity of the Kissing Bandit keeps the reader turning pages right to the end. Unseen Riches is the second in The Chronicles of the Golden Frontier Series. The reader who has not read Riches Untold may have a difficult time understanding the relationship between the characters. Although this book is historical fiction, some great liberties have been taken with history, with the characters riding from Salt Lake through the Colorado Rockies to Golden, Colorado. Actually, the Union Pacific ran north of Colorado through Wyoming to avoid the mountains. However, this book is exciting with a good Christian message. Hopefully the reader may also be inspired to read other true stories about heroines of the Colorado gold rush including Virginia Cornell’s Doc Susie: The True Story of a Country Physician in the Colorado Rockies, Ballantine Books, 1992. Many excellent books have also been written about the “unsinkable” Molly Brown, who not only survived the gold rush, but was also a heroine of the sinking of the Titanic. Virginia Brown, Library Assistant, Freelance Writer, Former Teacher, Sheridan, Wyoming Unveiled, by Francine Rivers. (Lineage of grace.) LCCN 99086431. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 2000. ISBN 0842319476, HBB, $12.99. F. Tamar, daughter-in-law of Judah--Fiction; Bible. O.T. Genesis--History of Biblical events--Fiction; Women in the Bible--Fiction; Biographical fiction; Religious fiction. 173 p. Adult. Given in marriage to unite two households, fourteen-year-old Tamar finds herself in an unloving and abusive marriage. Accepting the physical abuse from her husband and verbal abuse from mother-in-law, Tamar dedicates herself to becoming the best person and wife she can be. When her husband chokes to death without leaving an heir, Tamar is given to Onan, the second son. Instead of wanting to impregnate her, Onan spills his seed and again Tamar is left childless. Onan dies suddenly and Judah, son of Jacob and brother of Joseph, sends Tamar back to her father’s house, despite the fact that she should be given to the youngest son in marriage. Tamar struggles for over six years to accept her fate. She has forsaken the Canaanite gods and yearns to know Judah’s God. In a final act of desperation, Tamar disguises herself as a temple prostitute and lures her father-in-law to sleep with her. She becomes pregnant and averts death when Judah realizes he is the father. Author Francine Rivers does a masterful job in Unveiled. She takes a small story in the Bible with one-dimensional people and brings them to life. The characterization is strong and consistent and the dynamics between the people realistic. At the end of this novella there is a sixsection study designed to give the reader more information from the Bible about Tamar and her story. This study can be done individually or in a group setting and helps the reader see the Biblical story in a new light. Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North Dakota When joy came to stay, by Karen Kingsbury. LCCN 00009451. Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah, 2000. ISBN 1576737462, PAP, $11.99. F. Women--Fiction; Identity (Psychology)--Fiction; Psychological fiction; Christian fiction; Depression-- Fiction. 387 p. Adult. Picture-perfect Maggie Stovall puts her name into the church’s prayer circle basket. When assigned to pray, Laura is faithful to the leading of God to pray at odd times and places, and the cracks in the mask begin to show. As Maggie experiences bizarre occurrences that lead her to fear a nervous breakdown, she checks herself into a private Christian hospital. In When Joy Came to Stay Karen Kingsbury manages to refer to a brief seduction in the past with no doubt that the consequences of that sin and the subsequent deception about the birth of a daughter given up for adoption have seeded Maggie’s current difficulty. Maggie deludes herself that her husband Ben is to blame because of his standards of purity that engendered her fear of disclosure. Fearing that she will be unacceptable to him when the truth comes out, she refuses to see him and demands a divorce. Finally recognizing the necessity of vulnerability for growth and healing, Maggie finds her way through a maze of self-deceit and guilt to sort out the conflicts that have shortcircuited her life. Her bewildered husband, an assistant DA too busy building his career to see his wife’s pain until her abrupt departure, begins an odyssey to discover the reason for her behavior and any possible way out of the confusion for both of them. The truths discovered are made more difficult, as they are first thrown at him by a despicable character he can’t believe that Maggie ever knew. As he fits more pieces to the puzzle he fights through rage to indifference. Then surprised by a fierce love for the child he finds whose hope and faith overcomes her sadness, Ben is led to compassion. He becomes S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 6 8 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
ADULT FICTION determined to reach his wife, ask for forgiveness and convince her of his continued love. Even though it is a novel rather than a dry treatise on a mental disorder, this book pictures potentially real behaviors and experiences related to depression. Characters as revealed through dialogue and description of their emotions and actions are realistic. Motivations as people struggle with their circumstances, stretching their faith are believable. Although there is graphic description of the abuse suffered by the child in the story, the ending is a hoped for and predictable, if idealized one. Both husband and wife learn about the cost of deception, the healing of truth and forgiveness, the power of God’s kind of love, and the reality of intercessory prayer as a source of spiritual strength. The reader is drawn repeatedly to trust in God over personal understanding. The faithfulness of God sustains the characters and the reader to a joyful resolution. Carol B. Taylor, Freelance Writer, Certified Social Worker, Poulsbo, Washington When shadows fall, by Patricia H. Rushford. (Helen Bradley mysteries.) LCCN 00008487. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 155661733X, PAP, $9.99. F. Christian fiction; Mystery and detective stories; Policewomen--Fiction; Bradley, Helen (Fictitious character)--Fiction. 238 p. Adult (High school). Helen Bradley, retired police officer, once again proves her agility when she survives being locked in a storage closet, pushed onto rocks, shot at, banged on the nose by a fleeing culprit, and being in a car accident. All this happens because Helen, a retired policewoman, cannot resist the temptation to help investigate two murders at Bay Village on the Oregon coast. Before Helen and the police find answers for all the questions facing them, they must solve a third murder. Rosie, Helen’s best friend, acts irresponsibly, and evidence of her involvement in the crimes goes against her. Additional complications arise when a newcomer claims his father was one of the murder victims. Helen plunges headlong into the situation in spite of her own personal crisis. Why did J.B., her husband of only a short while, suddenly leave one morning without an explanation? Helen wants to believe he had to return to another undercover job, even though retired. On the other hand, dubious thoughts make her wonder, “Is he seeing another woman?” Patricia H. Rushford takes readers on a busy spin from first to last in When Shadows Fall. At the end, everything becomes clear, and Helen discovers her worst fears have melted away. This Helen Bradley #4 will not disappoint anyone who has met her before. Once again Rushford brings her to life with everyday details—the kind of tea Helen prefers, color and style of clothes, feelings and emotions. The conversational writing style helps readers feel as if they participate in Helen’s life. She’s a good friend to take along on vacation or to invite in for a lazy day of reading. Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg, Oregon Whispering stones, by Sally Hawthorne. LCCN 98040562. San Antonio: Langmarc Publishing, 1998. ISBN 1880292602, PAP, $12.95. F. Grandmothers--Arizona--Fiction; Castles--Arizona- -Fiction. 192 p. Adult (High school). Sari Wyatt resents being ordered to Arizona by a grandmother she has never met. Raised in India by her missionary parents, Sari blames her grandmother for much of the hardship in her life and harbors bitter feelings toward her. On arriving in Arizona, Sari discovers her grandmother lives in a castle and is a real Duchess. Although Monty, her grandmother’s adopted son, tries to reassure her, Sari wonders if the Whispering Stones in her bedroom are warning her to leave. Surprised to hear her grandmother has disappeared before she arrived, Sari is more surprised when no one seems to care. The whispering Sari heard is explained when she finds a secret passage in the wall. Oscar Drayton, her grandmother’s lawyer, is found stabbed. Jessica, Monty’s wife, becomes increasingly resentful of Sari. Ron, Jessica’s cousin, wants to know Sari better. Although Sari broke her engagement to Michael before leaving New York, she still loves him and can’t understand her attraction to Ron. While searching her grandmother’s room for clues to where she may be, Marianne, the maid, interrupts and challenges Sari to forgive her grandmother. Realizing she needs God’s help to resolve her problems, Sari asks Him to forgive her. Although there are still questions to be answered and problems to be resolved, Sari is now able to face them. Sally Hawthorne spins a tale of love and forgiveness. Her love and knowledge of castles is evident. Each chapter ends with a situation that urges you to read on. Barbara Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington Woman of means, by Thom Lemmons. (Daughters of faith; 2.) LCCN 99088654. Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah, 2000. ISBN 1576736121, PAP, $10.99. F. Lydia (Biblical character)--Fiction; Bible. N.T.-- History of Biblical events--Fiction; Women in the Bible--Fiction; Biographical fiction; Christian fiction. 346 p. Adult (High school). Woman of Means is a story of Lydia, the woman mentioned in Acts 16:14 as a dealer in purple cloth. From Lydia’s deathbed the story is told in a series of flashbacks that are at times, confusing and disruptive to the smooth flow of the storyline. The reader learns of Lydia’s young love for Menander in a flashback, also of her fascination with the apostle Paul at a later date. Lydia, as a young girl, is a headstrong tomboy. Her mother is absorbed in arts, drama, and music. Her father spends most of his time on his business, which leaves Lydia to her own devices. At sixteen she falls in love with Menander, and against her father’s better judgement he agrees to their marriage. After their first child is born, Menander decides to join the army. Shortly after he leaves, Lydia discovers she is pregnant again. When Menander is killed, Lydia is left to fend for herself and her children. In a time when women did not normally deal in the world of commerce, Lydia makes her mark in Philippi. Even when she becomes a Christian late in life, her faith doesn’t seem to do much for her irascible character. Author, Thom Lemmons has done his research. Careful attention to details puts the reader into the Roman colony of Philippi of 28 A.D. The characters drink wine, a normal part of that culture and does not depict drunkenness. Myrtlemay Pittman Crane, Freelance Writer, Editor, Alderwood Manor, Washington C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 6 9 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
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Page 87 and 88: INDEX David Livingstone 41 Davidson
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