Woman In Shadow - A Review

 

Woman In Shadow

by

Carrie Stuart Parks

A Review

Joshua 1:9
"This is my command—
be strong and courageous!
Do not be afraid or discouraged.
For the Lord your God is with you
wherever you go.”

PTSD is not just a consequence of military service. It can also evolve from the dangers and trauma faced by First Responders. Such was Darby Graham’s circumstances. She had been part of a recovery program, but now had arrived at Targhee Falls,ID, to put her new found recovery to a test. The Mule Shoe Dude Ranch had experienced a number of mysterious events - accidents, deaths, and missing staff. Darby’s recovery program had asked her to look into the events and report back. She had not been asked to risk her life. 

But life at the dude ranch continued to go downhill. Dead animals showed up in unexpected places, more staff were found dead, windows were shot out. With the exception of a local sheriff deputy, she was not sure who to trust - even the sheriff herself seemed implicated.

I do wish that the author and/or publishers had included references to the help available to those struggling with PTSD whatever the source. A website or phone number would have been a great way to begin or conclude the book. This was an Advanced Reader's Copy, so the possibility of such appearing in the final version of the book exists.

Written with a mixture of first-person and third-person narratives. this faith-based story follows Darby and other characters as they seek to discover the source of the events that sought to destroy the well-deserved reputation of Mule Shoe. The book deserves a sequel, I would like to hope it is possible. I give the book five-stars.

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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.

Collateral Damage - A Review

Collateral Damage

by

Lynette Eason

The first two chapters gave the appearance that I was reading a military thriller - a genre I tend to avoid. I was wrong.

Chapter three opens in a South Carolina field with the discovery of a mass grave. That grave would lead to the involvement of the FBI, the CIA, the Army CID, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and numerous local authorities, into an international manhunt for men so evil even those accustomed to various crimes would be offended. As a reader, I wanted these people caught before they could bring more pain into their world - only the cooperation of the various agencies would bring the guilty to justice.

Though the focus was on the crime, it also presented the reader with a better understanding of PTSD as experienced by those in the military. As I have said before, a book that deals with serious topics (even books of fiction) should also provide pointers for those dealing with these issues either directly or indirectly to additional help. Sadly it did not. Hints that help exists, yes; but no links to websites or phone numbers to reach out for support.

Though coming from a faith-based publisher, I had a hard time calling the book a faith-based thriller. It certainly was not anti-faith but did not weave an underlying theme of faith into the book. Even with that said, the book may find a place in some church libraries. It will also belong in most public libraries serving the general population and on the shelves interested in the unintended casualties of war. It serves as a stark reminder that we need to pray for those living in war-torn areas, whether they are directly fighting or merely trying to live in areas affected by war.
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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 my own.