This review previously published at:
http://www.acfw.com/bookreviews.shtml

Rachael Flynn, a New York attorney home on maternity leave, receives a frantic call from her mother. A man is dead, and Rachael’s only brother has confessed to murdering him. Understandably devastated, she pleads with Rachael to come home to Minnesota.

Rachael finds it impossible to believe that her brother, a Godly man whose life’s mission is James 1:27 (“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world”), could be capable of murder. Joshua sometimes broke the law, yes, but only for helping someone in great need. He adamantly refuses his sister’s offer to represent him, wishing instead to pay for his crime in prison for the rest of his life.

Rachael, with her family in tow, travels home to Minnesota. As she begins her investigation alongside Detective Will Pendleton, Rachael is even further convinced that not only has her brother lied to the police, but that he is covering for someone else. But who? And more importantly, why?

With the support of her artist husband Trace and his best friend Fig, Rachael wades through the facts, visits the Hmong community, and works diligently to solve the case. The book’s plot unfolds in stunning and unexpected ways, leading to a conclusion that surprises the reader.

Susan Meissner weaves realistic scenarios with a strong cord of faith that encourages the reader without sounding preachy. The characters’ faith is simply a part of who they are, rather than something that is just there. Rachael is an especially believable and strong character who is more than deserving of her own series. I especially liked Trace’s friend Fig—he was weird and fun and delightfully “artsy,” yet his connections in the art world are integral to Rachael’s investigation into what really happened that day.

I also appreciated how the author showed the cultural differences and their significance to the case, and the fairness with which she depicts the Hmong culture and people.

I read this book with much anticipation, and I finished it hungry for the next book in the series. Not since Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series have I been this anxious for a sequel! I highly recommend this book for fans of inspirational suspense stories.

Susan Meissner, you have a new fan!

The author's website can be found at:
www.susanlmeissner.com