The Rector: A Christian Murder Mystery (The Solo Ladies Bible Study Book 1) by Michael Hicks Thompson A Review

ABOUT THE RECTOR
The Rector: A Christian Murder Mystery (The Solo Ladies Bible Study Book 1)

If Solo, Mississippi, had any claim to fame in the 1950s, it was due to the small town’s proximity to notorious Parchman Farm Penitentiary.

When the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church dies suddenly, most locals believe he had a heart attack. Martha McRae, widow and owner of the local newspaper and boarding house, disagrees. She knows the young rector was carrying on with Martha’s friend, Mary Magden Grater, wife of the wealthy Capp Grater. Martha believes Capp had more than enough motive for murder.

Martha’s suspicions go unvoiced—in part because she hopes to shield Mary’s past from public scrutiny and in part because the new rector captures her attention. Father Cain’s brand of prosperity preaching and good works captivate everyone in town, but something about the man doesn’t sit well with Martha.

Then Cain is murdered. Everyone’s a suspect. Including Martha. When the new rector arrives, she encounters a different sort of puzzle. One that takes her into Parchman Penitentiary where she comes face to face with evil.

The Rector is a thrilling mix of mystery, suspense, and Christian allegory. Solo may be a speck on the map, but a story as large as the heavens is playing out in its boundaries

File Size: 2177 KB
Print Length: 372 pages
Publisher: Shepherd King Publishing, LLC (actual publication release date is February 7, 2016); 1 edition (February 8, 2016)
Publication Date: February 8, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B01BLWL4L4

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MICHAEL HICKS THOMPSON was born in his mother's own bed. Raised on a farm in Mississippi, he claims to know a thing or two about small towns, strong women, and alcoholic men. And Jesus. He graduated from Ole Miss, served in the military, then received a masters degree in mass communication from the University of South Carolina. Married to Tempe Adams for forty-four years, he lives in Memphis, Tennessee. He's the father of three Christian men, grandfather of four, and mortgage holder of a home full of toys. The Rector is his sixth novel. Michael founded an advertising agency in 1977 that grew into a multi-city, multi-service marketing organization with 87 employees, which he sold in 2011. Michael has written movie scripts and novels, is a self-taught artist of religious works, a licensed offshore sailor, and scuba diver. He's traveled to Cuba twice on door-to-door evangelism mission trips, is a member of Kairos prison ministry, and member of IPC Church for 36 years.

MY REVIEW
  The Rector by Michael Hicks Thompson is a good novel. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I enjoyed it. I love thrillers that involve murder and mystery and The Rector didn't disappoint.
   You won’t believe all of the twists and turns this novel takes you on. You will believe you know who was murdered the victim and why, but you will be mistaken. Not just one person is murdered or dies in this novel, but several. The plot really gets you thinking and guessing about what really happened.          
   The characters are well developed and believable. The one who solve the murders is a woman who is in a Bible study group. She never does everything alone, she always involves the sheriff or local police.  This book is witty and funny with very serious parts. That will make you think and get involved.  I really enjoyed The Rector. It is really a great mystery that has many thrilling suspenseful moments.
     Highly recommend. Great job to the author.

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Thank you to the  Author/Publicist  for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

The Sanctuary by Ted Dekker*A Review

ABOUT THE SANCTUARY
THE SANCTUARY is the gripping story of vigilante priest, Danny Hansen, who is now serving a fifty year prison term in California for the murder of two abusive men. Filled with remorse, Danny is determined to live out his days by a code of non-violence and maneuvers deftly within a ruthless prison system.

But when Renee Gilmore, the woman he loves, receives a box containing a bloody finger and draconian demands from a mysterious enemy on the outside, Danny must find a way to escape.

They are both drawn into a terrifying game of life and death. If Renee fails, the priest will die; if Danny fails, Renee will die. And the body count will not stop at two.

THE SANCTUARY is Ted Dekker at his best, a powerful thriller that relentlessly plumbs the depths of punishment and rehabilitation, both in a flawed corrections system and in the human heart.

Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Center Street (October 30, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599953358
ISBN-13: 978-1599953359
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds

ABOUT TED DEKKER
Ted Dekker was born to missionaries and grew up among cannibals of Indonesia, and his peculiar upbringing gives him a unique perspective outside the cultural bubble, allowing him the freedom to share provocative insights in his fiction. After leaving Indonesia, Ted  Dekker graduated from a multi-cultural high school and took up permanent residence in the United States, earning his B.A. in philosophy and religion, and then went into business.
In the early nineties, Ted decided to pursue his desire to write fiction, selling his company, moving his family to the mountains of western Colorado, and writing full-time. Two years and three books later his first novel, a supernatural thriller called Heaven's Wager, was published. Ted proceeded to write 6 more supernatural thrillers, rising to the top of many bestsellers lists and earning himself critical acclaim and legions of fans. "Thr3e" heralded his launch into mainstream fiction and was followed by "Obsessed," "Skin," "Adam," and "BoneMan's Daughters," all of which hit the New York Times bestseller list.
Ted Dekker's fans are comprised of readers of all ages, backgrounds, and belief systems who love his compulsively readable stories, authentic characters, and universal and relatable themes that he explores from a unique point of view.
He resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and children. You can find him at Teddekker.com and Facebook.com/teddekker.


MY REVIEW
  I enjoyed the first book I read of Danny the priest and this one was just as good. I didn’t see any way it could end well, but it did.
  The love Danny and Renee have for each other is amazing. Even when they are separated for years when he is in prison, they still have such a strong love that nothing or no one can change.
  Danny has taken a code of not being violent and has kept to it for years, but he get transferred to a new prison where the warden is determined to make Danny pay for his sins and tries to get Danny to be violent. What does it take to make Danny violent or will he become violent?
  Renee tries to help Danny because she has been told that he will die if she doesn’t do the crazy, insane requests of someone who is tormenting her. She gets help from a former cop/lawyer. Is he a help or hindrance to Renee?
  I enjoyed this book, because it is full of thrilling scenes and won’t let you put it down until you reach the last page. I LOVED the ending. If you are a thriller fan or fan of Ted Dekker you really will want to read this book.

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I received my free copy from Sarah Reck at Center Street/HachetteBookGroup, for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255