THE PRESENCE BY T. DAVIS BUNN

THE PRESENCE by DAVIS BUNN is the story of what happens when a man is totally obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit in his life.  
T.J. Case has the support of his wife Catherine, and his best friend Jeremy Hughes, when, after a vision where he feels the Presence of the Lord very strongly, he is led to leave his law practice and go to Washington.  He is asked to come to Washington by congressman Silverwood, to work on the government's education policy.  Silverman is very ambitious and feels that having a black man who is a Republican there will further his cause. T.J has been in politics before, having run as a Republican candidate, without success, and is passionate about children's education, especially wanting government to have a programme for gifted children.  He is even more passionate about Christian parents having the right to choose Christian education for their children, and wants the government to subsidize this.  He becomes unpopular when he speaks on television about his ideas for education, and is adamant that the people of America, especially those in government, need to turn to God for the answers to the problems the country is facing.  He has also started a Bible study before work each morning, beginning with one person, Bella Saunders, the numbers rising quickly to about five hundred.  Most of the people in the office want nothing to do with him and his strange ideas, but he is well supported by John Nakamashi and two young girls who work for him who are committed Christians themselves. They feel it is an honour to be involved in the Lord's work. 
T.J. is called before the president who is about to fire him for giving interviews without permission, but T.J. is given a prophetic word from the Lord which he delivers to the president, who is struck dumb!
Jeremy is a humble man and he comes to Washington as T.J.'s servant.  He is a white man with not much education, but who has become rich through hard work.  T.J. was his lawyer and gave him good advice and they came to trust one another, both being strong believers. He becomes involved in the Community of Hope where he uses his entrepreneurial skills and his money to rebuild the dilapidated apartment buildings in the area.  Catherine becomes involved with the poor and abused children.  With the help of Senator Atterly, a committed Christian and faithful member of the morning prayer group, dishonesty in the awarding of building contracts in the area is uncovered and the Community of Hope gets even more contracts than they had originally tendered for.  
This is T. Davis Bunn's first novel and it really is worth reading.  There is so much truth in this book, it is filled with Scripture that is so relevant in this day and age, and the way in which T.J. humbly allows himself to be led by the Presence of the Holy Spirit in his life, even in the face of danger, is beautifully portrayed.  Love and loyalty, honesty, commitment and obedience are some of the subjects that are brought to light.  I can highly recommend this book.

THE INCUMBENT & BEFORE ANOTHER DIES BY ALTON GANSKY

 THE INCUMBENT AND BEFORE ANOTHER DIES by ALTON GANSKY.
These two novels are political thrillers with a definite Christian message.  They are very well written and well worth reading.  The descriptions are particularly good and make you feel you are right there!
In The Incumbent we are introduced to Madison Glenn, mayor of Santa Rita.  Her normally organized life is disrupted when three people who are connected to her disappear, one after the other, and when one of them ends up dead. 
Maddie is a widow, and she is still trying to come to grips with her loss, when she is hit by one kidnapping after another.  All the people who are missing are connected to her mayoral campaign, and, whilst she has some loyal supporters at the office, she has two who work together to thwart her at every turn. They seem to be more worried about what effect this will have on them as members of the city council than what it means to those who have been kidnapped and to their families. 
Maddie is close to her parents and to her aide Randi, and has a close friend in Dr Jerry West who she dated in college, but who is now just a friend.  Her friends and her parents are determined to keep her safe. She is afraid of being the next victim but is also determined not to be overcome by fear.  She is having trouble doing her work, which she normally loves.
When Lisa Truccoli is abducted, her daughter Celeste comes to live with Maddie, who reaches out to her from her own pain, her husband Peter having been senselessly murdered by highjackers. Celeste's estranged father is an angry man, and causes a lot of trouble when Celeste refuses to see him, and then only doing so to tell him to leave Maddie alone.  
Detective Judson West is the officer in charge of the investigations.  He is very well built and good looking, and Randi and Celeste tease Maddie about him.
There are many twists in the story.  We see how Maddie finds out something about her husband, Peter, that she didn't know, and how this affects her.  We find her committing her life to the Lord when Paul, the owner of the Fish Kettle, shares the truth of the Gospel with her.
In Before Another Dies, we find Maddie Glenn, still recovering from all she has gone through, faced with a dead man in a parked car in her mayoral parking place. When Chief Webb and detective Judson West decide that the man has been murdered the nightmare starts all over again.  There are two more murders, and there is a pattern that shows a definite connection with a late night radio broadcast with very weird subject matter.  There is reason to believe through these sinister messages that Maddie is to be the next victim.
In this novel Maddie is campaigning for congress.  Her friend and campaign manager, Nat, is a fascinating woman and she helps Maddie keep her focus.  When Maddie complains about all she has lost , Nat reminds her that she, Nat, who is confined to a wheelchair due to a car accident, has lost the use of two legs, one arm, and all chance of marriage and having children.
Maddie's new faith is a source of great strength to her, but she has always found it hard curbing her tongue, and from time to time still lashes out as she used to do before becoming a Christian.
Maddie has a new aide, Floyd Grecian, the son of her pastor.  Floyd is a lovable character, although rather scatty and unfocused.  He puts his life on the line to try and solve the murders, and we also see Jerry's devotion in saving her life.  
Maddie is a strong charactered woman, who works long hours and who is dedicated to doing what is right.  She is loyal to her family, friends and supporters, and can't bear the thought of bringing danger upon anyone through their connection to her.  With the danger she goes through she calls out to the Lord for His protection and we see Him coming through for her.
The novel is fast-paced and exciting, with much intrigue and keeps one guessing until the end.

THE LAST PLEA BARGAIN BY RANDY SINGER

RANDY SINGER is a writer of courtroom drama with a definite twist.  I have read most of his novels and enjoyed them all.  THE LAST PLEA BARGAIN is well worth reading as it is not only very exciting and well written, but there is a definite Christian message.
Jamie Brock, the protagonist, is assistant DA for Milton County.  Her boss, William Masterton, is campaigning for higher office, and he has the backing of all those who work for him.  
Jamie's father is dying, and both he and she are waiting for the execution of Antoine Marshall who was convicted many years before for murdering her mother and shooting her father.  Jamie's mother was a clinical psychologist who was well known in legal circles for her court testimonies.  Jamie misses her mother terribly and determined to get justice for her. Jamie's father was a defense attorney with an impeccable record - until there were rumours of illegal activities.
The two people who broke down her father's eye-witness testimony are Mace James, a former convicted criminal who is now a defense lawyer, and Caleb Tate, a successful attorney who heads up his own prestigious law firm.  Jamie is determined to see Antoine get his due and dislikes the two men intensely for disrespecting her father.  
Jamie loves her father, and goes to see him often in hospital, even though he has had two strokes and can't respond to her.  Her father dies and Antoine's execution is stayed once again. 
Jamie's brother, Chris, is a pastor and he is a great support to his sister.
Jamie lives in her parents' home, the one in which her mother is murdered, with her dog Justice.  Justice is great company, but not much of a watch dog, loving everyone and licking them to death!
When Caleb Tate's former showgirl wife dies from a drug overdose, Jamie goes all out to prove that he murdered her.  She had become a Christian and, amongst other things, Jamie felt that Caleb didn't like his "trophy" wife's religious conversion.
Jamie has always been against plea bargains, but there is a sinister turn around amongst the criminals who refuse all plea bargains and cause a tremendous logjam in the judicial system.  
Mace James, who has been in jail himself, has become a Christian and so has Antoine, although many people think the latter may not be sincere - just trying to evade the death penalty.  Mace knows that Antoine has definitely made a commitment to Christ.  Mace is against the death penalty and does all he can to save his client's life.
There is a strong message of the importance of forgiveness, of the danger of judging others and jumping to conclusions about people, and of the search for truth. Things definitely aren't always as they seem! It is when Jamie has a near death experience that she is drawn back to the God with whom she has been so angry for so long - ever since her mother's horrible death.  
The novel is exciting and the characters are well portrayed.  It is a "must read" for anyone who enjoys court room thrillers.

PROVIDENCE BY CHRIS COPPERNOLL

PROVIDENCE by CHRIS COPPERNOLL.
I have just read this novel for the second time, the first being some time ago. It is an interesting book and I can highly recommend it.  I enjoyed it very much.
Jack Clayton, the protagonist, is talked into writing his own life story after he has had great success with his third published book about the work of the Campus Missions Office in Providence. This leads to tremendous healing in his life and a much closer walk with the Lord as he faces the past and deals with it.  Being a very private person, he refuses to be interviewed by the media, and, whilst he writes about others, he doesn't write anything about himself.  This makes people, especially the media, suspicious.  He has become extremely rich through the success of his books, and they feel he is hypocritical being so rich and yet being known as "pastor to the poor". He really doesn't want to write this biography, not caring at all what people think of him, but when his best friends say he should go ahead and do it, even though it will mean time away from the office and more work for them, he agrees to do so, much to the relief of his publisher and agent Arthur Reed.  He also gets a strong feeling that the Lord is leading him to write this book for a reason.  He knows that it will be painful but he is determined to follow the Lord wherever He leads.  He is a man of forty who is forced to look back at his life and deal with so much - especially his guilt feelings about his treatment of Jenny, the love of his life, and his best friend Mitch's death, which he feels is his fault, as indeed it seemed to be.
He has known Mitch all his life and it is when Mitch comes to Chicago to talk some sense into Jack that he gets shot in Jack's roommate's car in a drug deal gone bad.  Although Jack doesn't do drugs or drink, he mixes with really bad types.  He has run away to get away from commitment - he is young and immature and selfish and breaks Jenny's heart.  Mitch is engaged to Erin and the wedding is to be in two week's time.
He remembers with longing the uncomplicated and happy days at college where he and Jenny, Mitch and Erin, made up a foursome and had so much fun together.
After Mitch's funeral, Jenny tries to take Jack back to Providence with her so that he can heal, but he runs off to Albuquerque where he lives the life of a hobo and is mugged and left for dead.  He ends up badly injured in hospital.
Jenny has gone to London to minister with her parents in their mission work and Jack  uses his last bit of money to fly out there for a surprise visit to Jenny.  He is devastated to find that she is getting married in two weeks' time.  He tries to talk her out of it, and when that doesn't work he comes to the end of himself down by the Thames and cries out to God to save him.  Here he makes a commitment to serve the Lord and follow Him which leads to his work at Campus Missions and working amongst the poor.  He becomes extremely rich and quite well known for his book "Labourers in the Orchard" and no-one knows that he lives very simply and gives away most of his money.
He is badly criticized by the press, especially by a hostile reporter called Bud Abbott, who writes an article full of lies about him because he refuses to be interviewed.  To the world it looks as though he has something to hide, but he doesn't want to be in the limelight.  He wants the Lord to have all the glory for everything he has achieved as he knows how he messed things up when he tried doing things in his own strength.  He does something quite rash when he tells Bud he wants him to write the book with him and that he will tell the whole story, leaving nothing out.  In spite of Bud's antagonism towards him he knows it is God who has called him to do this.
Eventually, through the writing of this his last book, he comes across Jenny again.  She and her parents and her sons have moved back to the States.  He meets her by chance, but he knows that it is the Lord who has orchestrated the meeting.  He knows that all things do indeed work together for good for those who are called according to God's purpose.
The novel is beautifully written and full of scriptural truth and insight into human nature.  We see the Lord's great love for His children and how He is the God of second chances.  As Jack is totally sold out to the Lord and His purposes, he is finally reunited with the love of his life. We see how important it is not to dwell on the past.  Jack is amazed at the fact that those he has hurt through his immature actions, including Jenny's parents, Jenny, Erin's parents and his mother, Marianne, have forgiven him long ago. Through the painful journey through his past, wishing he had done things differently, he comes into peace and joy.  This narrative of Jack's journey through life is well worth reading.

DOWNFALL BY TERRI BLACKSTOCK

DOWNFALL by TERRI BLACKSTOCK is the third and final book in the INTERVENTION series.  The novel can be read on its own, but I feel you will get more out of it if you read all three books in sequence.  
I reviewed VICIOUS CYCLE, the second book in the series, in June 2011.  The theme of the danger of drug addiction, the importance of family values, the tremendous pull that drugs have on young people who are struggling with family situations and with feelings of insecurity - especially the desire to belong and be popular - is carried through in this book.  We see that deliverance from addiction is a daily thing, and that it is very easy for an addict to be pulled back into using again.  We see Emily using the Word of God by quoting scriptures that she learnt when undergoing rehab to help her stay clean and close to the Lord.
Barbara Covington has moved her family to Atlanta for two reasons, the first being to remove Emily from the temptation of living in the same city as her former druggie friends, and the second to be near Kent Harlan, the detective who has helped them so much and with whom she has fallen in love.  There has been such a lot of media coverage of Emily's addiction, her disappearance from home, her stint in jail where she was falsely accused of murder, and her bravery in trying to help her friend who was in trouble, and all this seems to have followed them there as well.  Lance was happy at school in Jeff city and had lots of friends and was looked upon as a hero for his bravery.   He is not happy at his new school, where he is seen as a dork. He is still recovering from being shot, and looks a bit weak, and no-one wants to believe his stories.  The only friend he has at achool is April, but she has an unhealthy interest in Tyson, a drug dealer and a really bad influence.  Lance spends time with the two of them as he is trying to protect April from Tyson.  He ends up saving her life and becoming a real hero and suddenly very popular!
When Emily's car is blown up and things seem to go from bad to worse in her life, her mother is afraid that her daughter is using again.  She is very suspicious of her, especially when she stays out late with her friends.  Emily knows that her addiction has cost her family tremendous pain, and this upsets her terribly.  She is working hard at college and at making something of her life, but when she is suspected of Cassandra Carter's murder, she realizes that her past makes people ready to blame her, even though she is not guilty.  
On Saturdays Emily works at Haven House, a place for recovering addicts, and when Devon Lawrence, the wife of Bo Lawrence, a former inmate of Haven House ends up murdered in her home, Emily gets involved in a real web of intrigue that is nearly the end of her and her family.  She is set up by a psychopathic killer who calls himself the Avenger, and whose main aim is to destroy her and her family.  The devil is using him to try and bring about Emily's downfall.
The book is exciting and the drug theme is very relevant in the day and age that we live in.  Once again we see the Lord coming through for the Covington family.  We see the love that Barbara has for her children and also the love that  Kent has for her and her children.  He looks upon Emily and Lance as his own.  We see how he calms Barbara down when she gets hysterical with fear for them.  The emotions of a mother who has gone through so much with an addict in the family are very well portrayed, as are those of Lance, the brother who has been through a lot of pain because of his sister's past behaviour, and also those of Emily who is trying so hard to live her life to the glory of God and is afraid that she will never be able to get away from her past.  We see how the family have grown in their trust in God.  I feel the whole series is well worth reading and there is a strong Christian message.  There is hope for those who put their trust in the Lord, in spite of their past history, and He truly can change lives.

PEARL IN THE SAND BY TESSA AFSHAR

PEARL IN THE SAND by TESSA AFSHAR is a beautifully written novel telling Rahab's story.We start with Rahab being forced into a life of prostitution at the age of fifteen in order to save her family from starvation and financial ruin.  We see how this devastated her, especially as she felt betrayed by her precious "Abba".  We see how she felt unworthy and unloved, and how this affected her relationship with others and also how these feelings nearly destroyed her relationship with Salmone.  We come to know Salmone too, as he struggles with his feelings for Rahab and we see how his pride as a leader of the Hebrews is nearly his downfall, thinking at first that a Canaanite prostitute is far beneath him.  We see how he follows the letter of the Law as opposed to Rahab who has come to love the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and longs to be accepted by His people. 
Ezra and Hanani, the two spies whose lives Rahab saved, are amazed at her faith and her insight into the Law of God.  Joshua sees her hunger for God and believes that the Lord has a special plan for her.  Salmone is angry with Joshua at first for making him minister to her family's needs, setting them up as part of Israel, and teaching them the many customs they need to know before they can live in the Hebrew camp.  His sister Miriam and Rahab become good friends.  Rahab feels she will never be as good as Miriam, but Miriam says that no-one is perfect but the Lord God, and that she has learned much from Rahab about faith and the desire to be righteous in His sight.  Rahab comes to understand that the Lord offers the same forgiveness of sin to the stranger taken in by the Israelites as He does to them, and this gives her great joy. 
She is not very well received by some people at first, but then the Lord uses an incident where she saves a little girl from a snake to make them realize that they have been judging her unfairly.  She sees the Lord's intervention in this - in not only keeping her and the girl safe in answer to her prayer, but also in melting the hearts of those who thought she was beneath them. 
Joshua gives Salmone  his blessing and he marries Rahab.  Salmone sees that he has been unreasonably judgmental in his attitude towards her and is determined to make her happy.  He makes the mistake of not accepting her past and causes her a lot of pain.  She is terrified that he will grow tired of her and that he will be reminded of the fact that she was a harlot if she shows him any passion, and they both end up being very unhappy.  They don't pray together any more and they try to keep away from one another.  
Once again Joshua helps Salmone see how he is hurting Rahab by not accepting her completely, and Salmone makes a commitment to break down the walls of Jericho around her heart!  We see how beautifully the author brings in the lost pearl earring, slightly damaged, but still valuable in Rahab's eyes, to show her how valuable she is as a person, not only to her husband but also to God.  He sees her as God sees her, as a beautiful treasure that has been hiding behind thick walls of fear, guilt and shame.  She is, in fact, to be compared to the priceless treasure found in Jericho once the Lord had broken down the city's walls.
There is so much scriptural truth in this book.  The author has based the story on biblical events and has used the interaction of the characters to bring out the importance of forgiveness, humility, hunger for the things of the Lord and the joy of belonging in a body of believers.  We see how important it is not to judge others and to show mercy even as we have been shown mercy by the Lord. We are reminded of the importance of the Passover, of obedience to the Lord's instructions and of a person's  heart attitude when offering a sacrifice. The scarlet rope that covered Rahab and her family gets new meaning for Rahab when compared to the blood of the sacrificial lambs.  We see the miracle working power of God the Redeemer, not only in the miraculous victory at Jericho, but also in His redeeming power in the lives of His people.  Nothing is too hard for the Lord! 
The setting in the wilderness, living in tents, the importance of lives given over to a holy God and the following of His holy Law, His incomparable mercy and forgiveness,  the victory He gives when His ways are followed and the incredible stupidity of not seeking Him first before going into battle (or anything else for that matter) and the horrific results of disobedience, are clearly depicted.
We see how important faith is in God's eyes, and how Rahab's faith in the Hebrew God led to Israel's victory over Jericho and also to Rahab the harlot being named in the genealogy of Christ!
I don't find that the poetic licence the author has used in this novel detracts in any way from the truth of the Bible, in fact I find she has brought it to light in the sensitive way in which she has told her story.  I feel we can all take a great deal from this book  to help us in our Christian walk - I know that I have!

LEFT BEHIND BY TIM LAHAYE & JERRY B. JENKINS

LEFT BEHIND by Tim Lahaye & Jerry B. Jenkins is the first book in the Left Behind series.  I have read all the books in the series many times and can highly recommend them, but I feel that this first book can be read as a stand alone novel.  The others must be read in sequence to avoid confusion. It is an important book, as it explains the Rapture of believers and End Times in a way that makes it easier to understand Biblical prophecy.  This novel is a wake up call for all of us.  Whilst the characters are fictional, the novel portrays Biblical truth and strongly emphasizes the importance of being born again and having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rayford Steele is a successful pilot.  He is good looking and intelligent, has a lovely wife and two children.  Whilst all seems to be going well on the surface, he is unhappy and dissatisfied with his life.  He is selfish, spends little time with his wife and children, and is thinking seriously of having an affair with the beautiful air hostess, Hattie Durham, who is much younger than he is.  Since his wife, Irene, has become a born again believer, he uses her "fanaticism" to keep away from home as much as possible and he makes every excuse to miss church. His son Raymie is a believer, but his daughter Chloe, who is away at college, has stopped going to church as well as her father.

As Rayford is about to make a definite move on Hattie during a flight to Heathrow, he finds to his horror that people have disappeared all over the plane leaving their clothes and personal effects behind.  He enlists Hattie's help to keep the hysterical  passengers calm and is told to return to the States where he makes a difficult landing at the already full airport. 

Deep in his heart he knows that he won't find Irene and Raymie at home when he finally gets there.  He and Chloe are left to face things on their own.  Irene had told Ray many times about the Rapture of the church and about the teachings that she was getting from Pastor Billings of New Hope Church about End Times prophecy.  He knows now that he has missed out and is desperate to find out if he has a chance to make things right.

Ray, and eventually Chloe, listen to the tape that Pastor Billings left for those who were left behind and they join with Bruce Barnes, a pastor from the church who had been living a lie and was not raptured with the believers, and they form the Tribulation Force.  They are determined to make up for lost time and convert as many people as possible.  They realise that they are going to have a hard time as believers during the Tribulation, but they know that those without the Lord in their lives are going to suffer for all eternity.  Cameron (Buck) Williams is a young reporter who is also on the plane when the Rapture takes place, and once he believes he becomes a member of the Tribulation Force as well.

The world is in turmoil.  People have disappeared all over the world.  Traffic is gridlocked, airports are disaster areas, looting and vandalism is rampant.  Into this scenario comes a glimmer of hope in the shape of Nicolae Carpathia, the charismatic, young, newly appointed president of Romania, who dazzles everyone with his charm and his extraordinary intelligence.  Is he too good to be true or is he the answer to the world's problems?  Or is he, in fact, the Antichrist?  With his seeming humility he graciously "accepts" leadership of the United Nations and puts forward his plans for world peace.

The novel is fast paced and exciting and well worth reading.