Shadow of Death

A Novel by Melody Ravert
ISBN # 1-59286-044-3
Published by Publish America
PO Box 151
Frederick MD 21705-0151
169 PP @ $19.95

 

Christian Books. I’m sure there are those of you that think for a book to have a Christian message, it must be either preachy, or so sappy that any glimpses of plot or characterization is thrown out the window. How could a book that talks about God as a main force in the lives of the characters possibly have anything mainstream about it, and especially when it is a murder mystery? Well, let me tell you that I thought the same thing until I read ‘Shadow of Death’ by author Melody Ravert, and boy did she open my eyes.

What a thrill it was to read this book! Paced like an action movie, it drags you through a plethora of emotions as Carla Summers, a defense attorney, prepares a case to defend her client in a murder case. Her client, Randal Turner, claims his innocence, and with the help of Homicide Detective Nick Brunetti, perhaps she will be able to see justice done and an innocent man go free. There is so much more under the surface than a homicide, and Ms. Ravert creates a complicated web of blackmail, drug rings and murder that will leave you guessing until the end. Even after the trial is over, Carla is still in great danger and Nick must race to not only solve the mystery, but also rescue the woman he loves. It is obvious that there is chemistry between the two, which forces her to face her lack of trust in men when it comes to intimate relationships due to her former husband and the abuse she suffered at his hand. The way Ms. Ravert crafts the interaction of the two characters, each with baggage, yet each wanting to give themselves to one another in the purest sense of the term is beautifully portrayed. My complements to you for not writing characters that just jump into the sack with each other, but instead creating characters that interact on the best kind of level-real.

She also manages to combine her obvious deep-rooted religious beliefs into a tightly woven tale of murder and intrigue that could and should take its place proudly beside any secular novel of the same type. Her love of God shows in her writing, in the way the characters talk and act, as well as react to their situations and each other. I think that this is the first book I have read in a long time where when the character says, “Please God, let her be all right”, I really felt as if it was a prayer and not a cliché.
Let me tell you one more thing she does, as minor as it may seem, that I really liked. She ends the book with the words, ‘The End’. You have no idea how much a simple thing like that struck me; I actually smiled. I mean, how long as it been since you saw those words on something? Anymore, books just stop, movies just go to credits, or even go so far as to mention the next part as the first finishes. Even though it is possible for there to be a sequel (and I hope there will be) it was refreshing to see those two little words at the bottom of the last page. Her story was told as she wanted it to be-THE END. I liked that.

That being said, let me take a page from the author so to speak, and end my review as she did her story. If you love a good murder mystery, put aside any preconceived notion you might have and try this book. You will be in for a great read by an author that I am sure we will be hearing more from. I’m glad I read it, I enjoyed it thoroughly, and you will too. THE END