Diner Impossible

by

Terri L. Austin

A Review

“Murder She Wrote meets Peyton Place’” is an apt description of Diner Impossible.  The book is a lovely cozy mystery with a bit too much sexuality woven into the story for this reader.  Rose (aka Rosi) Strickland has rejected the well to do lifestyle of her mother and sister and replaced it with the life of independence as she serves as a waitress in the local diner.  With the help of her co-workers, she is called on to investigate and eventually solve the murder of the crooked police chief’s administrative assistant.

The chief could have done it - but so could have a dozen other people, including Rosi’s criminal boyfriend.  The locale, the characters, and the story is very blue collar compared to many cozy mysteries - these facts make the book approachable by a great many readers.  Though it was not my favorite read, there will  be those who will find the country clubs, bars, diners, and other rural haunts that define Huntingford, MO, a comfortable home - not just for a mystery, but for Rosi’s friends and family as well.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Conversations With

Jehovah’s Witnesses

by

Ron Rhodes

A Review

Ron Rhodes has provided a readable introduction to discussing one’s faith with a practicing Jehovah Witness.  The book is divided into two parts.  The first part (about 30% of the book) discusses seven principles that need to heard by anyone actively involved in evangelism.  Though the examples of those principles comes out of the author’s work with Jehovah Witnesses, the principles themselves are generic enough that they need to be understood and used by all believers as they share their faith.  Taking time to read these seven chapters alone makes the book a worthwhile purchase.

The author is convinced that the best approach in discussing our faith with a Jehovah Witness is by providing an ear that is willing to learn what they believe.  Rather than arguing against straw men, that may or may not represent the person in front of you, we listen to what they are really saying.  This is of course good advice whenever we are discussing our faith.  Though we may not agree, we do show respect for the person who we are in discussion with as we listen and respond to what is actually being said, rather than what we expect to hear.

The other ⅔ of the book focus on using the techniques discussed in Part 1 when addressing specific concerns of the Jehovah Witness faith.  Though there is not enough detail to have a thorough understanding of that faith, for the man or woman who is comfortable with their own faith, the book suggests and illustrates ways to respond without offending and/or driving the Jehovah Witness away.

The second part of the book is also of value whether one is in conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness or not.  Though in the context of witnessing to the Jehovah Witness, it does provide a survey (albeit, a brief survey) of the Christian faith when set against one of the larger of today’s cults.  Though the author’s credentials suggest he understands the Jehovah Witness faith, my own knowledge of their faith is not sufficient to evaluate his work in this area.  

The book is filled with sample conversations that illustrate both the principles of Part One and the issues raised in Part Two.  Though the conversations are made up (i.e. not transcripts of actual conversations), they do illustrate the skills discussed throughout the book.  

The bottom line is that the book, though aimed at the believer talking to a member of the Jehovah Witnesses, provides a good, mid-level discussion of evangelism for all.  

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of the book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Alaskan Courage
Book Three:Stranded

by

Dani Pettrey

A Review

Love is in the air, but so is lying, murder, and kidnapping.

Called back to assist an old colleague on a case, Darcy St. James found herself isolated and with few (if any) clues to go on.  Her colleague had disappeared just as they were preparing to depart on an Alaskan cruise aboard the cruise ship Bering.  She was on her own.

At least that was true until she found that the Excursion Director was an old friend, Gage McKenna.  Darcy, Gage, with assistance from his family’s local adventuring business,  and the local sheriff, would discover the hints that were needed to get to the bottom of the disgusting behavior that seem to pervade much of what occurred aboard the Bering’s voyage along the Alaskan coast.

The book read smoothly, even as it jumped from scene to scene.  There were times I did not want to put the book down, even though I had to go to bed in order to ready for the next day.  The book served as a reminder that God does not always work at our pace, but He does work at His pace and accomplishes His purposes in His time.

If the book had been a feature film, it would have made the perfect date movie.  The mystery, along with the love story(ies?) that paralleled the mystery, will appeal to all readers.   I saw no glaring holes in the story or the evidence as it was gathered in the course of this adventure.  Though this is book three of a set, I found the story easy to settle into without having read the previous two books.  Though this is the end of a trilogy, I hope the author will have the opportunity to contract for another three books in the series.     

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Bible Stories for Grown-Ups - A Review

Bible Stories
for
Grown Ups

by

Wilson Harp

A Review

Many of us grew up with Bible Story Books.  Wilson Harp has re-created that experience for adults.  It was fun to read the stories without the trappings of  chapters, verses, and headings that break of the original Biblical text in ways never suggested by the original authors.  

Was this a new translation - no.  It is a paraphrase of 40 familiar stories that can grab the adult mind - in much the same way that the child based stories challenged me and others at an earlier time.  What is missing are the pictures that brought the text alive to us as children - a set of real life (rather than cartoonish) or classic art images could easily be used to illustrate the stories.  The addition of these to the stories would add value to the book.

In seminary, in order to prepare for the Bible content exam, we were encouraged to read children’s Bible stories to (re-) familiarize ourselves with the most common stories in scripture.  The presence of this kind of book - covering these 40 stories and others - would have given another option for those of us who were not brought up in the church.   

Now, 40 years later, it was fun reread stories that have become more familiar - it was true for me, I hope that it will true for you as well.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of this book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Adventuring Through the Bible

by

Ray Stedman

A Review

Ray Stedman was one of those men with whom I grew as a young Christian.  His home church, The Peninsula Bible Church, was only 90 miles away from my home, giving me the opportunity to visit on more than one occasion as a young believer.  His book Body Life was a must read for those of us beginning our Christian walk in the early 70’s.  It helped  define much of what occurred in the way of discipleship for the church at that time.

This year, Discovery House has chosen to update and republish another important work by Ray Stedman, Adventuring Through the Bible.  Earlier editions were published in 1997 and 2005, the most recent update being completed in 2012.  

The book is a colorful introduction to scripture - a general introduction intended for a lay audience, but of use and interest to the men and women who find themselves in the pulpit week after week.  Written as a series of essays, the book would appeal to the same audience as Henrietta Mears What the Bible Is All About.  In addition to the main text, which focuses on the main sections of the Bible (Old Testament, Pentateuch, the Historical Books, the Writings, the Prophets, the New Testament, the Gospels, the Pauline Epistles, the General Epistles, and Revelation), it also includes a chapter on each book of the Bible, a large number of insets that explore topics of special interest to the Bible reader.  Most chapters include a set of discussion questions allowing the book to be used as the basis for either personal or group Bible Study.  Colorful pictures highlight much of the text, drawing the reader into the Biblical story - more so than some more scholarly introductions.  

The book could certainly be used as a textbook for an undergraduate “Introduction to the Bible” course - it is too light to be the main text for a seminary or graduate school course, though it could be used as ancillary text in that context.  Though I was provided an electronic version of this book for this review, this is one book that looks like it would be fun to have on the living room coffee table as a paper text.  The book would also be of use to someone who has chosen to spend a year (or two or three) reading through the Bible.  

It has been eleven years since Stedman has returned home, but his publishers continue to add value to his work if this book is evidence of what they are going to offer us.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of this book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Double Dip - A Review

Double Dip

by

Gretchen Archer

A Review

A funny and fun romp through the security center of an Mississippi Casino, Double Dip follows the (mis)adventures of Davis Way as she tracks down the scheming scalawags that are hauling the older and richer gamblers away to an somewhat unscrupulous senior living center.  With the occasional murder and the missing boy friend, Gretchen Archer held this reader's attention - to which he kept returning until the final page was read last night.  And, as Gretchen Archer writes, someone did leave the Slot Machine “Tournament  with a great big rock.”  To find out who, you will need to read, and laugh, your way through Double Dip.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of this book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.