SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN BY BRANDT DODSON

SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN by BRANDT DODSON is a novel which brings home the message of forgiveness, which is not surprising considering the title!
Colton Parker is a former F.B.I. Agent, turned private investigator, who is called upon by a wealthy business man to find his missing wife. Things are not as they seem, and when he finds the man's wife he is forced to face the mother who abandoned him as a baby, and is drawn into doing battle with  some very dangerous people.
Colton is struggling to forgive himself for his wife's death, which he feels was his fault, and he is also trying desperately to connect with his thirteen year old daughter, who has lost the mother she adored and who blames him for her death.
Colton's struggles are well portrayed, and we are left with the feeling that he is finally ready to turn to the One who died so that his sins could be forgiven.  We also see the importance of facing up to what one has done wrong in order to be set free from guilt.
The plot is exciting and well worked out and there is a strong Christian message. I really enjoyed this book.  I have read two other Brandt Dodson novels, WHITE SOUL and DANIEL'S DEN,  which I can also recommend.



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WHAT LIES WITHIN BY KAREN BALL

WHAT LIES WITHIN by KAREN BALL is the third book in the FAMILY HONOR SERIES.  I have read and enjoyed all three and, although it is better to read them in sequence, each can be read as a stand-alone novel.  In fact, I have only just read the first two, having read WHAT LIES WITHIN many years ago.  It has been great re-reading it in sequence.
Kyla Justice has taken over her deceased father's construction business, JuCo, and has made a name for herself in a male dominated profession.  She is not emotional like her sister Annot, or Annie as she is called, and is disciplined and driven rather than passionate.  She and Annie, with their brother Avidan, or Dan,  are a very close family and they look after one another, especially since their parents' deaths.
In spite of her success, she is not satisfied, and longs to build something worthwhile, something that will be pleasing to God and will make a difference.  Her first reaction to her father's old friend Fredrik's request to help with rebuilding the church into a Teen Centre, in the middle of the 22's territory, is that it is impossible, but she soon gets drawn into the vision. She feels strongly that the Lord is calling her to do this.  
This leads to trouble and Kyla is in grave danger from those who are trying to stop the project from being finished in time. JuCo has made a lot of money and she does what her father used to do when he came across a project that he felt was worthwhile, and that is to do it out of her accumulated profit.  
Rafe Murphy is an ex Marine who was injured on duty and now runs a coffee shop.  He meets up with Kyla, who he has been in love with all his life, when she comes in for coffee.  She doesn't recognize him, but he knows who she is, and their relationship is quite volatile as he tries to keep her safe, while she thinks she is capable of looking after herself.  Her sister Annie calls her "Sister-Mommy" because of her bossy and protective ways.  Her siblings wonder what happened to her to quench her passion and put such a tight rein on her emotions, but Rafe knows.  Through all they go through in the "war zone" she is drawn to him and second guesses her engagement to Mason.  Rafe's Marine unit is loyal to him and they are more than willing to help in the situalion.
The story follows closely the story of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, where the Israelites trusted in God to keep them safe.  They held a sword in the one hand and a building tool in the other.  Their enemies were determined to stop Jerusalem from being rebuilt, and did everything in their power to hinder the work.  Nehemiah soaked the whole project in believing prayer, and Fredrik is the one who, with his elderly deacons, does the same for the modern rebuilding project.  It is a beautifully worked out story, with believable characters, and the biblical story is paralleled  in the modern world with gangs, the greed of business tycoons, threats and betrayals,  The power of prayer is shown strongly together with the importance of trust.  I like the verses at the beginning of each chapter, many of them taken from the book of Nehemiah.
This is a novel I can highly recommend.

FATAL JUDGMENT BY IRENE HANNON

FATAL JUDGMENT by IRENE HANNON is the first book in the GUARDIANS OF JUSTICE series. It is a fast-paced thriller with a strong Christian message.
Deputy U.S. Marshall Jake Taylor is placed on protective duty and is surprised to find that Elizabeth Michaels, the high profile judge he is protecting, is his best friend Doug's widow. He has pre-conceived ideas about her because of the derogatory remarks Doug made to him about her, however his opinion changes as he gets to know her better. What starts out as a purely professional relationship turns into something more. The truth is that, just as her murdered sister Stephanie's husband abused his wife physically, Liz's husband abused her mentally.
Jake has more or less given up on God because of his wife's death, and Liz understands how he feels as she was tempted to do the same when Doug died.
The Taylor family are very close and are all involved in law enforcement in one way or another. Their mother is a godly woman and they were brought up in a Christian home. Cole is a detective and Alison works in child services. Stephanie was Liz's only living relative and she feels desperately lonely when she is alone in the condo where she is being kept safe until the killer is apprehended. She is drawn to Jake and he becomes her lifeline to normalcy. She looks forward to his visits and they come to trust one another and open up to one another. Jake has to put up with some subtle teasing from his siblings and his co-workers as it is obvious that he and Liz have feelings for one another. They are both looking forward to being able to pursue a romantic relationship once the case is solved.
Liz has developed a strong faith in God over the years and she encourages Jake to take up Alison's invitation to go to church with her. It is when Liz is in mortal danger that his childhood faith in the Lord is re-awakened.
The characters are well portrayed and their relationships with one another and with the Lord come through strongly. The importance of family and friends, of forgiveness, kindness and understanding, shows throughout the story.
We see how a diabolically clever killer, with weird anti-government ideas, has his plans thwarted by the very government agencies he is trying to expose! I can highly recommend this book. I have read the next two novels in the GUARDIANS OF JUSTICE series, where Cole's and Alison's stories are told, and can highly recommend them as well.











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